University diploma “Expertise in works of art” from Panthéon-Assas université

This eight-hour course took place on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at the Château de Versailles itself, and was led by curators, restorers and other professionals working with artworks and works of art.

The aim of the new diploma, unique in France, is to train the numerous actors, private or public, from the art world in the law relating to the expert assessment of works of art, as well as familiarising them with the scientific techniques used by experts, which are playing an increasingly important role.

An innovative training course: to date, there is no university course either in the law or the scientific techniques used in the expertise of artworks. However, its creation is responding to real needs and a real demand.

Training in line with real needs: art forgery is becoming much more prevalent and widespread, disputes relating to the authenticity of works of art are increasing, while the responsibility of those in the art market is hardening. In this context, expertise in works of art plays a central role. While it is traditionally based on a knowledge of art history, expert scientific techniques, given their precision, reliability and speed, are increasingly called upon both in practice and in legal proceedings. Familiarising and accustoming the many protagonists of the art market, magistrates and court officers to these scientific techniques and their use is a necessity, and is one of the main objectives of the training course.

Training in response to a real demand: given the context, not only private experts, trained in art history and a knowledge of objects, but also many art market professionals (auctioneers, insurers, brokers, etc.) as well as various legal and police personnel, are very keen for training that combines the law of expertise with the scientific techniques used in the expert assessment of works of art. As proof, this theme has recently been the subject of symposia, and the École nationale de la magistrature plans to devote teaching modules to it.

Admission

• Entry level: Bac +4;
• the diploma is offered in continuing education;
• the training course is open to those who already have a Masters level 1 (law, political science, science, or equivalent) or by validation of acquired experience.

Programme 2024 (in French) :

• 9H00 : mot d’accueil de Mathieu da Vinha, directeur du Centre de recherche du château de Versailles
• 9h15-10h15 : Gérer les collections : présentation autour des inventaires et du recollement, par Marine Masure Vetter, responsable du récolement des collections, chargée du fonds documentaire mobilier XIXème au château de Versailles
• 10h30-12h30 : L’appartement intérieur du roi, par Pierre-Xavier Hans, conservateur en chef du patrimoine au château de Versailles
• 14h30-16h30 : Le Grand Trianon puis les jardins du Petit Trianon, par Noémie Wansart, collaboratrice scientifique au château de Versailles
• 16h30-18h30 : Le théâtre de la Reine, par Raphaël Masson, conservateur en chef du patrimoine au château de Versailles

Presentation videos

• Presentation of the diploma by Laurent Pfister, head of training (via YouTube)
• Présentation par Mathieu da Vinha, directeur scientifique du Centre de recherche de Versailles (via YouTube)