Art shipping is part conservation, part logistics and part communication. The packing method must respond to the object: a stretched canvas cannot be treated like a glazed print, and a sculpture cannot be protected like either. The collector does not need to design the crate, but should know who is responsible, what is covered and what to do when the package arrives.
Arrange these details before payment whenever possible. Once an artwork is already in transit, questions about insurance limits, customs charges or damage procedures become much harder to resolve.
Agree on the delivery terms in writing
Ask for the shipping origin, destination, estimated dispatch window, carrier or specialist art handler, tracking process and whether a signature or appointment is required. Confirm whether delivery means kerbside, threshold, inside placement or installation. These are different services, especially for a large or heavy work.
The written total should separate the artwork price from packing, shipping, insurance, taxes and any known import charges. It should also state who bears the risk during transit and who starts a claim if the package is lost or damaged. Keep the invoice, listing, correspondence and condition photographs together.
If you are still verifying the seller and object, begin with the guide to buying original art online safely.
Packing should follow the artwork
Stretched canvas and panel paintings
A sound package protects the painted face from contact, shields corners and edges, limits movement and creates a rigid barrier against puncture and compression. Nothing should press into raised paint, leaf, collage or other textured material. Oversized, unusually valuable or fragile paintings may require a custom crate and a specialist familiar with fine art.
Framed art and works under glazing
Frames add vulnerable corners and surface finishes. Glazing adds weight and the possibility of breakage; glass and acrylic behave differently and should be identified before packing. Ask whether the packer knows the glazing type and has designed the package for it. A valuable glazed work is not a routine parcel simply because its outer dimensions are small.
Works on paper and prints
An unframed sheet needs clean, archival interleaving and rigid support so it cannot crease, roll tightly or slide. A tube may suit some robust, replaceable prints, but it is not automatically appropriate for every paper, pigment, size or signed edition. Confirm the artist's chosen method rather than requesting the smallest container.
Sculpture and mixed media
Three-dimensional work needs support at structurally sound points, protection for projections and enough restraint to prevent movement without placing force on delicate areas. The artist or professional packer should identify how the object may be lifted. Do not assume handles, limbs or decorative elements are load-bearing.
Good packing does not simply surround an artwork. It anticipates the forces the journey may place upon it.
Ask who is doing the packing
For a modest, robust work, an experienced artist may pack in the studio and use a tracked parcel carrier. Large, high-value, glazed, sculptural or materially complex work may call for a fine-art shipper that can crate, collect, transport and install. The appropriate choice depends on fragility, value, route and service level, not prestige alone.
Ask whether the container is new or reused, whether the artwork will be shipped framed, stretched or rolled, and whether unpacking instructions are included. If a canvas must be removed from its stretcher for transport, clarify who will restretch it, what that will cost and whether the artist considers the process suitable for that particular work.
Transit insurance needs precise questions
Tracking confirms movement; it is not insurance. Ask whether the shipment is covered for the full agreed value from collection through delivery, what evidence a claim requires and whether exclusions apply to fine art, fragile materials, inadequate packing, unattended delivery or particular destinations.
“Declared value,” carrier liability and a dedicated fine-art transit policy are not always equivalent. Do not rely on the label alone. Request the coverage details in writing and ask who would receive a settlement. Preserve the invoice and pre-shipment condition images because a claim may depend on proof of value, ownership, packing and condition.
No insurance can prevent damage, but clear coverage prevents an already difficult event from becoming an argument about responsibility.
International shipping adds customs and timing
For a cross-border purchase, confirm who will prepare the commercial invoice and describe the work, medium, country of origin and value accurately. Ask which party is the importer of record and who is responsible for duties, taxes, brokerage, storage or return costs. Rules vary by destination and can change, so the seller, carrier or customs professional should confirm the current requirements for the actual route.
Wooden crates or natural materials may be subject to additional controls. Delays can also expose a package to changing environments or storage fees. Build time into the plan and do not ask for a false description or lower value; inaccurate paperwork can jeopardise clearance and insurance.
Prepare for delivery day
Check the carrier's tracking directly and arrange for an adult to receive the shipment. Measure doors, corridors, lifts and stairs before a large crate arrives. Clear a dry, clean area with enough room to examine the package and save every component. If professional installation was agreed, confirm whether the crew will also unpack and remove the crate.
Look at all sides of the package before opening. Photograph dents, punctures, wet areas, crushed corners, broken seals or an incorrect orientation. If the carrier offers a delivery receipt, note visible damage rather than signing that the package is in good condition. Refusal may or may not be the correct step under the seller's policy, so know the agreed procedure beforehand.
Unpack slowly and document the condition
Follow the artist's or packer's instructions. Avoid driving a knife deeply into a container where the blade could reach the artwork. Large pieces and crates may require two people or professional tools. If the package has moved between extreme temperatures or humidity levels, ask the sender whether it should acclimatise before being fully opened.
Photograph the layers as they are removed, then the front, back, edges, frame and signature. Compare the work with the listing and pre-shipment condition images. Do not discard the packing until the artwork has been examined in good light and any installation is complete.
Create a simple arrival record and store it with the invoice and certificate of authenticity. For the work's new environment, follow the guide to caring for original art at home.
If the artwork arrives damaged
Stop unpacking if continuing could worsen the damage. Photograph the outer container, labels, internal packing and artwork without cleaning, flattening, gluing or touching a disrupted surface. Contact the seller and carrier promptly through the procedure agreed before shipment; claim deadlines can be short.
Keep the artwork, box, crate and every packing material until the insurer or carrier gives written instructions. Describe what you observe without guessing at cause or attempting repair. For paint loss, tears, cracks, broken glazing or structural movement, seek guidance from a qualified conservator rather than applying a household fix.
An art delivery checklist
- Confirm the packer, carrier, service level, dispatch window and delivery appointment.
- Get the full cost and responsibility for transit, customs, delay, return and damage in writing.
- Verify insurance coverage, exclusions, value and claim procedure.
- Save pre-shipment condition photographs and all transaction records.
- Measure the access route and prepare a clean unpacking area.
- Photograph the unopened package, unpacking layers and artwork on arrival.
- Keep every packing material until condition is confirmed.
Explore available MARIEZAL originals and signed fine art editions. For a particular work, contact the studio to request its exact dimensions, material and destination-specific packing and delivery options before making a decision.