How do I buy a painting?
The process is simple. Find a painting in the catalogue, click Enquire, and send a short message. We reply within two working days, usually sooner, with the current asking price, a condition report on request, and answers to anything you have asked. From there, we arrange a viewing (at the gallery, at your home, or by video call) and, if the painting is right for you, we agree the sale, you pay by EFT or card, and we arrange delivery or collection. The painting remains ours until payment has cleared in full.
Do you ship paintings?
Yes. We deliver anywhere in South Africa, and we can arrange international shipping to most countries on a quote-by-quote basis. Within South Africa, smaller works typically reach you within five to seven working days; larger works are scheduled around the courier’s specialist art transport runs. Every painting is packed in custom crating where required, with corner protectors, glassine layer, and a moisture barrier, the standard most insurance underwriters expect. Shipping is quoted before sale; there are no surprises at checkout.
Can I view a painting in person before deciding?
Yes, always, and we encourage it. A painting on a screen is never an exact match for the painting in the room: light, scale, surface, varnish, all of these read differently in person. You can visit the gallery during our opening hours, book a private appointment outside those hours, or in many cases ask us to bring the painting to your home for an hour so you can see it on your own wall. There is no charge for a home viewing, and no expectation to decide on the day.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept EFT (electronic funds transfer) into the gallery’s South African bank account. For card payments and PayPal we use a secure payment processor; this is appropriate for smaller works and for international buyers. For larger acquisitions, EFT remains the most common route. We do not deal in cryptocurrency.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes, on most works. The usual arrangement is a deposit of around 30% on acceptance, which secures the painting and removes it from public view, followed by the balance over three to six equal monthly instalments by EFT. The painting is delivered with the final instalment, or by prior arrangement. We can adjust the rhythm to suit your circumstances; please ask.
What is your returns policy?
A painting that does not match the description we have given you can be returned for a full refund: this is your right under the Consumer Protection Act and we honour it without argument. A painting bought through an online direct-marketing sale also carries the seven-day cooling-off right under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act. Beyond those legal protections, we do not offer a general “change of mind” return: art is bought for the work itself, and we ask buyers to view in person and ask any question before committing. We would always rather answer ten questions before sale than process one returned painting.
How do you authenticate the paintings you sell?
Every original work sold by the gallery comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, signed by the gallery, recording the artist, title, year, medium, dimensions, and our undertaking as to the work’s authenticity. Where we hold provenance records, previous owners, exhibition history, related correspondence, these are shared with the buyer at sale. If, at any point after sale, a work we have certified is shown by reasonable expert evidence not to be authentic, we will refund the purchase price in full. We stand behind everything we sell.
Can I see a condition report before buying?
Yes. A current condition report is available for every painting in the catalogue: request one by email and we will send it within a working day. The report covers the canvas and stretcher, the paint surface, the varnish (if any), framing, and any prior restoration we are aware of. If a particular detail concerns you, we are happy to photograph it close-up or to arrange an independent conservator’s inspection at the buyer’s cost.
Are the paintings framed? Can you frame them?
Some paintings in the catalogue are framed; some are not, and the catalogue page tells you which. Where a painting is unframed, we can arrange framing through a small number of trusted framers we have worked with for many years, in a frame style chosen with you. Framing is quoted separately and typically takes two to three weeks. There is no obligation to use our framer; many buyers prefer to frame in collaboration with their interior designer or an existing relationship.
Do you take commissions?
We accept a small number of commissions each year, in conversation with the artist and the buyer. The rhythm is typically a first conversation about what you have in mind, a written proposal covering dimensions, medium, timeline, and price, a deposit to begin work, an in-progress check-in with one or two photographs, and delivery on completion. A typical commission takes three to six months depending on scale. If you have something in mind, please write to us.
How are your prices decided?
Prices reflect the artist, the work’s size and medium, its place in the artist’s broader output, and the current market for comparable pieces. Where a work is by an artist with an active auction record, prices are anchored to that record. Where a work is by an artist we represent more closely, prices are agreed with the artist directly. We do not negotiate prices in public, but a price discussion in a sale conversation is always welcome, particularly for buyers acquiring more than one work, or for those choosing a payment plan that takes the painting off the market for an extended period.
Do you buy paintings as well as sell?
Occasionally, yes. We are particularly interested in original works in good condition with clear provenance. If you have a piece you are considering selling, please send a photograph, dimensions, and what you know of its history. We will give you an honest view of whether it is something for us, and if not, often we can suggest a more appropriate route.
Still have a question?
Write to us at henry@artcurator.co.za. We reply within two working days.