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What is an expert

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Competence                   Experience                 Independance

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He is a professional who has a deep knowledge in a defined field of knowledge and a wide range of specific experience that makes him more suitable than others to give sound advice or advice. The art expert identifies a work to ensure its authenticity. The expertise must make it possible to monitor the traceability of the work. He has a network of specialist technicians on whom he can rely for scientific analyses, such as:​

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  • infrared rays for varnish analysis;

  • X-rays for in-depth analysis of layers;

  • chemical analysis of pigments;

  • carbon-14 dating for old paintings.​

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These highly elaborate techniques make it possible to confirm or refute the result of a search. (1)

 

The expert is not only defined by what he is or what he knows, but also by the rarity of the services he provides. These respond to a very precise and very specific request. But above all, it is the expert's clients who give him his legitimacy.

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Expert's mission ​

 

The expert's mission is to determine the origin, nature, technique, author, date, condition of a work to establish its authenticity. It allows the sale of authentic works and prevents the sale of counterfeits and copies. According to his knowledge at the time, he is not immune to an error of judgment.

Liability of the expert


In France, the legislation lacks harmonisation on the duration of liability of experts in works of art; It can be five years or more depending on whether it is a public sale or a private sale. As experts remain essential players in the art market, it would be desirable for the legislator to define a precise status for the exercise of the profession of expert in works of art and to harmonize the duration of his liability according to the nature of his intervention. In most other European countries, their liability remains very limited. What is certain is that the expert must be recognized by his peers and must provide proof of his competence and experience in his specialty, his responsibility and his independence.

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Ethics of the expert

 

The expert must comply with strict rules of ethics:​

  • bring all his experience and competence to the case submitted to him;

  • practice his profession with probity, sincerity and objectivity;

  • respect professional secrecy;

  • take out insurance covering civil liability as an expert;

  • guarantee the transparency of intervention costs.

The expert's obligation “is an obligation of means and not of result”. The expert is not required to say whether the work concerned is true or false, but he must bring all his theoretical, documentary and technical knowledge, his experience and his research to the examination of the work.

The expert gives his intimate conviction and retains his free will .

Value of certificates of authenticity

 

Not all certificates of authenticity for works of art have the same value: those established incontestably and recognized throughout the world and those produced by experts, rights holders or self-proclaimed "expert" dealers whose knowledge of the artist's work is insufficient and requires the control of a recognized expert. The value of the certificate therefore depends on the reputation of the expert who writes it, recognized as the most competent for this artist having produced a catalog raisonné or in-depth works on the artist's work.

The certificates drawn up by second or third generation indirect rights holders appear very random and require particular vigilance.

It should be noted that competition is sometimes so fierce, so harsh, that denigration, slander and defamation have become the main activity of the mediocre and obscure in search of an undeserved, usurped notoriety, which by their posture inappropriate, encourage the dissemination of forgeries on the art market!

 

(1) For detailed information on scientific expertise, see Cabinet Gilles Perrault.

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