Priya Kapoor
The back of a painting, also known as the 'verso', often contains fascinating insights into the history of the artwork, including its ownership, travels and changes of address. These markings can include anything from handwritten notes by the artist to exhibition labels, wax seals, inventory numbers and even stamps indicating that the artwork was confiscated during World War II. These details can significantly enhance the value of a painting by providing a glimpse into its journey and the context in which it was created. By studying these markings, art professionals can uncover the hidden stories behind famous paintings, shedding light on the intentions of the artist and the interpretation of the artwork.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist's signature | Signatures are most commonly on the front, but in more recent times they have often been applied to the reverse |
| Artist's notes | Notes from the artist can enhance a painting's value |
| Exhibition labels | Labels can indicate where the painting has been exhibited |
| Inventory numbers | Inventory numbers can be stencilled or chalked on the back of the painting |
| Stickers with barcodes | Stickers with barcodes can be applied to paintings to correspond with sales records |
| Stamps | Stamps can indicate where a painting has crossed borders |
| Wax seals | Wax seals can be used by dealers, collectors, and museums |
| Handwritten inscriptions | Handwritten inscriptions can record where a painting has been and who owned it |
| Tape | Tape can be used to indicate a painting's ownership history and where it has been displayed |
| Canvas manufacturer insignias | Canvas manufacturers stamp their insignias on the raw material |
| Auction house brands | Auction houses brand their lots with idiosyncratic alphanumeric configurations |
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What You'll Learn
Auction history and provenance
The verso of a painting—that is, its reverse side—often contains a wealth of information about the artwork's history, ownership, and provenance. These details can significantly enhance a painting's value and reveal fascinating insights about its journey through time. Here are some examples of what might be discovered when examining the back of a famous painting:
The auction history and provenance of a painting are crucial aspects that can be revealed through markings, labels, and inscriptions on its verso. For instance, the back of Rembrandt and his studio's "Man with a Sword" (1644) displayed the stencil "272ER", indicating its presence in a 1928 auction at Christie's. This led to the discovery of its previous ownership by Sir George Lindsay Holford and his father, Robert Stayner Holford, adding valuable context to the painting's history.
Christie's, a renowned auction house, has marked the backs of pictures with inventory numbers since the early 19th century. These numbers provide valuable information about the auction details, including the date, location, seller, and price. Getty Museum also showcases the auction history of paintings like "Arii Matamoe (The Royal End)" by Paul Gauguin and "Grand Canal in Venice with Palazzo Bembo" by Francesco Guardi, through stamps and inventory numbers on their versos.
Auction houses like Christie's and Sotheby's London have played a significant role in the auction history of artworks. For example, the William Hogarth pair, "Before" and "After", were sold through Sotheby's London to J. Paul Getty, with their previous ownership traced back to a Swedish publisher and art collector, Thorsten Laurin.
In addition to auction houses, dealers and collectors have also left their marks on the backs of paintings. For instance, the paintings by Sebastiano Ricci and William Hogarth mentioned earlier bore labels from Ernest Brown & Phillips Ltd., a London dealer. These labels provided crucial information about the paintings' sales in 1936.
Furthermore, aristocratic European collectors often embossed their paintings with wax seals bearing their family crests, and canvas manufacturers would stamp their insignias on the raw material. These markings contribute to the provenance of the paintings and help authenticate their ownership history.
Artist's Notations and Insights
The verso of a painting may also contain notations and insights directly from the artist. Artists sometimes leave explanatory appendices, arrows, or notes clarifying the orientation and interpretation of their abstract works. For example, Richard Diebenkorn often added arrows and "TOP" in block letters to guide viewers. Motherwell, an Abstract Expressionist painter, provided keys to deciphering the multiple layers of meaning in his titles.
Artists may also include personal notes, dates, signatures, and inspirations on the back of their paintings. For instance, Michele Hausman mentions that her paintings often include the name of the artwork, her signature, and the month and year of completion. In some cases, artists like Hausman may repurpose canvases, leading to painted-over areas or multiple dates of completion.
Technical Details and Documentation
The verso of a painting can also reveal technical details and documentation related to its creation and exhibition. For instance, artists may indicate the materials used, such as the manufacturer of the panel or stretched canvas. They may also mention the use of varnish and the date it was applied. Additionally, photographers or curators may add labels or notations indicating the dates of photography or exhibition.
A Passport to the Painting's Journey
Overall, the back of a painting serves as a passport, documenting its journey and changes of address. Each mark, label, wax seal, or handwritten inscription adds a piece to the puzzle of its history. By examining these details, curators, conservators, and researchers can trace the painting's ownership, display, and influence over time. These discoveries enhance our understanding of art historical contexts and the significance of artworks.
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Artist's notes and signatures
The back of a painting, also known as the 'verso', can contain a wealth of information about the artwork's history and provenance. Artists' notes and signatures are often found on the verso, along with other markings that provide valuable insights.
Artists' notes can vary from simple inscriptions of the painting's title, date, and authorship to more detailed explanations or personal reflections. Some artists use the back of the canvas to provide additional context for their work, such as the inspiration behind it or the location where it was created. These notations can serve as a means of preserving important information about the artwork as it changes hands over time. In the case of abstract or experimental works, artists may include explanatory appendices on the verso to aid in the interpretation of their piece. For example, Richard Diebenkorn often added arrows to his abstractions to indicate the proper orientation of the work.
Signatures on the verso of a painting are also common, especially in more recent times. Signatures can help authenticate the artwork and, in some cases, even narrow down the date of its creation based on the evolution of the artist's signature over their career. The presence of a signature can also enhance the value of the painting, as it confirms the artist's identity.
In addition to notes and signatures, other markings on the verso of a painting can include inventory numbers, exhibition labels, wax seals, and even stamps indicating the painting's travels across borders. These markings, often made by dealers, collectors, or museums, contribute to the painting's "passport," documenting its ownership history, changes of address, and any notable exhibitions or sales. Aristocratic European collectors, for instance, would emboss their paintings with wax seals bearing their family crest.
The verso of a painting can also reveal insights into the artist's process and the painting's physical history. For example, conservators discovered that one of Vincent Van Gogh's canvases had been painted over 14 times! Some artists may also add notations about the materials used, such as the manufacturer of the canvas or panel, or the type of varnish applied. These details can be crucial for art historians, curators, and conservators, providing a deeper understanding of the artwork's creation and subsequent journey through time.
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Exhibition labels and inventory numbers
The back of a painting, also known as the 'verso', often contains a wealth of information about the artwork's history, ownership, and travels. Dealers, collectors, and museums frequently mark the verso with exhibition labels and inventory numbers, which serve as a passport for the artwork. These markings can enhance a painting's value and provide important insights into its provenance and authenticity.
Exhibition labels on the verso of a painting can include stickers with barcodes, stencilled inventory numbers, or handwritten inscriptions. These labels provide essential information about the artwork's exhibition history, including the dates and locations of exhibitions. For example, the reverse of Rembrandt's "Man with a Sword" (1644) displays an exhibition label from an 1898 Amsterdam exhibition.
Inventory numbers are another crucial aspect of exhibition labels. These numbers are often stencilled or printed on stickers and correspond to records that detail the artwork's sales history, including the date, location, seller, and price. Christie's, for instance, has been marking the backs of pictures with inventory numbers since the early 19th century, initially using black ink stencilling.
In addition to exhibition labels and inventory numbers, the verso of a painting may also include the artist's inscriptions, notes, signatures, and dates. These notations provide valuable insights into the artwork's creation, title, date, and authorship. Some artists even use the back of the canvas to leave explanatory appendices or additional creative details.
By examining and documenting the exhibition labels and inventory numbers on the verso of a painting, curators, researchers, and art professionals can trace the artwork's ownership history, display locations, and changes of address. This information enriches our understanding of the painting's life and enhances its value and significance in the art world.
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Wax seals and canvas manufacturer stamps
Wax seals on the back of paintings have been used throughout history to denote ownership and authenticity. Historically, wax seals were used by aristocratic European collectors, who would emboss their paintings with wax seals bearing the family crest. In Asian painting, particularly in Chinese and Japanese cultures, artists would often use red ink seals, or chops, to sign their artwork. In modern times, artists may use wax seals to add depth, symbolism, and a personal touch to their artwork, with the design, colour, and placement of the seal adding layers of meaning to the artwork. Wax seals can be used in mixed media artworks by blending them with ink, paint, and collage techniques. They can also be used to create unique, sculptural imprints that bring a tactile element to paintings.
Canvas manufacturer stamps, or insignias, are another feature that may be found on the back of famous paintings. These stamps were originally placed on the raw canvas material by the manufacturer. They can be used to track the history of a painting, alongside other markings such as exhibition labels and inventory numbers.
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Artworks looted by Nazis
The Nazis looted and stole a significant number of artworks during World War II, with over 20% of Europe's art being plundered by the end of the war. The theft and destruction of Polish art by the Nazis are estimated to have cost around $20 billion, or 43% of Poland's cultural heritage. This included 516,000 individual art pieces, such as paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, maps, and books. The Nazis also stole numerous artworks from Jewish people and institutions in every country they occupied, as part of the Holocaust.
One of the most notorious auctions of Nazi-looted art was the "degenerate art" auction in 1939, which included works by van Gogh and Matisse. Many well-known art dealers and major collectors participated in this auction. The Nazis also organised the systematic looting of art from Jewish communities, with the establishment of organisations like the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg (ERR), which was directed by Alfred Rosenberg and operated from the Jeu de Paume Museum in Paris. Hermann Göring, a key figure in the Nazi regime, was also involved in art looting and established the ERR alongside Rosenberg.
Artworks looted by the Nazis sometimes bear a series of stamps, including the party's emblematic double-headed eagle, marks indicating when and where they were seized, and checkpoints they crossed. These markings can help confirm a painting's authenticity and increase its market value.
Some notable examples of artworks looted by the Nazis include:
- The Ghent Altarpiece by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, which was recovered after the war and returned to its original owners.
- Madonna of Bruges by Michelangelo, which was stolen in 1944 and found in 1945 in the Altaussee salt mine, a hiding place for Nazi-looted art.
- Ashes II by Edvard Munch, confiscated from German museums in 1937.
- Numerous paintings by European and Polish painters, such as Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I.
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Frequently asked questions
The back of a painting, also known as the verso, often contains information about the artwork's history, such as labels, wax seals, handwritten inscriptions, and stamps that indicate where it has been and who owned it.
The verso of a painting can include notes from the artist, such as the date it was created, the location it was painted, and even assembly instructions. It may also include the artist's signature, the painting's name, and the artist's inspiration.
The details found on the verso of a painting can enhance its value by providing information about its provenance, auction history, and previous owners. These markings are like a passport for the artwork, representing its identity and journey.
One notable discovery on the verso of a painting was made on Pieter Brueghel II's "The Outdoor Wedding Dance." The back of the painting showed the brand of the city of Antwerp: a pair of hands above a castle, dating from 1617. Another example is Carlo Dolci's "Saint Philip Neri", which includes an inscription by the artist stating when he began the piece, how long it took, and that he started it on his birthday.
