What to Look for Before Buying Original Art Online

Online access changes what you can inspect, not what you need to know. Ask for missing evidence rather than treating a beautiful image or long biography as a substitute.

• Match title, artist, date, medium, support, dimensions, edition, and signature across the page and invoice.
• Request uncropped photographs, scale views, reverse views, and close-ups.
• Confirm availability, location, frame inclusion, and current condition.
• Calculate tax, fees, packing, shipping, duties, and installation.
• Read return, final-sale, damage, and authenticity provisions.

Screen color, scale, texture, surface, and condition can differ materially from a listing. Consider an in-person viewing, video inspection, or written approval period when those differences matter.

Check an artwork to organize public evidence about a specific listing. The tool provides research context, not authentication or appraisal.