There are many kinds of art and equally as many people and tastes to appreciate them. From paintings and modern statues to sculptures and even artistic impressions of other objects, art can take many forms and have just as many values as the number of people who appreciate it. One person might view a painting and see it as worthless, while someone else could be completely drawn into the image and colors, finding it deep and meaningful. That ability to view and make your own choices or judgment about a piece is what many find appealing about art. As humans, we all have our own perspective, and when a piece speaks to us, there is a connection that cannot always be explained. But the meaning is there for the viewer.

With all the vast opinions about art and what is defined as beauty, it can be very challenging to place an actual value on a work of art. That is why the art world relies on experts to place value on art and to verify the actual priceless or very valuable pieces as authentic. In the world of valuable art, the increased price is often due to the artist more than the actual piece. People will pay a huge amount of money to own a Rembrandt or a work of art that can be traced back to Picasso or van Gogh. But for these pieces to have a great deal of value, they must be verified as authentic by an expert in art appraisals. These professionals are focused on the provenance of the piece, which is the documentation of the ownership of the piece, where it has been, and how it arrived at its current location, to ensure it is the original work of art and not a forgery.

If you believe that you have recently purchased a piece of artwork that was claimed to be original and valuable but is not, please know that the team at DTLA Law Group is here to assist you in seeking justice. Our staff is complete with lawyers who have decades of combined experience and success in fraud in art lawsuits and helping buyers who have been taken advantage of when purchasing costly art as an investment or showpiece. Our office staff can be reached 24/7 to help you understand your legal rights and how our legal team can help you recover what you have lost by paying a retail collectors’ piece price for a forgery or a piece of art that is not as it was claimed to be. In addition, they will schedule your free consultation to meet with a skilled and successful fraud in art appraisals lawyer to fully review your case.

After you have shared the facts and any documentation you have regarding the piece with your lawyer, they will provide you with a complete evaluation of the legal merit of your case and if you have grounds to pursue legal action, to recover compensation for the cost of the fraudulently appraised art and the expenses you incurred as you tried to confirm the legitimacy of the artwork. But the most critical point is that you need to get in touch with DTLA Law Group quickly to ensure you understand the time involved in confirming the authenticity of the piece or disclaiming it and filing your lawsuit to ensure you do not miss this opportunity.

Learning More About Fraud In Art Appraisals

Artwork has always been a favored investment for many because the great works are limited, and there will never be another piece completed by the masters who lived over 100 years ago. What used to be one of a kind paintings or sculptures are now being mimicked in mass quantities and sold dishonestly online and through smaller galleries and vendors who are not so much in the art business but in the deception business. Thanks to technology, it is possible to create authentic-looking replicas that can fool many and be produced at a cost of a few thousand dollars, then sold for exponentially more. In most cases, there is a team comprised of the art dealer, an art appraiser, and even an artist who are working together to create forgeries that are hard to discern with the naked eye or, in some cases, even with a closer look via enlargement and computerized scans. If you think that you have fallen prey to fraud in art sales and appraisal, please know that DTLA Law Group is here to help you prove or disprove the authenticity of the piece, trace the provenance, and help you recover the money you invested if the artwork is actually not authentic.

How The Experts Make And Detect Fraudulent Art

Technology has changed the way art dealers and appraisers work with pieces of art, from the oldest and most valuable to more modern pieces. Computers are used to evaluate and even map brush strokes to identify legitimate art treasures while alerting the appraiser or buyer to the forgeries. In the case of items that are made of other media, like clay or pottery, the material can be dated by evaluating the chemical compound of the clay or slip used to make the piece. This technology is crucial in identifying true works of art. But sadly, the same tools used to identify genuine art can be used to help create very high-quality fraudulent items that could be sold as legitimate in many settings.

As a buyer who is purchasing art as an investment, it is vital to know the history of the piece and have the documentation to confirm the provenance. As a buyer, it is a priority to know and trust the art authenticator and anyone who is involved in the appraisal process. If you have questions about the art evaluation or the documentation for a piece of artwork, getting a second option is the best way to protect yourself from the costly misfortune of buying fake art or suffering a poor purchase and investment as a result of fraud in an art appraisal.

When Can You File A Lawsuit For Fraud In Art Appraisal?

Whether you are buying art for enjoyment or as an investment, you have the right to know that it is authentic and worth what you paid for it. In the case of an investment piece, like any investment, there are no guarantees. While a piece might have a perceived value or current market value, there are trends and changes in the value of art based on what is popular, the number of pieces made by a certain artist, and even what other pieces of art from that same artist recently been auctioned or in a formal sale. So the price or value of your piece could vary. But when the value or what you paid was based on a false or fraudulent appraisal or false documentation regarding the provenance, you could have grounds for a lawsuit against the person or business that falsely or fraudulently evaluated the artwork. In these cases, you have the right to seek compensation for the losses you have experienced because of the fraud.

What Can You Include In The Compensation Sought By Your Lawsuit?

When you reach out to DTLA Law Group regarding your fraud in art appraisal issues, the team will work with you to gather all the documentation for the items you can list when seeking compensation for your losses caused by the fraudulent art appraisal. Some of the items you might include in the expenses you seek compensation for include the cost of appraisals to confirm or deny the authenticity of the piece, research and expenses to have the provenance of the piece traced, and your legal fees to file a lawsuit to seek justice for the fraud involved in the appraisal of your art purchase.