Understanding Authentication of a Picasso
A Short Guide
Understanding Picasso Authentication: A Historical Perspective
Pablo Picasso was a master of his craft, but also a notoriously unpredictable artist when it came to authenticating his own work. He famously refused to sign genuine paintings, sometimes out of artistic principle, other times in frustration. This unpredictability and subsequent family disputes led to a complex and often confusing authentication process over the years.
The Evolution of Picasso Authentication:
Early Years: In the early days, Picasso himself was the sole authority on his work, but his inconsistent approach created challenges.
The 1980s Committee: To address this, a committee was established in the 1980s to authenticate Picasso's works. However, this committee was disbanded in 1993 due to internal disagreements among Picasso's heirs.
The Era of Dual Authentication: Following the committee's dissolution, two of Picasso's heirs – his daughter Maya and son Claude – began issuing certificates of authenticity independently. This created confusion and delays for the art market, as auction houses often required certificates from both heirs.
The Establishment of the Picasso Administration: To streamline the authentication process and provide a unified approach, the Picasso Administration was created.
The Picasso Administration generally discourages public display of authentication certificates. This policy aims to protect the integrity of the authentication process. We intend to uphold this policy as Bensi Box.
The Face (1966) Authentication
The untitled work has underwent an official authentication from the Picasso Administration, passing successfully in their review process. since the certification is discouraged from being shared publicly to uphold the integrity of the overall process, we will be sharing the stamps and imprints on the back of the piece, used during it's official review process. The official stamps on the back of the artwork include:
One (1) Stamp from the Mathias Fels Galerie Paris.
Mathias Fels was a famous collector and gallery owner who is known for working with many renowned artists, including Pablo Picasso. The Face was either purchased directly from Pablo Picasso or was later acquired by the gallery, as denoted by this stamp.
Two (2) Stamps with “succ. pablo picasso coll. marina pablo picasso”
These stamps indicate that the artwork belongs to the "Succession of Pablo Picasso" and is from the "collection of Marina Picasso". Marina Picasso was one of Picasso's granddaughters.
One (1) “Fundacion” Stamp.
This stamp refers to the "Fundación Picasso-Museo Nacional Picasso-Colección Museo Reina Sofía" in Madrid, Spain. This institution is dedicated to preserving, studying, and exhibiting Pablo Picasso's artwork.
Full Backside of Artwork
Ownership Documentation
Paperwork regarding the legal ownership over the smart contract for the tokenized Pablo Picasso on chain by Bensi Box LLC
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