Spotting an Original African Painting From a Reproduction

Spotting an original African painting means checking a handful of concrete things: the artist's signature, the texture and brushwork visible up close, the back of the canvas, and above all a certificate of authenticity issued by an identified gallery with a physical address. None of these on its own is enough; it is the combination that gives confidence in a piece's origin.

Signature and texture

An original work usually carries the artist's signature, visible on the front or the back of the canvas. Beyond the signature, texture matters: a painting in oil or mixed media, acrylic and Posca for instance, has a relief and a surface that can be felt up close, missing from a print or a flat reproduction.

The back of the canvas and the stretcher

The back of an original canvas often gives useful clues: handwritten notes, a gallery inventory number, an exhibition label. A wooden stretcher with canvas stretched by hand looks and feels different from an industrial frame holding a print on paper or synthetic canvas.

The certificate of authenticity, the deciding factor

The document that settles any doubt is the certificate of authenticity, signed by the artist, which identifies the work precisely (title, technique, dimensions, year) and ties it to its author. The guide on the certificate of authenticity covers what it should contain. At Ge'eza, every work sold leaves with this document, handed over at the time of payment.

An identified gallery, a sign of trust

Buying from an identified gallery, with a physical address and set visiting hours, lowers the risk considerably compared with an unverified seller. The guide on buying a painting in Dakar covers the steps followed at Ge'eza, from asking for a price to receiving the certificate. The gallery can be visited during restaurant hours, Tuesday to Sunday, 8am to 10pm, to see a piece up close before deciding.

If in doubt

Faced with a work offered with no certificate, no identifiable gallery, or no way to see it in person, it is best to ask for these elements before paying, or to walk away from the purchase. A serious gallery answers these questions in writing, without hesitation, before any transaction.