Provenance

Provenance is how artwork is authenticated. It may include sales receipts, notes from the artist, owner's names and addresses through time, and appraisals. Get confirmation from the actual artist if they are still alive today or by an expert on that particular artist.

I gave away artwork one year for Christmas. I included some provenance--an artist statement about the work and taped it to the back of the framed artwork in an envelope.

They don't teach artists that in art school...