Some conversations remind you why you love what you do.

A sincere thank you to Dorit Straus for inviting me to speak as a guest lecturer for her section of the 2026 Summer Program, Elevating Expertise in Art Crime and Cultural Heritage Protection at the Association for Research into Crimes against Art (ARCA) in Italy.

For years, I’ve admired the work Dorit has done wth the insurance portion of this program and bringing together professionals from across the world to explore the many facets of art crime, cultural heritage, and the challenges our field continues to face. It has long been on my own wish list to participate in the program—after all, who wouldn’t want to spend part of their summer in Italy surrounded by people passionate about protecting our shared cultural heritage?

Our discussion focused on the complexities of appraisal practice, authentication, valuation, diminution in value, and the role these issues play in insurance claims and the broader art market. These subjects rarely have simple answers, which is precisely what makes them so fascinating. I always come away from these conversations having learned just as much from the questions, debates, and perspectives of others as I hope I’ve been able to contribute.

Thank you again, Dorit, for your generosity and for the opportunity to be part of such an exceptional program. I hope this is the first of many opportunities to contribute. One of my goals is to return in the future to speak more extensively about valuation in today’s increasingly complex art market—particularly where it intersects with art crime, cultural heritage protection, authentication, and the evolving challenges facing collectors, insurers, institutions, and the legal community.

Until next time… grazie!

-Jennifer Garland Ross, AAA

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