Ways to Buy Indian Paintings by Perusing Signatures

As an art lover, you need to beware of the menace art fraud has unleashed if you want to sell and buy Indian paintings. This could be surmised from the fact that more than 90% of the works in the market that are claimed to have been made by Jaimini Roy are imitations. But, even the smartest of the criminals leave a part of themselves that leads to truth. The magic of moonshine vaporizes in the light of facts and identity.

Online sale of art is very much vulnerable to art fraud than any other platform. Seller is not at all motivated to hire an expert who could ascertain the trail of ownership of a particular artwork. But, there are ways by which an art aficionado could identify authenticity. One of them being the forensics test that could conclusively proves the origin of any work.

The websites that organize auctions and offer established art at affordable prices are more of a concern. Frauds target potential customers who are looking for art at low prices and they concoct a story to lure them into buying a fake. But, you may avoid all this if you follow these simple steps to point out the fake signature on an art.

Tips to point out a fake signature

Signatures could be faked after some practice and precision also come with time. If one thinks that online sources are enough to compare and make sure whether the artwork is fake, it is not enough. You are probably comparing it with the exact sample that the fraud practiced to con.
If the style of art, for example, the wave and flow of brushstrokes, the color tones, the motif itself, the material used, etc. doesn’t match the general style of the painter, there is no need to waste your efforts on matching the signatures. The authenticity of the signature doesn’t matter if the art presented to you is prima facie questionable.
Artists either put signatures on their art or they leave some mark that is common to all the artworks that that particular artist has ever produced. Look out for those signs and compare the place where it is usually put and the style in which it is imbibed. If an artist signs his works on the left side of paintings and the artwork that is presented for sale has it on the right side, it is enough to raise concern.
Artists paint their signatures in a particular pattern. The location may not be of concern if the artist signs at different locations on his artwork depending upon the visibility because he only signs it with a particular color. Some of them use their christened name, some of them just sign with initials, some sign it in particular language, etc. For example, Hussain usually signed his paintings in Hindi.
Colored samples should be considered while comparing it with artwork at hand because in black and white samples as it may disturb the appearance because of the lack of finesse. They are only helpful when they are clear and flawless.
Some painters don’t just sign their signatures, they mention other details also like the date of the completion of the art, and they even mention the title and name of the painting. But, you may also find some fakes that mention date, title, and location when it is not mentioned. Be wary of these pieces because an artist seldom deviated from his style.
If artwork is posted for sale, make sure that the image of the signature is not blurred or has any kind of reflection or superimposition. Make sure you get a clear picture for comparison purposes. It is a trending way to sell fake art. They will not provide you a clear close up of the piece.
Some artists sign their signatures in a different medium from that of the painting. The painting might have been done in acrylic, oil, or water, etc. for that matter, but, the signature is always signed in ink to make it stand out. Particular identification marks could be chalked out and perused. Like, some of the painters scratch the paint to inscribe the identification mark.
Some artists sign their work for identification. That kind of signature is mostly done with a particular ink and in a particular style. It doesn’t blend with the composition. Some of the artists sign their artwork. But, you need to find that out because they blend it in the theme of the painting so that it forms an integral part of the painting.

Therefore, you need to be vigilant enough if you want to buy Indian paintings. There are many ways through which it could be done. But, the buyer needs to be extra cautious. It is still Caveat Emptor in the art world.