What should a certificate of authenticity for artwork include?
An artwork certificate checklist with a worked example and sample wording: artist, title, materials, dimensions, dates, signature, and a way to check the record.
What belongs on an artwork certificate?
A certificate of authenticity should identify the artwork, name its artist and issuer, and include a signed statement of who made it. Add enough detail to match the certificate to the piece.
This checklist is for artists documenting their own one-off works. Requirements vary; check what your gallery or marketplace asks for.
- Artist and issuer: your name, who issues the certificate, and a way to contact them.
- Artwork: title, reference photograph, and a unique studio or certificate number.
- Materials: the medium and the surface or support.
- Dimensions: measurements with units and a clear height, width, and depth order.
- Dates: when the work was made and when the certificate was issued.
- Statement and signature: what you confirm about the work and who signs it.
Describe the exact work
Use the same title and reference across your certificate, label, listing, and records. “Oil on linen” says more than “painting”. If the work has several parts, list them and explain their arrangement.
Say whether dimensions include the frame or mount. For a sculpture, record height, width, and depth. If you only know the year of creation, give the year rather than inventing a full date.
Include a clear photograph of the finished work. Note where the signature, studio mark, or label appears so the collector can compare it with the piece.
Use a direct statement and identify the signer
For your own work, say that you made the artwork described. If someone issues the certificate for you, name them and explain their role.
The certificate’s issue date is the date you issue it, even when the artwork is older. Check whether a hand-signed paper copy is needed: Saatchi Art requires one for artworks shipped by artists.
Example: a certificate for a painting
This fictional painting shows how to fill in the fields.
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Artist and issuer | Alex Rowan, artist |
| Title and reference | Window at Dusk · AR-2026-014 |
| Artwork image | A clear photograph of the finished painting |
| Medium and support | Oil on linen |
| Dimensions | Height 60 cm × width 80 cm, unframed |
| Created | 2026 |
| Work type and marking | One-off painting; signed “A. Rowan” on the reverse |
| Certificate issued | 27 September 2026 |
| Signature and contact | Artist’s signature; current studio website or email |
Adapt this statement to facts you can confirm:
I, Alex Rowan, confirm that Window at Dusk, reference AR-2026-014, is a one-off painting created by me in 2026. It is oil on linen, measuring 60 × 80 cm unframed, and is shown in the photograph on this certificate.
Sign and date the statement, and include it with the details above.
Add details the next owner will need
Jackson’s recommends including materials and relevant display or storage advice. Add short notes that apply to this work. Keep detailed care or installation instructions in a separate document referenced by the certificate.
Add a website, artist profile, or certificate link that you maintain. Keep the invoice, buyer’s address, and other private sale details in your own records rather than on a public certificate.
Check the record, then create the certificate
- Compare the photograph, measurements, title, and signature description with the actual work.
- Check that the certificate number and any label refer to the same piece.
- Open any links or QR codes and confirm that they lead to the right record.
- Save your own copy and give the collector a copy to keep with the work.
Follow the Markmy artwork certificate walkthrough. For a numbered or open-edition print, use the print certificate checklist instead.
