Guide · Updated November 2026
Original, limited edition or reproduction? What you are actually buying
Online, the same words can mean very different things. Here is how the main kinds of artwork differ, and how we label them on Bristoli Gallery.
At a glance
| Painted by hand? | How many exist | Typical price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | Yes, by the artist | One | Highest for the size |
| Hand-painted limited edition | Yes, by the artist | A fixed number (e.g. 5) | Lower than an original |
| Hand-painted reproduction | Yes, by a copyist | Unlimited | Mostly size-driven |
| Print / giclée / canvas transfer | No | Unlimited | Lowest |
Original
A single painting, made by hand by the artist, that exists once. On Bristoli Gallery these are labelled “Original · One of a kind”. Browse one-of-a-kind originals.
Hand-painted limited edition
Some compositions sell well enough that the artist paints them more than once. Done honestly, this is a limited edition: the number is fixed before the first canvas, each painting is signed and numbered, and the edition is never extended. Every canvas is still painted by hand, so no two are identical. We label these “Hand-painted Studio Edition · Limited to N”, and the certificate states the number, for example Edition 3 of 5. Browse limited editions.
Hand-painted reproduction
A copy of a famous painting, made with oil paint by a skilled copyist. Reproductions of public-domain works, such as Monet’s water lilies or Van Gogh’s sunflowers, are legal when they are sold as reproductions. We sell them in a separate section, Masterpiece Copies, and never call them originals.
Print, giclée or canvas transfer
A photographic or inkjet reproduction, sometimes printed on canvas and stretched like a painting. Some are “hand-embellished” with a few strokes of gel or paint on top, which can make them look like paintings in photos. We do not sell prints.
How to tell them apart in photos
- Side light: real oil paint casts tiny shadows from raised strokes; prints stay flat.
- Edges: on a painting, the paint stops or wraps irregularly at the canvas edge.
- Signature: painted, not printed.
- The listing: an honest one says “original”, “edition of N” or “reproduction”. Vague words like “artwork” or “canvas art” usually mean a print.
If you are unsure, ask for a close-up video. We send one for every painting before it ships: see Buyer Protection.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hand-painted limited edition?
A composition that the same artist paints by hand a small, fixed number of times, for example five. Each canvas is a real oil painting, signed and numbered, but not unique. The edition size is set before the first canvas is painted and never increased.
Is a limited edition painting worth less than an original?
It usually costs less than a one-of-a-kind original of the same size by the same artist, because the composition exists more than once. It is still a hand-made painting, unlike a print, and the small, fixed edition keeps it scarce.
Are hand-painted reproductions legal?
Yes, for works whose copyright has expired, such as paintings by Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh, as long as they are sold openly as reproductions and not as originals.
What is the difference between a giclée and a hand-painted reproduction?
A giclée is a high-quality inkjet print. A hand-painted reproduction is painted with oil paint and brushes by a painter copying the original, so it has real brushstrokes and texture.