Relevant categories: Oil Paintings
( Above photo - Dutch Oil Painting Frozen Landscape Signed T. Bergman )
Antique Dutch oil paintings are some of the most valuable art pieces you can purchase today. Created mostly in the 17th century, these paintings often depict flowers, animals, people and scenery. They were created by notable artists in a period spanning several centuries.
But do you know how to identify antique Dutch oil paintings? That would be impossible, especially if you do not know the differentiating features that can help you tell a genuine antique oil painting from an imitation. Here are some of the ways to identify a genuine Dutch antique oil painting:
( Above photo - Antique English Oil Painting Medieval Renaissance Country Fayre Scene )
Before buying a Dutch antique painting, you should check the back to evaluate its authenticity. When you turn it over, you should be able to see a canvas that’s darkened as with age. However, you may not tell how old a painting is by looking at the level of darkening. The only thing you’ll know is that you have a genuine antique.
Some antique paintings that had started to deteriorate may have their canvases relined with new pieces for the sake of conservation. This was a common practice in the 19th century. Therefore, any relined Dutch oil paintings will likely be from the 17th and 18th centuries, or earlier. However, you should watch out for forged paintings with a relining of older canvases.
( Above photo - Dutch Oil Painting Horse and Cart Shrimp Fishing Portrait )
The canvas stretchers used on paintings in Europe and the United States have changed with time. Therefore, carefully examining these can tell you if you have an antique painting or not. You need to check for signs of aging in the wood framework. Unlike modern wood frames, those used by early painters would have old hand-wrought nails or hand-made wooded dowels. However, some forged paintings may have imitation stretchers that look older than they actually are.
Besides the back, you should also look at the front of the painting for further clues on whether or not it’s an antique. For example, most tempera and oil paintings will have patterned cracks called craquelure. But it’s not their sheer presence that matters. What matters is whether or not they feel natural to the touch. While most paintings have them, the heavily varnished versions might lack these cracks. Also, some paintings may feature artificially-created craquelure.
( Above photo - Dutch Oil Painting Still Life Floral Spray Gilt Frame )
When observed along their surfaces, oil paintings will likely have raised paint in a few places. However, relining may flatten the paint in its entirety. Also, observing the painted surface through a magnifying glass should reveal dots, indicating the paintings are digital/mechanical reproductions of the 20th century. But dots may not appear in many antique reproductions of antique Dutch oil paintings. Therefore, that shouldn’t be the only consideration you use to determine the authenticity of a painting.
In conclusion, antique Dutch oil paintings and each to buy if you know what you look for. Use a combination of the methods discussed above to be sure that you have a genuine antique. If you cannot do it, ask an expert to help you.
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