15 de abril de 2025
What to Prepare Before a First Consultation
A concrete blog post with a clear subject and real-world context.
When a collector or institution reaches out for a first consultation, the conversation usually starts with a single question: what do I need to bring? The answer depends on the type of work — a seventeenth-century oil on canvas requires a different set of documents than a set of drawings on paper. But there are a few items that make the initial session productive regardless of the medium.
Photographs and Provenance Records
The most useful thing a client can bring is a set of good-quality photographs taken in diffuse daylight. Images that show the front, back, and any visible damage — cracks, flaking, old repairs — help us prepare the workspace and select the right instruments before the piece arrives. Alongside the photos, any previous certificates, auction catalogues, or handwritten notes about the work’s history give us a starting point for the documentary cataloguing.
Condition Notes and Previous Interventions
If the painting has been restored before, knowing what was done and when is critical. A relining from the 1960s, for example, may have used adhesives that are now degrading. A frame that was regilded in the 1980s might have a different type of gold leaf than the original. We ask clients to check their records for any invoices, reports, or even old photographs that show the work in a different state. Even a vague memory of a treatment helps us decide whether to run a cross-section analysis or a UV fluorescence test.
Questions About the Environment
A first consultation is also the right moment to discuss where the piece is kept. We ask about the room’s humidity levels, exposure to direct sunlight, and the type of lighting used. These details matter because a painting that looks stable in a dim hallway may show serious craquelure under a gallery’s spotlights. Knowing the environment helps us recommend preventive measures — a UV-filtering glass, a microclimate frame, or simply a change in placement.
By the end of the session, we usually have a clear picture of the work’s condition, the client’s goals, and the next steps. The preparation is simple, but it makes the difference between a generic chat and a focused diagnostic meeting.