Reference template · reviewed September 2026

Artwork Condition Report Template

A complete template for an artwork condition report, with the sections, language and structure used by conservators, appraisers, advisors and insurance providers. The format is a synthesis of the templates used by major American museums, conservation studios and private collection advisors.

Introduction

An artwork condition report is the record that supports every later decision about a work: insurance, conservation, sale, loan, gift, deaccession and inheritance. The ten sections below are the minimum structure for a private collector's condition file. For a more detailed template, see our guide to art conservation for private collectors and our guide to art insurance for private collectors.

1. Object identification

Title, artist (with alternate names and nationality), date of execution, medium, dimensions (with units and the convention used), edition information (if applicable), frame or mounting, signature, inscriptions, and date. The identification here must be sufficient to distinguish the work from any other. If the work is part of a series, identify the specific work and the series.

2. Provenance summary

Direct provenance from the artist or the artist's studio through the current owner, with all known intermediate owners, dealers, auction houses and the dates of each transfer. Expose gaps explicitly. A condition report that omits a known gap is more damaging to a future sale than a transparent acknowledgement of it.

3. Exhibition and publication history

Every exhibition and publication in which the work has appeared, with the venue, title, year, and (for publications) the page reference. Distinguish between primary-source records (institutional exhibition catalogues, museum records) and secondary mentions.

4. Condition at the time of report

A condition assessment of the work in its current location, with reference to established condition terminology (excellent, very good, good, fair, poor) and a description of any areas of concern. Note the lighting, framing, mounting and environmental conditions under which the work was viewed.

5. Conservation history

A list of all known conservation or restoration treatments, with the date, conservator, the scope of the work and any documentation provided by the conservator. Where a treatment has been undertaken, the report should be in writing and held in the file.

6. Photographic record

High-resolution photographs of the front, reverse, frame, signature, inscriptions, labels and any areas of concern, with the date the photographs were taken and the name of the photographer. Photographs should be taken under consistent lighting.

7. Storage, installation and environment

A description of the work's storage or installation location, with reference to the environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, light exposure) and any protective measures (glazing, backing, mounting) in place. For works in private collections, this section is also the basis for the insurance and conservation review.

8. Signatures, authentication and authentication history

A summary of the authentication status of the work, including the relevant authentication body (if any), the date and result of any authentication review, and any changes in that status over time. A work that has had an authentication opinion revised should record the change in the file, not erase it.

9. Insurance reference

The current insurance valuation, the date of the valuation, the appraiser, and the policy reference. A condition report supports the insurance record; it does not replace it. For the purposes of the condition record, the report should include the valuation date and source.

10. Reviewer and report date

The name and qualification of the person who prepared the report, the date the report was prepared, and the date on which the work was examined. For a condition report prepared in connection with a sale or loan, the report should also identify the requesting party.