Art research, reimagined
Discover the History of your Artwork
Search historic auction records and authoritative art references to uncover evidence of an artwork's provenance in one place.
Search across millions of historic auction entries and trusted art references.
One search across a fragmented archive
You don't need to know anything to begin a search
Traditional provenance research assumes considerable knowledge about the object itself, or where it might have been sold previously. ArtProvenance allows you to start knowing nothing, using each refinement as a means to grow that knowledge and narrow the focus of the search.
Inside the Archive
Historic auction catalogues
Past sales and auction records
Catalogues raisonnés
Published scholarly references
Exhibition records
Historic and institutional listings
Museum & gallery inventories
Collection and provenance records
Three ways to search
Start with what you know
Whether you have an image, a description or an auction reference, ArtProvenance helps narrow the research.
Have an image of the artwork?
Upload an image to uncover visually similar lots and possible appearances across the archive.
Not sure exactly what you’re looking at?
Describe what you see in your own words and narrow the results as you go.
Know where or when it was sold?
Search by auction house, sale, lot number, or date to find related records in the archive.
Found 143 closest matches, including decorative arts and porcelain examples mostly from the 19th century.
143 resultsLarge 'Münchener' Vase
No Author Provided
Vaso In Porcellana Di Forma Medici
No Author Provided
A Two-Handled Vase
Perhaps Grainger S Worcester
A trail of records
One artwork. A trail of records.
A work can appear across multiple auction catalogues and reference sources. Each recorded appearance adds another point to its research history.
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Catalogue appearance
Christie's · 8 November 1991
Post-War & Contemporary British Paintings
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Catalogue appearance
Christie's · 25 May 1995
Post-War & Contemporary British Art
Access the record
Search for free. Unlock the provenance you need.
Explore the archive freely and identify possible references connected to an artwork. When a source matters to your research, open the full record and supporting evidence.
Free search
Search the archive
Explore records and possible matches freely
Review possible references
See enough context to decide what matters
Unlock a full record
Access provenance, exhibitions and literature when needed
Who it is for
Built for the professional. Accessible to the curious.
For professionals
- Auction houses
- Dealers
- Galleries
- Museums
- Researchers
Support provenance research and due diligence with faster access to historic records and authoritative sources.
For collectors & researchers
- Collectors
- Investors
- Owners
- Independent researchers
- Enthusiasts
Explore documented history before buying, selling or simply learning more about an object.
Begin your research
Start with what you know
Upload an image, describe an artwork or search a known auction.
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