Rating and value of Amedeo Modigliani's works

Painter, draughtsman, sculptor... Modigliani is a major figurative artist of the 20th century, Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920) is a leading representative of the Paris School. A highly prized artist by collectors the world over, his high value continues to rise.

If you own a work by or based on the artist Modigliani and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will guide you. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on the current market. 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 

Largely unrecognized during his lifetime but now acclaimed for his genius, Modigliani has established himself as a sure bet on the art market. Despite his varied artistic output, his drawings command the highest price among collectors and can sell for over €1 million, as evidenced by his pencil on paper Tête de Cariatide adjugated €1,139,840 in 2016 at Christie's.  

Order of value from a work "after" Modigliani to an "authentic" work by Modigliani

Modigliani, one of the most highly regarded artists of the École de Paris

Originally Italian, Modigliani was born in Livorno in 1884.

He showed a choleric temperament from an early age, and was a pampered child especially by his mother, since he was ill from infancy. She raised him alone with his two sisters in Sardinia.

Myth and sources from the family's various diaries indicate that Modigliani discovered his vocation when he was in the throes of a psychic delirium after contracting typhoid fever.

He began by drawing portraits, an artistic genre that was to play a major role in his work, both in painting and sculpture. By the age of thirteen, he was already taking drawing lessons, supported by his mother. Not considering himself suited to school, he chose to enter the Beaux-Arts academy a year later, a decision that strongly displeased the rest of his family.

He was then the youngest student at the Beaux-Arts and trained alongside a landscape painter who moved away from academicism to seek more reality, and favored color over drawing. Here he met Gino Romiti, who taught him the art of the nude.

Despite his very avant-garde style, he was greatly influenced by Gothic, Renaissance and Pre-Raphaelist painters. He was then fascinated by Naples and Pompeii, which led him in the direction of sculpture thanks to the discovery of archaizing sculptures at these sites.

From 1902, he attended the Free School of the Nude in Florence and then the School of Fine Arts in Venice. He led a rather decadent life, however, and said he preferred to work in cafés or brothels.

He spent time with Manuel Ortiz de Zarate, who introduced him to Impressionism and the caricatures of Toulouse-Lautrec, probably speeding up his arrival in Paris.

From 1906 onwards, he attended the Colarossi academy in Paris and spent lavishly, quickly running through his savings. He moved constantly and was regularly evicted from the apartments he occupied. Exuberant and alcoholic, he regularly provoked incidents: starting fires, regular arrests, his existence was far from calm and stable.

Little by little, a prisoner of his addictions, he could no longer create and paint without drinking or consuming narcotics. Many believe they stimulated his creative impulses and helped him unfold his genius. However, despite his financial difficulties, he retained a legendary charisma and generosity that left a lasting impression.

He invented " drawings to drink ", frequenting cafés, particularly those in Montparnasse  he portrayed people in exchange for a drink or money. It was also there that he met and befriended many avant-gardists : Cocteau, Kisling, Foujita, Survage, van Dongen, Braque ...

Modigliani knew many artists of his time and realistically painted portraits of many of them. He did not anticipate Post-Impressionism and his creative process was disrupted. He questioned himself and moved closer to Cubism, influenced in particular by Braque.

He managed to get himself exhibited in a number of galleries, and organized a solo show in 1917 at the Galerie Berthe Weil. Then, fleeing the end of the war, he went to work in Provence with Soutine, Zborowski (his dealer and supporter), Foujita and Jeanne Hébuterne, his companion.

Returning to Paris in 1919, he began to enjoy success with the public, but much less so with his declining health. He continued to paint until the end and refused treatment, dying in hospital at the age of 35.

Learn more about the life of Modigliani and Jeanne Hébuterne

Focus on the Tête Rouge, 1915

Modigliani doesn't fit into any particular movement, and instead operates a synthesis of different currents, and different influences. Although intellectually close to the Cubists without actually being one, he followed in Cézanne's footsteps, particularly in his drawing technique.

Portraits, whether in sculpture or painting, were very important to Modigliani. He devoted much of his life to it. In Red Head, the artist combines this Cubist influence with a more primitive one, reminiscent of African masks, particularly those from Gabon.

Sometimes tortured and prone to fits of anger, the painter conveys a certain malaise, through the use of deep black and blood-red. Modigliani creates a falsely off-axis portrait, proving that he has thought through every square centimeter of his composition, which seems fractured around the red head.

He painted this picture five years before his death, probably the period when he was nevertheless happiest. Less poor, under Zborowski's protection, he had complete freedom to create, even if he was totally imprisoned by his addictions. Paradoxically, however, he cannot paint or sculpt without them. This portrait seems to cry out his confinement, his autonomy that he is forced to assume, his cracks and his darkness.

The success of Modigliani's works on the auction market

Whether sculptures, drawings or paintings, Modigliani's works possess a very high quotation on the auction market.

Collectors, as well as some private individuals, greatly appreciate his work, and are prepared to bid unprecedented sums in the hope of owning one of his works. Not officially a member of any particular movement, his unique and extravagant personality sets him apart from the other artists of his time.

His story and the various obstacles he encountered in his career contribute to making him a myth, and to exuding a singular aura from his works.

The artist's works and style

First a painter, sculptor and then draughtsman, Modigliani's works are varied.  

Modigliani's paintings are common in museums but rare in auction rooms. His characteristic portraits with stretched faces and livid eyes are highly sought-after, fetching several tens of thousands of euros at auction for drawings, and tens of millions for oil on canvas.  

As rare as his paintings, Modigliani's sculptures are extremely prized. The artist worked in many techniques, including bronze, marble, stone and copper.  

His bronze works remain the most common, and can exist in several copies. Sculptures created in stone, whether sandstone, marble or other materials, are considered rare and exceptional pieces, and their price can easily exceed the million euro mark.  

The artist's signature 

Not all of Modigliani's works are signed.  

Although there are variations, here is a first example of his signature:  

Expertise your property

If you own a work by Modigliani, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal by filling in our online form. A member of our team of experts and chartered auctioneers will contact you to provide an estimate of the market value of your work signed Modigliani or after Modigliani.  

If you are considering selling your piece of art, our specialists will also guide you through the various alternatives available to obtain the best possible price for your work, taking into account market trends and the specific features of each object.