What is an Artist Proof?

Artist Proofs

Although artists are no longer pulling prints from the press to “proof,'” or inspect them for quality, during the printing process as they did in Rembrandt’s time, the artist’s proof is still an important and valuable piece in the world of art today.Historically, artist’s proofs were proofs pulled from production so the artist could check the quality of the print. Because they were pulled early in the production process, they often contained more vivid colors and lines and were considered more valuable. The proofs were often given to the artist as payment for signing the rest of the edition.

Modern-Day Artist’s Proofs

Modern printing technology makes all prints equal in quality, so today’s artists are given 5 to 10 percent of the entire edition for their personal use, as part of their contract with the printer. Sometimes the printer is also allowed to keep some of the artist’s proofs.

Value

Artist’s proofs have always been considered more valuable than a print from the regular edition, because they have been part of the artist’s personal collection.

Identification

Artist’s proofs can be identified by an “A/P” on the print, usually in the bottom-left corner. It may be accompanied by a number, if the proofs were numbered separately from the rest of the edition. It should also be signed by the artist.

Misconceptions

An artist’s proof and a limited edition print are not the same thing. A limited edition print is a numbered print from a predetermined number of a particular print. The artist’s proofs are separate from the numbered prints.

Athlete Edition

These prints are typically reserved for the athlete. If the athlete receives only part of the athlete edition the rest are sold on the open market. Athlete prints are identified as A/E when the artist signs the print and are similar in value to artist proofs.

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