Whose signature is this? Find the artist from a photo
A scrawled name in the corner of a painting from a flea market, a monogram on an old print, an autograph on a photo — this free AI signature finder reads it for you and tells you who most likely made the work.
How to identify an artist signature by photo
- Photograph the signature up close, straight on and in good light. Include the date if there is one.
- Add what you know (optional): the subject, medium, frame label or country help a lot.
- Get your answer: the most likely artist with lifespan, nationality and movement, a reference card with their portrait and biography, and a confidence level.
No photo handy? Use the Describe it tab and type the letters you can read, the date and the style of the work.
What the answer includes
- The reading: exactly what the signature appears to say, with any uncertain letters marked
- Ranked artist suggestions with a confidence level for each
- A reference card with the artist's photo and short biography
- How to verify it: catalogue raisonné, auction records (Artnet, MutualArt, Invaluable), known signature variants and gallery or estate labels
Tips for hard-to-read signatures
- Shoot the signature, then a second photo of the whole work — try both
- Raking light from the side makes painted or incised signatures much easier to read
- Look on the back too: labels, stamps and inscriptions often name the artist
- If the first answer isn't right, add a hint such as "Dutch, 1950s landscape" and search again
Artist signature lookup: AI search vs signature databases
Traditional signature databases are organised by name. They work well once you have a guess, but they are slow when the signature is just an unreadable flourish. An AI artist signature lookup starts from the image instead:
- Where you start: the AI lookup needs only a photo of the signature. A database needs a name or at least a first letter.
- Unreadable signatures: the AI reads the letters it can and uses the date, style and medium for the rest. In a database you browse page by page.
- Monograms and initials: the AI suggests likely matches. Databases are hard to search this way.
- What each is best for: the AI gives you a first answer in seconds. A database lets you confirm that answer against verified examples.
The best results come from using both. Get a suggestion here, then compare it with verified examples in the Art Signature Dictionary, askART or auction archives such as Invaluable.
Autograph finder by picture
The same tool works for autographs: signed photos, programmes, books, cards and letters. Photograph the signature on its own, plus the whole item, and add anything you know, such as the event, year or team. You'll get the most likely person and what to check before trusting it.
A word of caution
A signature tells you whose name is on the work — not whether that artist actually made it. Copies, workshop pieces and forgeries exist for many famous names. Treat the result as a research lead and confirm with an expert before buying, selling or insuring.