Thursday, December 2, 2010

How to Determine the Value of Antique Oil Paintings?

Antique Oil Paintings describe the story of a time gone by! They attract us because of its beauty and its value. Old things always cost more. Therefore, Antique Oil Paintings by renowned artists are indeed very expensive. Copies of famous and popular works by these artists are available in shops and museums and are easily recognized by most of the people around the world. Let's look more at antique oil paintings.


It is considered that oil painting was first used in Afghanistan in between the fifth and the ninth centuries. However, it did not get popular until sometime during the fifteenth century. Traditional artists use canvas made from Linen which was expensive. Other popular but less expensive canvases used by them were produced from cotton fabric.


Paintings by legendary artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Boticelli, Picasso, Michelangelo, etc are known for their style and beauty. These arts are not affordable by normal public. However, replicas of the famous paintings are being reproduced and are available at a less price. These can be found in antique shops and vintage stores. They are available for purchase at online stores too.


People who are not concerned about the authenticity, usually prefer forgeries or reproduced world classic paintings. Fake paintings are the curse of the masterpieces of the well-known artists. Chemical analysis and tests for determining the age and origin is the only way to prevent the forgeries.


The value of the painting is determined by its age. The age and origin of an oil painting can be calculated by chemical analysis of the paint used in the art. These tests can determine whether the painting is genuine or a forgery. To find out the age of the painting, there are many tests available; some of which can be done at home as well. Examples of these tests are evaluating the "craquelure" (checking the cracks on the paint layer), looking for the pigments and hue of the colors, checking the protective varnishes etc.


Understanding of the internal chemistry of oil paint systems at the different stages in their lifetime lets you test the authenticity of the oil paintings from your home. In older days, artists used to give a layer of varnishes to protect the painting. Analysing the material the painting was done on will give a picture about its age. Understanding the colors used, their combinations, theme of painting, any signature on the paint etc help us find out the period the work was done.


An alternative way to test an oil painting is to take it to an art specialist, or art gallery or art museum in your town. They will have professional ways of testing it and finding out the authenticity of the arts. They use technologies such as Infra Red Reflectography, Wood's light, Stereoscopic Microscope, etc to calculate the age of an art.


Glass painting(cheap oil paintings) belongs to the category of oil painting reproductions,it seemes that the oil painting(Oil paintings for sale) covered in the glass, and the discount oil paintings is framed with timber seat and placed in a long narrow table or on the wall, It is not an elegant device, most of Paintings for sale and Oil Painting Reproductions are also the products of Republic of China in the late Qing Dynasty.

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