Museums: More Frequently Asked Questions, Part One

Last year I wrote a series of posts about museum etiquette. As part of that series I devoted an entire post my most frequent inquiry, prospective donations. There are a few other questions that I regularly receive though, so I thought today I'd add another post addressing these inquiries. Let's get started!

Image courtesy of https://www.pawspetcareathome.com/your-cat-has-a-question-for-you/

How much is my object worth?

This is the most frequent question I get right after donations, and it's also the easiest to answer because curators do not do appraisals.

Image courtesy of https://giphy.com/gifs/kKdgdeuO2M08M

That's right, for ethical reasons we can't tell you what an object is worth. From an academic standpoint, it's because the monetary value doesn't interest us curators all that much. We appreciate works of art primarily for their cultural significance, so we don't tend to keep up with prices in the art market the way appraisers do. To put it simply, I'm not trained as an appraiser, so I can't give you an appraisal.

How I like to think I appear when contemplating art. Rembrandt van Rijn, Aristotle Contemplating a Bust of Homer, 1653, oil on canvas. Image courtesy of http://aventalearning.com/content168staging/2005APEnglishLitA/oedipusunit/poetics.html

From a more practical standpoint though, it's also to protect you as a consumer. As museums, we're also prospective consumers on the art market, and my job as a curator is to look out for my institution, first and foremost. Which could mean, for instance, that I might be tempted to give you a low estimate so that we can purchase the work at a lower price. Not that this would actually happen, but if you don't ask me to appraise your work, you never have to worry about it.

Image courtesy of https://fsmgordon.deviantart.com/art/No-Money-291149644

So, if you need an appraisal, find an appraiser. If you want to ask a curator for a recommendation, we can give you names, but that's all we can do. If you want to look on your own and aren't sure where to start, try here.


I've got a work of art, but I'm not sure if it's an original or a reproduction. How can I tell?

I get this question a lot because the answer determines the value of the work. If it's an original, it may be of value, but photographic reproductions like posters or cards generally only have aesthetic worth. A signed reproduction usually has a little more value than an unsigned one, but not so much as an original.

Peter Hurd, The Gate and Beyond, 1952, egg tempera on panel. Image courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center.

Okay, first off, if the work in question is Peter Hurd's The Gate and Beyond, which is shown above, it's a reproductive print. The original has been part of our collection for several decades; I walk by it every day. I bring up this specific painting because I get asked about it more than any other when it comes to prints. Being one of Hurd's most popular works, it's been reproduced a lot over the years, and I think a lot of folks are finding these prints as they sort through their aging parent's belongings.

Now, for everyone else:

Image courtesy of http://angloboerwarmuseum.com/Boer69b_pic_press37_19photos.html

You see all of these colorful dots? This is a detail from a photographic reproduction of  painting. These kinds of prints are made using four colors printed in tiny circles, Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, and Black, or CMYK. By overlapping these colors, you create the entire color spectrum. The tiny circles allow for accurate detail.

Now take a look at the surface of your artwork. Use a magnifying glass if you need too. If you see the dots, that's a telltale sign that you're looking at a reproduction. If you've got a painting in particular, another easy way to tell is to look for texture. Paint has body to it, it's one of the reasons artists love it so much. If your work is paper-smooth though, slick and without and texture from brushstokes, it's probably a reproduction.

I have a work of art but don't know anything about it. What can you tell me about it?

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It depends on the work. Curators know a lot about different art and artists, but there are simply too many artists out there for us to know all of them. Don't get frustrated then, if we don't know right away who the artist is; sometimes we have to do some research first. If you want to ask a curator about your mystery art work, take lots of pictures of the piece, including the signature. If you're leaving a voicemail, try to describe the what the work is, so that we return your call we'll have a sense of what we've talking about. A message such as "I have an object of interest, call me back" is certainly mysterious and enticing, but it's not very helpful.If I know what the object is, I can begin to figure out how to research it. A little bit of context goes a long way with answering your questions.

Frank Gregory, The Guston Discussion, 2014, oil on canvas

A lot of my visitors like to bring in their works and have me look at them in person, but personally I have mixed feelings about this approach. I have a pretty busy schedule, and I want to make the most of your time. Pulling me out of my office to have me look at a work of art I potentially have no familiarity with can be a little flustering, especially when I don't have an immediate answer for you. I don't want you to feel like you've wasted your time, and nothing drives that home for me more than either not being able to answer your question, or not being available at all due to a business trip or meeting.

Works of art generally don't like to travel either, because the vibrations of a car or other vehicle can shake the paint layer. Generally, the less often you have to move a painting, the better, so send me some pictures so I can get my bearings, and then we'll talk. If you prefer to bring the work in yourself and forego pictures, please make an appointment first. The last thing I want you to do is bring by your painting at a time when I'm not available to help you.

https://www.petfinder.com/cats/cat-health/10-questions-cat-vets-wish-you-would-ask-iamacatparent/

And here's the other reason why patience is important: identifying visitor artworks isn't necessarily a high priority. My days are consumed with exhibition planning, meetings, writing, research, interviews, and any other number of tasks. My top priority, moreover, will always be the Museum, so if your artwork is not a prospective acquisition to our collection, it's not going to be at the top of my list of things to do. Rest assured, I'll get to it, just realize it may not happen right away.

http://catplanet.org/priority-i-got-your-priority-cat-meme/

This was only going to be one post, I've still got a couple of questions left to cover, so you know what that means...

Stay tuned next week for part two!