Market Value and Price of Louis Valtat's Paintings

If you own a work by or after Louis Valtat, and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its current market value. Thereafter, if you wish to sell your work, we will direct you to the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.

Rating and value of the artist Louis Valtat  

The artist Louis Valtat leaves behind a classic body of work, composed mainly of landscape and marine scenes. He studied art with Jules Lefebvre at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. From then on, prices for his works rose under the auctioneers' gavels. His paintings are highly prized, especially by American and French buyers. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €25 to €620,000, a very substantial range but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to Valtat's works. In 2018, the Portrait de Madame Valtat sold for €337,060 while it was estimated at between €120,000 and €180,000.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of artist Louis Valtat

Valtat belongs to the Fauve group. He is less famous than Vlaminck or Matisse, but is nevertheless the author of a considerable and remarkable pictorial output. The painter produced portraits, landscapes (notably seascapes) and still lifes of flowers. He meticulously worked the nuances of his canvases and used pure pigments - caracteristic of the Fauvists.

The life of Louis Valtat

Louis Valtat (1869-1952), a French artist, was born in Dieppe.

He attended secondary school in Versailles. His father, an amateur painter, exhibited his paintings early on at the Salon des artistes Indépendants, enabling him to make contacts within the Parisian art scene. After studying at the Beaux-Arts de Paris under Jules Lefebvre, Valtat chose to continue his training at the Académie Julian, with Gustave Boulanger and Benjamin-Constant.

Aware of the work of the poitillists, he met the Nabi painter Edgar Vuillard, who steered him more towards Fauvism, once all the influences exerted on his painting had been blended. He set up his studio in Paris, but contracted tuberculosis, forcing him to travel for treatment. On these occasions, he met Aristide Maillol.

Some time later, he returned to Paris to exhibit his paintings, which were noticed by Félix Fénéon. The latter would write about Valtat's work.

He later traveled extensively to the French coast, to Saint Raphaël and Cagnes-sur-Mer, where he met Georges d'Espagnat.

His success was consecrated by his exclusivity contract with the dealer Ambroise Vollard, who bought almost all his production for twelve years - some of which is now part of the Morozov collection. Later, he would be compared to Manguin, Derain and Matisse.

He was forced into exile during the Occupation, and remained to paint his last canvases at the Liberation in his rue Wagram studio, suffering from glaucoma.

Louis Valtat's imprint on his period

Louis Valtat was a painter who left his mark on his era, working with many of his peers. He sold his paintings for high prices at the time, a value that continued to grow over the years. The artist's value peaked in the 1990s, when many of his works were on the art market. However, they are still highly sought-after at auction, especially by American collectors who still enjoy his paintings.

Recognizing the artist's signature

Not all Louis Valtat's works are signed. They may be at the bottom of the painting, but if you think you own one, it's best to have it appraised to be sure of its originality.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by or after Louis Valtat, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using the form on our website. A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your work, as well as ad hoc information about it. If you wish to sell your work, you will also be accompanied by our specialists in order to benefit from alternatives to sell it at the best possible price, taking into account the inclinations of the market.