{"id":4354,"date":"2026-01-21T13:08:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T12:08:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kunst-gutachter.de\/?page_id=4354"},"modified":"2026-03-28T23:55:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T22:55:33","slug":"integrity-protocol","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kunst-gutachter.de\/en\/integrity-protocol\/","title":{"rendered":"Integrity Protocol"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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WIP: The Work Integrity Protocol for Art<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Work Integrity Protocol (WIP) is an evaluation tool for the structured assessment of an artwork’s integrity. It complements the traditional condition report and expands it by incorporating an examination of a work\u2019s truthfulness, identity, coherence, and meaningfulness.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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While a condition report describes only the physical state<\/em> of the object, the Work Integrity Protocol (WIP) asks to what extent an artwork still corresponds today to what it essentially is, in terms of its nature, its artistic intention and its historical reality.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The assessment is not absolute, but always conducted in comparison with a “hypothetical<\/em> reference artwork of similar type and quality under optimal museum care conditions.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In visible light, the painting appears largely intact. Under UV fluorescence, extensive retouching becomes evident. How much of the artist\u2019s original concept remains? How significantly do the retouches alter the understanding of the painting? How high is the artwork\u2019s integrity compared to a hypothetical similar portrait under the best museum care? The Integrity Protocol provides answers to these questions.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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The Concept of the Artwork’s Integrity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The integrity refers to the degree of coherence, consistency and expressive power of an artwork as a whole. The concept is based on the UNESCO definition of integrity as the m<\/strong>easure of completeness and meaningfulness of cultural heritage<\/strong>, adapted here to apply to individual artworks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Artwork’s integrity is therefore a comparative quality measure that does not exclude historical change, but evaluates it in relation to a comparable reference work.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Authenticity and Integrity \u2013 Two Distinct Concepts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Authenticity<\/strong> denotes the genuineness<\/em> of a work of art. It answers the question of whether the work was truly created by the named artist or craftsman and whether its authorship is secure. Establishing authenticity is the foundation of every art historical and expert evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Integrity<\/strong>, on the other hand, describes the degree to which a work remains a coherent, unified whole<\/em> in terms of material, form, meaning and impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A piece can be completely authentic yet have low integrity<\/em>\u2014for example, if restorations, overpaintings or losses have significantly compromised the work\u2019s original expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Evaluation Mechanism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The work’s integrity is assessed using defined material and immaterial criteria on a scale from 1.00 to 10.00<\/strong>, the WIP Score. It’s basically a simplification to define the artwork’s integrity at a certain point of time. For each criterion, the artwork under review is compared with a “hypothetical <\/em>reference work of similar type and quality under best museum care.\u201d<\/em> The degree of integrity still present in each aspect is explained and justified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experienced experts, loss adjusters, art historians, and conservators can project hypothetical best states. In the insurance field\u2014for decades\u2014this has been implemented through the difference hypothesis<\/em>, while conservators strive toward well-maintained optimal conditions with minimal interventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By assessing integrity as a measurable unit, different works of art can now be compared with one another. This makes it a useful decision-making tool<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Material Criteria of Artwork’s Integrity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n