Giclee

Giclee print certificate of authenticity

One of the selling points when marketing a limited edition giclee print is to provide a certificate of authenticity. It lends credibility regarding the limited edition production of art. The publisher artist or printer provides a document detailing the title, size, medium, number and date of printing of the LE.

Together with the signing and the giclée print a certificate is released and provided.. While in the past it was common for printmakers to release certificates of authenticity, nowadays artists and publishers prefer to create customized certificates on their own papers and layouts.

 You can choose to provide an individual certificate from the publisher or give a copy of the master certificate identifying the whole edition. As an artist you are free to provide individual custom certificates with signature and edition number. I cannot emphasize how important it is to sign and number the giclée print either on the bottom right corner or at least in the back. Certificates get lost; the signature and number on the print will stay with the artwork. It is a good idea, although not necessary, to put a sticker on the back of the canvas stating the publisher and other information. It does not hurt and it may be perceived as added value.

My personal opinion, which has changed over the years due to new trends, is that the artist, publisher or agent should take charge of issuing and keeping records of certificates and edition numbers. With many giclee print shops going out of business, the third party LE verification is becoming less relevant.