I am building or managing an art collection

The guides are currently searched and indexed in Spanish.

7 guides

• Restitution and responsible acquisition: the provenance of a work

  How to investigate the provenance of an artwork before purchase, which databases to consult and how to act if a problem arises subsequently.

  Reviewed on 7 November 2026

  • art collecting
  • cultural heritage
  • provenance

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• Provenance of a work of art: what it is and why it decides its fate

  What the provenance of a work of art is, how it is researched, which international instruments apply and which European bodies examine claims.

  Verified on 27 September 2026

  • art collecting
  • art market
  • cultural heritage

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• Donating a work to a museum: offer, acceptance and tax relief

  How to offer a work to a museum, how the decision to accept is made, what to agree upon in writing, how it is valued and what tax relief it provides.

  Reviewed on 7 November 2026

  • art collecting
  • cultural heritage

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• Loaning a work to an exhibition: the loan agreement

  What a loan agreement must include, the nature of a facility report, who bears the insurance costs and the implications for private collectors.

  Reviewed on 7 November 2026

  • art collecting
  • cultural heritage

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• Importing and exporting works of art in Spain: permits and licences

  Which artworks require a permit to leave Spain, when a European licence is necessary, and what the 2025 import regulation demands.

  Reviewed on 7 November 2026

  • art collecting
  • cultural heritage

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• Preparing for the succession of an art collection

  How to prepare for the inheritance of an art collection: inventory, valuation, inheritance tax, distribution, payment in kind and lifetime gifting.

  Reviewed on 7 November 2026

  • art collecting
  • cultural heritage

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• How to care for an art collection at home

  The light tolerance of a work, managing humidity, how to hang and store, and what to avoid when cleaning a painting or a work on paper.

  Reviewed on 7 November 2026

  • art collecting
  • cultural heritage

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