Buying Art on Paper or not ?
1/ Why works on paper?
Encompassing a diverse range of media — from drawing and painting to collage and beyond — works on paper can offer a glimpse into an artist’s creative process. For many, the freedom and immediacy afforded by working on paper became instrumental to their practices, spawning new techniques and aesthetics, subjects and methods.
Far from being confined to studies and experiments, works on paper represent important modes of art-making in their own right.
2/ Are works on paper less expensive?
On average, works on paper do tend to cost less than paintings — although of course they cover a wide range of price points.
3/ Is it a category showcased by institutions?
Major museum and gallery exhibitions have underlined the central importance of works on paper to many different artists.
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4/ Are any artists particularly known for their works on paper?
Perhaps no one better mastered pastel than Edgar Degas, whose use of the medium on paper was fresh and incredibly modern. Pastel opened his technique to a realm of new motifs, allowing him to capture even the most fugitive postures of his female models — something that was nearly impossible to achieve using traditional oil paint.
5/ Are works on paper difficult to care for?
This is a question that has always been central to this market. By its nature, paper is fragile, and up until fairly recently this was a factor that made some collectors nervous — particularly those who lived in countries with high humidity or prone to extreme changes in temperature, which could impact the material in drawings.
6/ What do I do if I find a work with no signature?
It’s not unusual to find a drawing without a signature. But this hardly means that it is not authentic. Cézanne, for example, rarely signed his works on paper. But provenance and exhibition history, as well as the artist’s distinctive mark-making, can point to works of undoubted authenticity. read complete article with illustrations on Christie's website : https://www.christies.com/features/Questions-to-ask-when-buying-works-on-paper-7179-1.aspx
