Every Painting Has a Provenance. So Does Every Seller.

One recent email reminded me that the most important thing you evaluate before buying art isn’t always the artwork itself.

By Jason R. Roske – KC Auction & Appraisal Company 

Last week I received an email from Rebecca. The week before it was Danny. The week before that it was, well, you get the point.

Over the past several years she had assembled a collection of paintings purchased through online auctions. Several came with certificates of authenticity. She had several of them professionally cleaned after she bought them. Many were associated with artists whose names almost anyone would recognize, Van Gogh, Monet, Matisse, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko among them.

She reached out to ask if I would appraise them.

After reviewing the photographs and documentation she provided, I had to give her the bad news. The paintings are decorative reproductions rather than authentic works by the artists whose names had attracted her.

Those conversations are never enjoyable but unfortunately, they aren’t particularly rare either. That’s why I’m writing this today. Not because I want people to stop buying art online. Quite the opposite. I want more people to collect art. I simply want them to know what they are buying and why.

The Internet Didn’t Create This Problem

It’s easy to assume this is a problem created by online marketplaces.

It isn’t. Fakes and forgeries have existed for centuries. Some were blatant attempts to defraud and others were just made in the style of. Online marketplaces have simply made it easier for both reputable sellers and bad actors to reach buyers around the world.

The internet has made collecting more accessible than ever before. Today you can browse estate auctions, specialty auction houses, galleries, dealers, and private collections from almost anywhere in the world. That access has introduced countless people to artists they may never have discovered otherwise.

That’s a wonderful thing.

The challenge is that the internet has also made it very easy for anyone to look established.

Anyone can produce a polished website with professional photography. Throw in an impressive looking logo and a good sounding seller’s name and you are in business. Online marketplaces are in the business of connecting buyers and sellers. It is an unavoidable result that they cannot be expected to verify each and every item being sold on their platform.

None of those things tell you whether the person selling the artwork has the knowledge or experience to accurately represent it. Or if they are even trying to sell quality pieces.

The technology isn’t the problem. The seller can be the problem.

Who am I buying this from?

Every Painting Has a Provenance. So Does Every Seller.

Collectors quickly learn the importance of provenance. An item owned by a famous person or collection can add interest and value. The basics of provenance are:

Who owned the painting?

Where has it been?

Has it been exhibited?

Is there documentation supporting its history?

Those questions help establish confidence.

What I don’t think gets discussed often enough is that the seller has a provenance too. The basics of a seller’s provenance are:

How long have they been in business?

What kind of reputation have they built?

Do they specialize in the material they’re selling?

Are they transparent when something is uncertain?

Will they still answer the phone if you have a question after the auction?

Those questions deserve just as much attention as the signature in the corner of the canvas. Sometimes even more!

In 2013 we were tasked with trying to determine the origins of a desk that had been given as a graduate gift in the 1930s. It bore many hallmarks of a Seymour Desk and would have been worth $10,000s if it were original. It was bought from an antique shop at the time and the family had details going all of the way back to that purchase. Including the name of the shop! In our research, we found that the antique shop in question was known to take parts from pieces and combine them to look like something better. When we looked more closely at the construction and materials that is exactly what we found. We knew to look because the shop had a history of embellishment. It was still a nice desk, but its value dropped into the $100s and the family decided to keep it.

Train Your Eye Before You Drain Your Wallet

People occasionally ask me where they should begin if they want to start collecting art.

My answer usually surprises them.

I tell them to spend time looking before they spend money buying.

But before deciding what to buy, spend a little time thinking about why you want to collect in the first place. Do you just want pieces covering your walls? Or do you want interesting pieces with stories?

Personally, I’d rather see someone build a thoughtful collection of original work by local and regional artists than fill a house with copies of famous names. When friends and family visit your home, they’ll be drawn to what you find interesting. Not because it’s a fake Picasso, but because it’s an original by a local artist whose work spoke to you enough that you chose to bring it home.

Visit museums. Spend an afternoon in commercial galleries. Walk through the Brookside Art Annual, the Plaza Art Fair, or the Westport Art Fair. Go down to First Fridays in the Crossroads here in Kansas City and visit dozens of galleries without any pressure from salespeople. Talk with artists about their work. Ask questions. See what’s being created today alongside the masterpieces that have inspired generations of collectors.

Stacey and I have been doing exactly that for years.

Just last week we were exploring one of the pop-up markets that were happening around the 2026 FIFA World Cup. We came across a couple of young artists creating pieces for patrons as we were walking around. Maya Gendusa would write a poem on an old typewriter while Milla Palomino would decorate a 5” X 7” cardstock piece with watercolor. They said pay what you can. You can see the piece we bought in the pictures included with this article.

We’ve purchased directly from artists in galleries. We’ve bought work at art fairs. We’ve also purchased pieces through auctions and in the secondary market. Those aren’t competing experiences. They complement one another. A meaningful collection isn’t built in a single evening. It’s built intentionally, one thoughtful decision at a time. Oftentimes over years of study, scholarship and acquisition.

Every time you stand in front of an exceptional painting, your eye becomes a little more educated.

Every conversation with an artist teaches you something about technique, materials, inspiration, or composition.

Every gallery visit helps you understand what’s happening in today’s art world.

You don’t have to become an art historian.

You simply have to expose yourself to great art.

One of the paintings Rebecca included in her email was based on a well-known Henri Matisse that hangs in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. If you’ve spent time looking at authentic works by Matisse, the differences show up immediately. Not because you’re an expert, but because your eye has started recognizing what makes the original extraordinary.

That same principle applies to every artist.

The more authentic work you experience, the easier it becomes to recognize when something doesn’t quite feel right.

I would also add that a collection formed of pieces by local and regional artists is much more interesting that a collection of pieces by famous artists. When friends and family visit your home they will be drawn to what you find interesting. Not because it’s a fake Picasso, but because it’s an original Milla or Maya piece.

Reputation Is Earned

Reputable auction companies understand that their reputation is one of their most valuable assets.

That’s certainly how we’ve approached our business over the last twenty years.

That’s why we research before we even accept a consignment. We consult specialists when we need another opinion. We continue learning because every category, every artist, and every collection teaches us something new. When something is uncertain, we say so. And if we make a mistake, we believe it’s our responsibility to address it.

Trust isn’t built because someone says they’re an expert.

It’s built through years of making thoughtful decisions, asking questions, standing behind your work, and earning the confidence of clients one interaction at a time.

The Kansas City community has honored us with eight Best of Kansas City awards and three Best of Missouri awards. These are not proof that we’re perfect. No one is and we will make mistakes. We see them as reminders that every auction, every appraisal, and every client conversation is another opportunity to earn that trust all over again.

Five Questions Worth Asking Before You Bid

Before spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on artwork online, I’d encourage every buyer to ask five simple questions.

Who is actually selling this piece?

Not the platform. The business behind the listing.

What experience do they have with this type of material?

Expertise isn’t universal. Someone who understands contemporary art may know very little about antique firearms. A coin specialist may not be qualified to authenticate Impressionist paintings.

What exactly is being claimed?

Words like by, attributed to, after, and in the style of have very different meanings.

Understanding those distinctions makes you a better collector. They don’t nullify a piece from consideration they simply exist to give the potential buyer the pertinent information. Understanding what they are saying, and what you are considering purchasing, is paramount to a successful transaction.

What evidence supports the attribution?

Provenance, documented ownership, exhibition history, and published references are far more meaningful than a certificate with an impressive-looking seal. But remember, all of that can be faked.

Would I buy from this seller again?

That question often answers all the others.

Buy With Confidence

I hope Rebecca continues collecting art.

I hope every reader who has wondered whether they should place their first bid does too.

Collecting shouldn’t be intimidating.

It should be enjoyable.

Whether you’re buying from a gallery, meeting an artist at an art fair, bidding at an auction, browsing an antique shop, or even walking through a street fair, every experience teaches you something. Each one helps develop your eye and your confidence as a collector.

The goal isn’t to eliminate every risk. It’s to replace unnecessary risk with informed confidence.

Because every painting has a provenance.

And every seller does too.