AboutAndrew Evans Expertise Experienced in selling, appraising and judging authenticity of signed original prints and unique works of fine art. Concentration on Rembrandt etchings; Picasso; Miro; Durer woodcuts; Marc Chagall lithographs; Bruegel; Renoir etchings; Calder lithographs; Toulouse Lautrec lithographs; Vasarely; Warhol silk screens; Henry Moore sculptures; Edgar Degas drawings.
Understanding fine art requires one to utilize as many sources as possible. These Pablo Picasso ceramics, lithographs and etchings have several catalog sources to cite authenticity of these modern works. Rembrandt etchings are 400 year old works usually depicting historical or biblical events, and are often seen in a connoisseur's collection due to the complexity of their documentation. Every fine art collector should aspire to learn as much as possible about the artist and the piece before purchasing.
There are many free sources for all types of artists, from Old Masters like Bruegel to Contemporary Masters like Vasarely. Fine art catalogs are very expensive, but collectors can use the internet, galleries, auction houses, and especially knowledgeable private dealers to learn more about works they wish to acquire or sell. And that is why I am here: to help you learn more about the exciting world of fine art.
Question I recently acquired what appears to be an original woodcut by Durer, but have no way of knowing for sure. It is on thick paper, which from the reverse has faint lines about 1 1/2" apart (laid paper?). The ink is thick and deep black and there is a faint stamped mark on the back. Can you help me identify this as possbily being an original? I do have very high quality scans of the whole image (Samson Killing the Lion) and high resolution closeups of parts of the work.
Durer woodcuts are usually on what is described as "fine laid paper". It is pretty thin. The popular suites are Apocalypse, Large Passion, Engraved Passion, Small Passion, and Life of the Virgin. As you may know, his signature is signed in the plate and looks like an 'A' with a 'D' underneath it.
The stamp on the back may be a collector's stamp. These types of markings can help build provenance for a piece if you can verify its origins.
You can browse these Albrecht Durer woodcuts http://www.masterworksfineart.com/inventory/durer for an idea of their worth. Old Master Prints such as Durer and Rembrandt tend to be found in connoisseur's collection.
For a more accurate appraisal of your work, I recommend sending an email to Alex Adelman http://www.masterworksfineart.com/contact/index.html (email: alex at masterworksfineart.com) with attached high quality images of the piece and any outstanding marks (such as the stamp on the back). Adelman deals with Durer woodcuts daily and will be happy to take a look at this piece.
This should help you get started. Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.
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