A suggestion was made that we consider posting a tutorial to help collectors authenticate artwork. While we can’t offer a true tutorial, I can offer these pointers:
View other works by the same artist to determine if the style, subject and signature are similar to the work you are considering. Keep in mind that over an artist’s professional lifetime all these things may vary.
Subject and style – Some artists often paint many different subjects while others may only paint one subject. If an artist is known for market scenes and you are shown a landscape you need to do your research. It may be a very old painting or a newer style…or it could be a fake. Older paintings, paintings done before an artist found his style are not necessarily valued differently than the ones that he/she is known for…do your research.
Signature – Some artists have signed every painting in the same way on the same spot on the canvas. Others may have signed in different places on the canvas. Even more confusing, some have changed the way they sign over the years; changing from full name to only last name or abbreviating a part of the name. Sometimes they might date a painting, other times not. Again, do your research.
Much has been made about price and how it implies value. This is always true, but it is coupled with another valuable tool…know your source. Yes, a number of Jonathan Demme paintings went at auction for far below their expected market price. This does not imply that these paintings are not authentic. One can know and trust the source of these paintings, Jonathan Demme, a noted artist and collector with an impeccable reputation. The fact of the matter is that attendance was very low at this auction due to lack of publicity and this resulted in some very good bargains! The same cannot be said for auction sites like ebay where the integrity of the seller is not verified by an outside source. The buyer is left to judge for himself, and only has past performance and limited communication to go by. We advise caution.
Really, short of buying from the artists themselves, the best advice and the surest way to avoid costly mistakes is to:
Do your research!
Know your source!
146 Comments
I have an extensive Haitian art collection, largely purchased directly from the artists, having lived there for 5 years. To me, the saddest thing I saw in the Haitian art scene, aside from Haitian artists and galleries producing fakes thereby ruining the market for themselves, is that I was the only blan at Andre Pierre’s funeral. I was considering selling some pieces on EBay until I saw this discussion. How would you recommend I sell authentic Haitian paintings from well-known artists (e.g. Andre Pierre, Tiga, Stevinson Magloire, Antilhomme, Prospere Pierre Louis, etc.) in today’s marketplace when it’s rife with fakes?
I have a question about two paintings signed by L’ouverture Poisson that I recently purchased at a live auction. Both are oil on board, dated 1966, and mounted on traditional Haitian frames of that period. They look “right,” but with one exception – both painted on the “rough” side of the board. Does anyone know if this was normal for Poisson? I also purchased a Petion Savain (i’m confident about that one) at the same auction, which came from the same estate as the Poisson’s.
To the person who wanted to know how best to sell a high-end haitian painting: You could try listing the painting on e-bay, placing a high enough reserve on the painting to protect your piece. Contrary to all the bad press you read about e-bay, I am satisfied that many of the serious dealers and collectors are keeping a close eye on everything that’s listed. Even if the collector doesn’t buy your piece on e-bay, they may try to contact you to make a deal.
You could consign the painting in a major auction house that specializes in Haitian Art. I hear that Slotin’s, near Atlanta, will be having a major Haitian auction in March 2010. You could also contact one of the major galleries, such as Medalia, to see if they will sell it on consignment.
Consigning at an auction house is no guarantee of top dollar pricing – the combined hammer price for the three Haitian lots I bought last week was just over $300 – and this was was a well-known Philadelphia auction house, selling a lot of nice stuff. This may a bad time to sell Haitian art.
Moysian, you’re wrong. I’m a collector and if I see a painting on ebay I stay away from it. Sure it may be legit and a bargain, but it may also be a fake. It’s very hard to tell on the net whether it’s fake or not. If it’s fake, I doubt if I can contact the seller-he’s probably as fake as the painting.
At least when you buy from a legit online gallery you expect the gallery to be around and if there is something wrong you can contact them.
Just came across this blog. Very interesting. I’m interested in a Saincilius painting on ebay, but how do I know its real. Seller says so, but he wouldn’t say its a fake.
God Bless Haiti.
Medalia, thank you for helping our country.
Well…looks like Exil is the one to fake nowadays. Plenty of them on ebay. Also Bresils and Andre Pierres are making a comeback.
How many fake Bresils are there. I guess the answer is an unlimited supply (and there all on ebay).
Watch out for fake Andre Pierre’s
I am very happy I found this forum. I was considering selling a very lovely Haitian painting on ebay, but I had not realized the scope of this problem with forgeries. I’m a very highly rated bookseller, and I will not risk my reputation by selling anything that could possibly be a fake. Does anyone know if this has been an issue with paintings by the (former) Cap-Haitien artist Pierre Louis Riche? Particularly with works from his “Historic” period?
The good news is that this artist has probably not been faked. The bad news is that his real stuff doesnt have the popularity/demand (and therefore prices) to warrant the effort to create fakes. Unless you recently bought this piece off a street vendor for a song, it’s almost certainly the real deal.
Interesting story, however…. A few years ago, I bought a small painting of a tropical scene by an artist named “Alaby” on eBay, although I had to search hard to find gallery examples of his work. Once found, the similarity was confirmed, and I am satisfied that I have a real example of his work. This spring, I was intouch with a volunteer who was in Haiti, and she was smitten with the works she saw in the open air markets. She brought back two pieces by “Alaby” that, from a small photo, looked like the real deal. When I saw them in person, these paintings were so crudely done, they could not be real. So, even a minor artist can be copied.
Tom
I just recovered some art I purchased while in Haiti in 1976. It appears to have the signature MANINODORLE, but I am not sure I am reading all the letters correctly. It is black/white composition of what appears to be voodoo rituals/dancers. I would be happy to see them go to a good home where they will be appreciated. Any idea what the value would be?
In my opinion…most faked Haitian art
1. HR Bresil
2. Levoy Exil
3. Andre Pierre
4. Saincilius Ismael
5. Prefete Duffaut
Feel free to add to list
I have an 8″ x 10″ Haitian pastoral oil by an artist whose name is, perhaps, Francis Paraison??
a Haitian living in New York City – his work had been shown at a gallery on East 58th street, Brooklyn – which has since moved to ?? The piece is signed and dated 1975 and written on the back are the words “gave on my tour prison 4/3/93 Francis (Paraison). I understand from google searches that the artist has died. Can anyone give me any accurate information on this artist?
Now that Cedor has died I bet we see a bunch of fake Cedors appearing on ebay. Let’s watch and see what happens.
Why dont people respect haitian art. A bresil on ebay for 49.00. Do u think its real?
A Bresil painting (sure it is!!!) just sold for around $130 on ebay. The artist must be turning over in his grave…or painting because there are more Bresils out there now then there was when he was alive. How sad.
An info on an abstract artist with the signature A. E Stevinson. I just purchased a painting at an auction which was an abstract of a nude woman, but I can’t find details of this artist anywhere. under the signature the word ‘Haiti’ was written. thanks
Hey Robert S. — You left out Stivinson Magloire. There are tons of fakes out there.
Hi – Can any of you help? My colleague has many paintings which she bought over from Haiti (from an art gallery in Port au Prince to England in 1988 – some are huge, most are acrylic although there are some oils. We recently took them to an auctioneer who said they were really nice and well done but that he dealt with antique stuff and we needed to take them to a specialist in that type of painting and we have earched the internet but cant a specialist in Haitian Art in England. Our country dont appear to have knowledge or appreciation of Haitian Art for us to get guidance on it. So I plonked a couple on ebay – but I have just found your forum. Please can you give me some guidance? Firstly, what makes a picture ‘fake’? These are at least as old as 1988 and some seemed to have been hanging in the gallery for a while before we bought them over here and were deffinately painted in Haiti. So is a fake determined if the picture is a copy of one done by someone famous? Many of the signatures look similar to well known artists – but sometimes a bit of the surname is missing – does that mean someone is imitating a well known artist or could these be a well known artist using a short-cut name? The two pictures we stuck on email to see if there is any interest is Item number: 260700957519 and Item number: 260700968296 – but we have some much prettier more colourful ones. But we described as originals because we beleive they are (as opposed to re-prints) – now I see your forum I dont know what origianl means anymore? Also – I notice that someone else has a picture on the ebay site for no. 380293303784 called an ‘orginal signed and date 1991 – but we have one extremely similar which we know we had since 1988 – does that mean that we have the original? or is the painting some sort of common theme out in Haiti? I would be grateful for any guidance – description words to use on ebay – whether there is any chance we may have something worth a lot. And if anyone can give us a name of a specialist based in England that we can visit – I will be truly grateful!
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There’s an “old” Bigaud on sale on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/Haitian-Painting-Master-Wilson-Bigaud-/300496803333?pt=Folk_Art&hash=item45f7015605&ssPageName=RSS:B:SHOP:US:101). Any opinions on whether it’s legit or not. Price seems much too low.
I don’t get it. There are several online haitian art galleries (medalia included). These galleries have been around for a long time and are obviously legitimate. Why do people go to ebay and take a chance on buying something that has a good chance of being fake. Do they think they are saving money? Just doesn’t make sense to me. You get what you pay for.
I am simply shocked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been collecting Haitian art for 20 years and I happened to find this blog. I went on ebay and could not believe how many fakes are being sold. May God help the poor buyers of these paintings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, now we’re seeing a bunch of “Saincilius Ismael” paintings. The “quality” of these paintings is evident even from the jpgs on ebay. Buyer beware.
Why can’t something be done! I’ve just watched Ismael and Bresil paintings sell on ebay for about $100. In your wildest imagination, do you think these are real. Do you know what this does to the value of my authentic Ismael? Isn’t there a way we can notify ebay?
What does anyone know about the Haitian art being sold at Pineapple Gallery in Anguilla Are his prices fair?
Looks like fake Exils are in vogue now on ebay.
I am sure some paintings selling on Ebay may be fakes but not all of them are. I myself sold some paintings on Ebay that were originals, but at a lower price than it would at a gallery. You have to consider that Ebay became a one stop buying and selling platform for everybody. Many of us looking for a deal will for sure start to search on the web and than on Ebay. Ive received, many times, offers for items that I was selling on Ebay that were lower than what I paid for them. Another consideration is competition. I know disreputable galleries that will tell you a painting is a fake, just to get your business. It is a tough world out there not just in Haitian art. Maybe some of you will not believe it, but a friend of mine found an Original Obin at an incredible price (Cant tell how much) on Ebay and it is an original no doubt.
Before you buy Haitian art on Ebay or at a gallery or anywhere else for that matter, do your own research, try to find an expert a gallery that will help you make a decision.
I have also seen many fine Haitian paintings on ebay that are absolutely legitimate. There are many reputable sellers that pride themselves on presenting fine works at a much better price than a gallery can offer. Lower overhead=lower prices. I have also seen a great many fakes on ebay as well. Check the sellers feedback of fine art sales and that`s usually a fair indication of honesty. Currently, I have the finest Petion Savain(330550935833) I`ve ever seen listed as well as 3 Wilfrid Daleus paintings with museum provenance listed. The Savain was done in 1966 and is stunning. These are unarguably genuine, so please do not paint all sellers on ebay with the same brush.
Vann, no one says ALL paintings on ebay are fakes. However, there are enough fakes there to make one hesitate to buy a painting on ebay. Yes, it is a shame that legitimate sellers like yourself have to suffer because of the many unscrupulous sellers on ebay, but that’s the way it is.
If someone can figure out how to get these crooks off ebay, it would be great, but until then, I’d still rather pay a little more (and that’s not always true!) and buy from a known, legitimate Haitian art dealer.
Too many dishonest people on ebay. Not worth taking a chance buying there.
I have 2 Haitian oil paintings signed by L’ouverture Poisson. One is dated 1959 and the other 1960. I would like to sell them, but can’t find an interested party. EBay to me is not an option.
Just came back from Haiti. Fake Bresil’s and Andre Pierre’s are being sold on the street for $5 to $25.
Pattie C — now they’re on ebay being sold as originals. What a world!
My husband has 4 pieces of Haitian art that he inherited when his grandparents who were lived in Haiti passed away years ago. I am not interested in selling them but , as an artist, I was interested in learning more about the artists if possible. Its quite possible that they were don by the nextdoor neighbour or a friend and not a well- known artist at all! Two are signed “Louis” , one is signed “Edy” and there is a fourth piece that isn’t a painting but more of a 3-d scene made with wood (bamboo?) cutouts that is signed “EP”. Can anyone point me in the right direction to maybe find out something about these pieces? Thanks ahead of time….
PJ
So many fake Louisanne St. Fleurant paintings out there. But the record for fakes is still held by Bresil.
Fakes vs. non-fakes on eBay
1. How expensive are the real pieces? Artists with high name recognition, whose works command high prices, are more likely to be faked. Examples include Bresil, Sejourne, Gourgue (JE), Andre Pierre, …
2. How recognizable (and copyable) is the artist’s style? Anyone with “some” exposure to Haitian art can spot what looks to be a Bresil, Duffaut, Casimir, Sejourne, or Andre Pierre from a mile away. This is especially true if their painting style is constant – as if the artist is following a formula. Artists whose works are widely varied are harder to copy, and probably harder to sell as copies.
3. How complex is the painting? It takes a lot of effort to get shading and effective color blending, and copy artists don’t have time to do this. Louverture Poisson is probably not faked, and even if he is, the copies are not very good. I see a lot of Paul Beauvoir’s on the internet, and I bet many are fakes. His style is easily recognized, repeated often, and uncomplicated to reproduce. Real paintings by Levoy Exil are not that expensive, but his style is so simple, recognizable, and gosh darned easy to copy, it comes as no surprise that fakes abound.
4. Board or Canvas? Board is more expensive than canvas. For large pieces, board is more bulky. Canvas pieces can be rolled up for shipment. I am more apt to trust a large piece done on board. Also, it’s important to know what medium the artist was known to use. I’d be real leery of a Poisson done on canvas, because everything I’ve seen by him was done on board.
5. Framed? Stretched? or shipped rolled? A high-end painting done over 30 years ago that has not been stretched and placed into a decent frame? Makes no sense to me! I won’t buy any painting on eBay that is shipped rolled, because it was probably painted “yesterday.” Is the frame contemporary with the painting? A 40-yr old painting should be in a 40-yr old frame.
What else does the guy sell (or buy) on eBay? If he’s selling a Bresil (shipped rolled), and he seems to sell a lot of Haitian art, and these sales include several recognizable artists like Duffaut, Bresil, Ismael, Exil, … – all shipped rolled – then maybe this guy is selling fakes.
What kind of photos are in the listing? If the listing includes just a small photo of the painting, and a close-up of the signature (gotta sell the signature), then I get suspicious. I want to see the frame, the nail holes in the canvas (if previously stretched), the back of the ENTIRE canvas, and multiple close-ups of the painting.
$100 for a fake? Nothing to sob about, assuming the painting looks decent. People buy cheap copies of expensive art all the time. I can’t feel bad because the “victim” was denied a bargain. If a victim paid $3,000 for a fake Sejourne, then I have some (but not a lot of) sympathy. Anyone who forks over $3,000 to a complete stranger on eBay for something he knows very little about probably deserves their fate.
moysian…I agree with you mostly, but you are offbase when you say a 40 year old painting should be in a 40 year old frame. I reframe all my paintings when I get them.
Fake Stivinson Magloire and Andre Pierre paintings seem to be in vogue right now. I was in Haiti last week and paintings by these artists (yeah, right) are all over the place. They’re selling for $50 and less! Look at ebay and you’ll see cheap paintings by these guys…probably the same ones I saw on the street.
How do you recognize a “fake” Prefete Duffaut painting. Over the years I have acquired several Duffaut paintings from several sources. Some were purchased on ebay, others from private collectors. All of my paintings are from the 1960′s and 1970′s and have legitimate aging. They all look consistent with each other with some variations categorized by age. Is there anything that an inexperienced Duffaut buyer can watch out for? Does anybody know an ebay seller known as Dousart who is a Haitian woman originally from Miami and now from Georgia. Is she a legitimate ebay seller or do you know that she sells fakes. Her Duffaut paintings do look legitimate, but who really knows for sure?
Can anyone tell me about a Haitian artist who signs his work G. Rochebrun? I have found only two pictures online–one a Craigslist listing and one a Flicker picture. A friend owns a painting of his that her mother bought in New York, and she wanted more information.
This is what the Craigslist person wrote: Garry Rochebrun Junior was born in Jacmel and raised in Port au Prince, Haiti. He is one of those growing, young, Haitian artist whose talent is now recognized internationally.
Present in Haiti in the most prestigious galleries, his works have also been featured in exhibitions in Europe, the USA and Canada.
Most of his paintings are naive jungle scenes with wild animals as well as landscapes and country life.
The very delicate rendering, the intensity and fullness of the colors he uses and his particular attention to detail, are the hallmarks of his work that have made his art very special.
Gary Rochebrun has 3 children and all his family live in a very cramped quarter in the Haitian capital, Carrefour, one of the poorest neighborhoods most affected by the earthquake.
Most of his masterpieces are painted late at night by the light of a lantern, because he doesn’t have electricity.
His ‘atelier’ is dark and crowded by the profusion of his art.
Thank you for any information you may have about this wonderful artist.
Wow! I just took a look at Haitian paintings on ebay. There are so many unscrupulous sellers there. I just can’t believe it. So many fakes and misrepresentations. Why doesn’t ebay do something about it.
So true Jeremiah. And these poor people who bought paintings on ebay and thought they saved money won’t find out they bought fakes until they try to sell them. Buyer beware.
i am haitien. i cannot belive how my brothers cheat poeple on ebay.
I have a painting signed Francis Paraison. We actually liked it and bought it in Goodwill. We have no idea if it is reall. It is bright and beautiful. It is of two zebras. My daughters favorite animal. We did not know who the artist was so I looked it up. I find this all very interesting, but I have no idea how to tell if it is a real or fake. Can anyone help with that?
Just did a search for fakes on ebay. Look what I found
“To make matters worse, eBay is ignoring the problem for the most part, saying they “are just a forum”. The only recourse artists have is to join eBay’s VeRO (verified rights owners) program. They can then report violations of their property rights. Ebay ignores reports of violations by anyone other than the property rights owner, which limits the ability for the eBay community to self police. EBay also does not allow its users to warn buyers of scams, and will suspend their account if they do so. It seems as if eBay is perpetuating the fraud instead of trying to stop it. Why? Because they are making money from these sales! Buyer beware!”