From the French word provenir, which means "to come from."
Provenance is the history of ownership of a valued object, such as a work of art. A full provenance provides a documented history that can help prove ownership, assign the work to a known artist, and establish the work of art's authenticity.
Note: In archaeology Provenience, meaning the actual place or findspot of an object, while provenance refers to its modern (post-excavation) history.
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