Certificate of Authenticity for Art: ARTtrust®

We are pleased to announce that we are now an official partner of ARTtrust® and, as such, offer artists and collectors access to one of the most reliable solutions for art certification.

Artists, photographers, and galleries that bring limited editions and valuable one-of-a-kind pieces to market will sooner or later face a crucial question: How can the authenticity of a work be verified in a way that ensures collectors have long-term confidence in its value? Issuing a professional certificate of authenticity for art is now standard practice for limited editions and many high-value artworks. However, in the age of modern reproduction technologies, traditional paper certificates quickly reach their limits.

What should actually be included in a certificate of authenticity for art?

Traditionally, such a certificate documents all the facts about a work of art. These include, for example, the artist’s name, the title of the work, the year it was created, and the medium used - such as a high-quality photo print on Fuji Crystal Archive paper or a lamination on Aluminum Dibond. The exact dimensions and the serial number (e.g., copy 3 of 10) should also be included. Ideally, the document is then hand-signed by the artist.

However, such a document proves little on its own if it can be copied or tampered with after the fact. A particularly robust authentication process therefore benefits from a physical link between the certificate and the actual artwork.

What’s Behind ARTtrust® Technology

If you’re involved in the discerning art world, you’ve surely heard the name ARTtrust® before. It refers to a security system that establishes a direct link between a physical work of art and its digital identity. The foundation for this is provided by what’s known as BUBBLE TAG® technology. A special polymer process creates a three-dimensional bubble pattern that is generated purely at random. This randomly generated bubble structure is unique and, according to the manufacturer, cannot be replicated. Even during production, this pattern cannot be reproduced exactly the same way a second time.

For collectors and gallery owners, verification is straightforward: The QR code on the seal can be scanned with a smartphone. The stored artwork data and an image of the BUBBLE TAG® are then displayed. This allows the actual bubble structure to be compared with the registered security feature.

By the way: At cam/b®, we’ve been using this process for quite some time for our exclusive ULTIMATE EDITION to ensure the authenticity and traceable provenance of the works.

Through our new official partnership with ARTtrust®, we can now make this technology available directly to photographers and studios.

Traditional Systems and Their Limitations

Many artists traditionally rely on established solutions, such as the Hahnemühle Certificate of Authenticity, to protect their works. The principle behind this is based on a one-to-one matching system: A numbered hologram is affixed to the certificate of authenticity, while a second hologram with the same number can be affixed to the back of the artwork. In this way, the certificate and the artwork are linked to each other via a unique number.

This method is a well-established solution, particularly for high-quality fine art prints. The security concept is based on the physical association of the certificate and the artwork via the numbered hologram.

Flexible Protection Regardless of the Material

Modern anti-counterfeiting technology, however, can go one step further: Instead of relying solely on a numbered hologram for authentication, ARTtrust® links the artwork to a uniquely generated BubbleTag® structure. The technology is not limited to a specific type of certificate paper or printing medium and can be used for photographs, prints, paintings, and sculptures, among other things.

Image: The ARTseal™ 3 System with 3 seals

In the ARTseal™ 3 system, the artwork, the certificate of authenticity, and the rights holder’s physical archive are linked through three interconnected components:

• Silver Bubble Seal: affixed to the artwork
• Gold Bubble Seal: affixed to the certificate of authenticity
• Blue Bubble Seal: kept by the artist or rights holder in the physical archive

Internationally Established in Galleries and the Industry

Established international milestones demonstrate that this technology-driven approach has a solid foundation in the art market. ARTtrust® was originally developed by Prooftag® and Hewlett-Packard® with technical support and guidance from Wilhelm Imaging Research.

Renowned institutions recognized the technology’s potential early on: For example, the well-known French photography gallery Galerie VU’ in Paris began using ARTtrust® as early as 2010 to protect the artists it represents and the works they offer from collectors.

The world-famous photography agency Magnum Photos also began using ARTtrust® after evaluating the process to authenticate prints by various Magnum photographers, and renowned photographers such as Thomas Hoepker and Martin Parr worked with the ARTtrust/Prooftag team in 2010 to explore various methods for protecting photographic prints.

Conclusion: Greater Security for Your Art

ARTtrust® offers a modern and flexible solution for anyone who wants to professionally protect their artwork, limited editions, or high-quality wall art against counterfeiting and ensure that their authenticity can be verified over the long term. BubbleTag® technology is not tied to any specific material or printing medium, making it suitable not only for traditional fine art prints but also for photographs, paintings, sculptures, and other physical art objects.

The ARTseal™ 3 system, in particular, creates an additional link between the artwork, the certificate of authenticity, and the physical archive of the artist or rights holder. This transforms a simple proof of authenticity into a comprehensive system for authenticating and documenting your works.

If you’d like to equip your next series or a special edition project with this protection, take a look at our ARTtrust security kits.

References/Links:

https://www.artxus.com/arttrust-info
https://www.dasfotoportal.de/arttrust-partnerschaft-mit-magnum-photos-und-der-galerie-vu-6844
https://galerievu.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2010-11-Galerie-VU-Paris-Photo.pdf
https://davidsaffir.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/arttrust-a-new-solution-that-can-protect-the-value-of-fine-art-and-photographic-prints/
https://www.largeformatreview.com/hardware/wide-format-print/hp-introduces-large-format-photo-negative-application-for-fine-art-quality/

AI transparency notice: This text was created with the support of AI.