Back story — why the details on the ‘verso’ of a painting can significantly enhance its value

From its auction and exhibition history and provenance to notes from the artist on which way is ‘UP’, the details found on the ‘verso’ can significantly enhance painting’s value

Who, what, when... and whereFirst and foremost, you’ll want to know who painted your picture.

 Artists started signing their works around the 15th century, and while their signatures are most commonly on the front, imore recent times they have been applied to the reverse.

Christie’s specialists can check signatures by looking them up in the artist’s catalogue raisonné and, sometimes, even narrow down the date a work was painted based on the evolution of a signature over time.