How do I date an antique painting?

Dating relies upon stylistic cues in the sitter's costume, hair, and framing materials, alongside technical examination of the canvas or panel. Pigment analysis and stretcher construction offer further clues. Inscriptions on the reverse or documented provenance records often provide definitive dates or narrow down the active period of the artist.

What is the difference between an original and an after work?

An original painting represents an artist's direct composition from life or imagination. An after work is a later artist's deliberate copy of a famous master's composition. Copies after Raphael or other old masters were traditionally created for study or to supply collectors who desired renowned sacred imagery.

How should I care for an oil on canvas?

Protect oil paintings from direct sunlight and maintain stable relative humidity to prevent the canvas from slackening or the wooden stretcher from warping. Dust gently with a soft, dry brush. Avoid hanging pieces near heat sources and consult a professional conservator before attempting any cleaning of the paint surface.

Are portrait miniatures painted on ivory?

Many eighteenth and nineteenth-century miniatures utilise thin slices of ivory as a painting ground because its translucent quality mimics human skin. Later or alternative examples employ vellum or card. These delicate objects require specialised preservation away from bright light to prevent fading of the watercolour pigments.