Art Appraiser Job Description

Art appraisers are responsible for estimating the value of a work of art. The services of an art appraiser are used when art is sold, insured, auctioned or donated, as well as for the purpose of calculating estate taxes.

Job Duties

• Must provide proof that the artwork is genuine

• Refer to experts who can properly examine elements of the artwork, such as brush strokes, colour tones and tool marks

• Establish the authenticity of ownership by using provenance or tracing history of ownership

• Evaluate the condition of the art piece

• Must consider a variety of market factors when determining the value of a piece of art

• Must consider the state of the economy at the time of appraisal, as well as laws pertaining to taxation and currency exchange rates

Scholarships for Becoming an Art Appraiser  

The Applicable Majors section below shows fields of study relevant to a career as an Art Appraiser. You can search for scholarships matched to those fields of study on our Art History Scholarships page.

Success Tip: Be sure to apply for any scholarships that you even barely qualify for, as there are millions of dollars of scholarships that go unused every year due to a lack of applicants!