Key Art Terms You Can’t Afford to Ignore

The world of art can seem intimidating, and many feel like they’re at school again - tip-toeing their way through previously unnavigated waters. However, the saying is always true - knowledge is power. And arming yourself with the right knowledge can make all the difference when it comes to buying art. We’re going to carve into the meaty topic of art jargon to make sure you know what you’re getting into when it comes to buying art. 

Prepositions Are Everything 

At first thought a work of art should be self-explanatory - what you see is what you get - but there is so much more depth beyond what the eye sees at first glance. 

Understanding the story behind a piece of art comes in the description.  “Attributed to” “Studio of” “Style of” The Manner Of” – all of these let us know that some investigation is required. 

Even an artist’s signature, the presence of a date, or an inscription can’t be taken at face value. If you come across these phrases in your investigation, you should go in with the knowledge that these pieces weren’t created by the artist themselves, rather in their style by someone else.. It may also be that there isn’t enough evidence to confidently link them to the work.

This should guide you in deciding on whether or not you want to purchase the work of art, and most importantly – how much you would be willing to spend on it.

Conditions are Not Unconditional 

Life ages us all - animals and objects alike - and art is no different. No matter how cherished, preserved, and looked after a piece is, it will still age. Knowing its true condition is fundamental in knowing the real market value. 

Terms like “foxing”, “skinning” and “toning” may be be confusing, but it’s important to get up to speed on what that means. “Foxing” or “freckles” refer to the dark brown spots that can appear on works of art on paper as they age. This is frequently caused by a combination of mold and metallic impurities and can significantly alter the value of a piece. It can also be removed - at a significant price - and so should be kept in mind when planning a bidding strategy. 

“Skinning” is when an oil painting has been cleaned extensively and the result is a partial removal of the paint from the painting. This is also referred to as ‘loss of paint’ or ‘areas of paint loss’

Likewise, “toning” describes the darkening of the paper over time, as well as the impact of exposure to humidity and other atmospheric pollutants, causing the paper to become acidic. 

“Fading” is the damage to a piece by its exposure to sunlight, and “Craquelure” is the pattern of gentle cracks that appear in oil paintings as the medium shrinks and expands over time. 

Requesting a condition report can shed light on all these potential pre-purchase pitfalls. 

Style is Timeless

No discussion of the terminology of art would be complete without considering style. Knowing how to look at and describe art is crucial in finding what you’re looking for.

Here is where research is key. If you have an idea of what type of art you’d like in your home, then it’s important to explore it find out what exact phrases are used to describe the art you like. This will help you fine-tune your search and find the art that really interests you.

For example, “Brushwork” or a certain form of “composition” may be what you’re after.. Do you like ‘Abstract’ or ‘Realism’, or ‘Illustration’. Perhaps you like ‘Old Masters’ or ‘Contemporary’. There are countless terms that describe the style of a work of art. You may have to even make sense of foreign words such as “trompe l'oeil” (a style of optical illusion that gives paintings a three-dimensional quality to the viewer), “pentimento” (deciphering the image below the painting that the artist decided to cover over with a new creation) or “chiaroscuro”(the use of the interplay between light and dark to give depth and texture).

Determining if the work of art is a print rather than a painting is also important. Prints are usually on paper but sometimes can be on canvas. If the painting is described as a “giclée” then it is a print on canvas with a few splashes of paint, but it is not an original painting so it is less valuable. Prints are also numbered. This is called an “edition”. Lower numbers usually have great value than higher numbers. So 7/25 is usually more valuable than 352/1500.

Using search engines, adopting a detective mindset, and asking questions can result in a treasure chest of knowledge.

We hope that this has been a helpful introduction to some of the key phrases that you may encounter on your art discovery journey. 

If you have a piece of art that you think may be worth something, take a look at our blog post about the 9 signs your art may be worth over $1,000, and if you have any questions, we are here to help. 

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