Step-by-Step 

🔎 Quick Start — How to Use This Tool

1. Copy the prompt below
2. Paste it into your favorite AI tool (ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Claude, etc.)
3. Replace the “Artwork Description” section with details about your artwork and photos, if available

📸 Tip: Include clear photos, dimensions, signatures, labels, inscriptions, framing details, and where the artwork was found.

📊 Best practice: Run the same prompt in 2–3 AI tools and compare the results for consistency.

⚠️ Important: AI is a research assistant, not a final authority. AI-generated artist identifications are research leads, not authentication. A signature, visual resemblance, label, certificate, or agreement between multiple AI tools does not by itself establish authorship or authenticity.

Always confirm important findings with reputable specialists before buying, selling, cleaning, restoring, reframing, or insuring an artwork.

🔒 Privacy tip: Avoid sharing personal documents, addresses, faces, or sensitive ownership and location details unless they are truly needed for research. Review the privacy terms of the AI tool before uploading sensitive information.

You are assisting with research into a potentially valuable artwork using methods similar to auction specialists, collectors, appraisers, conservators, and museum researchers.

Follow a structured, evidence-based approach. Prioritize correct identification and attribution before estimating value. Clearly separate verified facts, visual observations, assumptions, uncertainties, and recommended next steps.

IMPORTANT GUIDELINES:

- Do not identify an artist from a signature alone
- Do not rely on asking prices when reliable sold prices are available
- Use comparable SOLD results whenever possible
- Provide source links when possible
- Clearly say when a claim or result could not be verified
- Do not invent auction records, prices, citations, provenance, or source links
- Some auction databases, catalogue raisonnés, marketplace archives, and museum resources may require login, subscription access, or manual searching
- If reliable records are inaccessible, identify the sources that should be searched manually
- If I provide copied sold-result details, compare them carefully and explain which appear most relevant
- Explain why each comparison may or may not be appropriate
- Identify missing details that could affect attribution or value
- Avoid overstating certainty
- Suggest specialist verification before any buying, selling, cleaning, restoration, reframing, conservation, or insurance decision

For art-specific research tools, begin with WhatSellsBest.com and use the MAP > TOOLS section for art. Then broaden the search across trusted auction houses, specialty venues, museum databases, artist foundations, catalogue raisonné resources, marketplace sold listings, image-search tools, library archives, and the open web.

Please organize your response into the following sections:

1. Possible Identification
Suggest the most likely:
- Type of artwork
- Artist or possible attribution, if reasonably supported
- School, movement, region, or cultural tradition
- Style and approximate era
- Medium, materials, and technique
- Original work, editioned work, reproduction, decorative copy, or later work, if possible

Clearly distinguish visual observations from conclusions.

List the specific details that need verification, such as the signature, support, brushwork, printing method, construction, labels, inscriptions, edition number, frame, or provenance.

Provide alternative possibilities when the evidence supports more than one interpretation.

2. Key Search Keywords
Provide optimized search phrases for:
- Auction databases
- Search engines
- Image search tools
- Museum collection databases
- Artist foundations and archives
- Catalogue raisonné resources
- Gallery and exhibition archives
- Library and newspaper archives
- Marketplace sold listings
- Collector or specialist resources
Include variations of names, possible signature readings, titles, subjects, media, dates, locations, and inscription wording.

3. Comparable Sales — SOLD DATA ONLY
List similar sold artworks when reliable sold-price information is available.

For each comparable sale, include:

- Artist or attribution
- Title or subject, if known
- Medium
- Dimensions
- Sale price
- Auction house, marketplace, dealer, or selling venue
- Sale date, if known
- Lot number, if available
- Source link, if available

Explain why each result may or may not be comparable.

Discuss important differences involving attribution, medium, size, subject, date, condition, provenance, edition, rarity, demand, and selling venue.

If reliable sold-price information is not accessible, say so clearly and suggest the specific auction archives, marketplace sold listings, artist databases, or price resources that should be searched manually.

4. Ballpark Value Range
Provide:
- Low: Quick-sale, uncertain-attribution, poor-condition, reproduction, or common-example scenario
- Mid: Typical comparable range if the identification appears reasonable
- High: Confirmed attribution, strong condition, rare period, desirable subject, important provenance, or strong-demand scenario

Clearly state the assumptions behind each range.

Explain whether the estimate depends on authentication, condition review, provenance research, inclusion in a catalogue raisonné, specialist acceptance, or examination in person.

Do not present a ballpark estimate as a formal appraisal or guaranteed sale price.

5. Rarity & Demand Assessment
Indicate whether the artwork or category appears:
- Common
- Uncommon
- Scarce
- Rare
- Potentially exceptional
Explain collector demand and identify factors that could increase or reduce interest, such as quality, subject, size, period, medium, condition, provenance, exhibition history, authenticity, and market demand.

6. Authentication Considerations
Suggest:
- How the artist, attribution, date, medium, or authenticity might be verified
- What parts of the artwork should be photographed or examined next
- Whether technical analysis could be relevant
- Whether a catalogue raisonné, artist foundation, museum archive, conservator, or specialist auction house may be appropriate
- What documentation should be preserved
- Red flags to watch for
- When examination in person is necessary
Explain that signatures, labels, certificates, and old appraisals may be helpful but are not automatic proof of authenticity.

7. Reputable Specialists & Resources
Suggest appropriate resources, such as:
- Major auction houses
- Specialty or regional art auction houses
- Artist foundations or estates
- Catalogue raisonné resources
- Museum or university archives
- Professional conservators
- Appraisal organizations
- Category specialists, when relevant
Explain why each resource may be suitable.

Do not imply that a museum, auction house, foundation, or specialist will authenticate or appraise the artwork unless its stated services confirm that.

8. Best Selling Venues
Recommend appropriate selling channels based on the artwork type, attribution, value tier, condition, rarity, geographic market, and authentication status.

Possible options may include:

- Local dealers
- Regional auction houses
- Specialty art auction houses
- Major international auction houses
- Galleries
- Consignment services
- Online marketplaces
- Private sale, when appropriate

Explain the advantages, limitations, fees, audience, and risks of each suitable option.

Do not recommend selling before important identification, attribution, condition, or authenticity questions have been addressed.

9. Red Flags & Common Mistakes
List risks specific to this artwork or category.

Consider warnings involving:

- Cleaning or applying household products
- Repairing tears, flaking paint, or surface damage
- Removing the artwork from its frame, stretcher, or mount
- Discarding original frames, labels, backing boards, hardware, or paperwork
- Reframing before documentation
- Removing varnish
- Trimming, mounting, laminating, flattening, or taping works on paper
- Separating a print from its portfolio or documentation
- Relying on a signature match alone
- Assuming a certificate proves authenticity
- Confusing an original print with a reproduction
- Relying on asking prices instead of sold prices
- Selling before identification is adequately researched

10. Research Gaps & Next Steps

Identify missing information and provide the next actions in order of importance.

Separate the recommendations into:

1. Actions that can be completed at home without altering the artwork
2. Manual database or archive searches
3. Documentation or provenance research
4. Specialist review
5. Conservation or technical examination, if appropriate
6. Selling or insurance steps after identification is better supported

Artwork Description:

[Insert a detailed description, including artwork type, subject, dimensions, medium, support, condition, signature, inscriptions, labels, frame details, where it was found, and any known history.]

Photos:

[Attach or describe clear images of the front, back, frame, edges, signature, labels, mounting, surface details, condition issues, and other relevant features.]

Helpful Reminder

Use this as a starting point — then verify with trusted sources.