Interview with Julie Toussaint — Art historian and origin specialist

Julie, could you introduce yourself and explain what your daily job consists of?

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My name is Julie Toussaint. I am an art historian and archaeologist by training, and I recently specialized in researching the origins of works of art. Concretely, I study works related to the plunder of the Second World War or to illicit trafficking, which sometimes reappear on the market when they should not be there.

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My daily life is divided between archives and fairs, where I discuss with the various players in the market to retrace the history of the works. My role is to determine whether they should join a private collection, be put back on the market, or even integrate a museum collection.

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If you had to go on a trip and only bring one item, which would you choose, and why?

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It's 2025, and even though I don't like to admit it, I think I'd pick up my phone. It allows me to take photos, communicate with my loved ones and stay in touch if needed. It's crazy to think that today, without a telephone, you almost feel like a part of you has been amputated. However, the most beautiful trips I have made were precisely the ones where I did not have any. It's paradoxical... But if I had to be alone, this connection with those I love would be essential.

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What if the phone didn't count?

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So I would bring my old film camera, an Olympus S66. I like the idea of shooting on film: the real surprise only comes during development, when you discover details or moments that you had forgotten. In the end, it's all about that for me: keeping track, maintaining memory.

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And you, how do you keep the memory of your personal items?

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It's quite ironic: for years, I've been advising my customers on the importance of keeping an inventory... but I've never done it for myself! In my job, I deal with hundreds of inventories. But for my own objects, I made do with my memory and a few scattered papers. Nothing structured, nothing really complete. Until Objectory, I had never taken the time to put all this information together in one tool.

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How do you assess the value of an object?

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The advice I have always been given to my clients is simple: do not buy with the idea of making an investment, but out of a crush. Every time a customer bought thinking they were getting a “good deal,” they ended up regretting it. Her collection did not make emotional sense, and often it reflected bad decisions. For me, the main criterion remains personal attachment. If you want to invest in making money, there are other options — wine, spirits, for example — but art is not the safest place.

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Obviously, we could develop particular cases, such as goldsmithing or certain very specific segments. But overall, I always defend the idea of buying from the heart.

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What advice would you give to individuals who want to manage their assets, especially their objects?

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One word: The origin. Without a clear source, there is a real problem. It guarantees not only the legitimacy of a piece on the market, but also its authenticity. In some fields, such as African or Asian art, the number of fakes is considerable. But that also applies to European art. For example, any painting created before 1933 should be checked: did it have a troubled history during World War II? It is essential before any purchase.

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You tested Objectory. What are your impressions?

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The application is very intuitive and pleasant to use. I love having my collection right at my fingertips, right on my phone. It's easy to add an artwork: a photo, some information, and presto, it appears on the dashboard. The latter gives a global and motivating vision of his collection: percentages by type of objects, number of pieces... It's almost addictive!

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I really appreciated the ability to export the data. I did encounter a bug once during an export, but since it’s a prototype I suppose that’s part of the journey. Other than that, it’s a unique tool on the market, which I believe has great potential. Keep developing Objectory: it’s a great idea, and I truly believe in its future.

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