Rating and value of bronzes, sculptures, drawings and paintings by Georges Guyot

If you own a work by or after the artist Georges Guyot, 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 value on the current market.

Then, should you wish to sell your work, we will direct you to the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.

Rating and value of Georges Guyot's works

French sculptor, draughtsman and animal painter, Georges Guyot works mainly in bronze. Lately, his stock has been rising on the art market.

His works are sold for between €20 and €150,000 on the auction market, a substantial delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to the artist's works.

In 2017, a bronze sculpture, Orang Outan, dating from 1930, sold for €150,000 while it was estimated at between €35,000 and €55,000.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of artist Georges Guyot

Georges Guyot is a French sculptor who works mainly in bronze. His sculptures are characterized by animal subjects, particularly wildcats. He has produced a few drawings and paintings, but is best known and sought-after for his sculptures.

He is a major animal sculptor of the 20th century, associated with the modernist movement and the École de Paris. His style is marked by a synthesis between naturalism and simplification of form, with an emphasis on dynamics, balance and monumentality.

The animal is treated as a living structure, not as a mere anatomical reproduction. Guyot specializes in felines, depicting panthers, lions, tigers and lynxes in particular, which are iconic subjects in his corpus.

He shows a constant interest in animals in motion (walking, muscular tension, observational attitude). The volumes are powerful and simplified, the forms pure and rhythmic.

The poses emphasize the continuous dorsal line, restrained tension and balance of mass. He works from direct observation at the Jardin des Plantes, which nurtures a precise but non-literal naturalism. Musculature is treated through simplified planes rather than anatomical detail.

Mass rather than surface effects thus express strength and suppleness through work on large volumes rather than detail. The modeling is firm, direct and often built up by the accumulation of geometrical masses.

He prefers compact, balanced silhouettes, where each plane plays a structural role. Guyot chooses to eliminate the accessory in favor of the volumetric essential. Bronze casting is of the highest quality, often by renowned Parisian founders (Susse, Valsuani).

He uses deep brown patinas, brown-greens, sometimes slightly russet. The chasing is unobtrusive, the final rendering relies more on the construction of volume than on the precision of detail.

Georges Guyot's career  

Georges Lucien Guyot (1885 - 1972) was a French sculptor born in Paris.

From a modest family, he was unable to study art, so he apprenticed with a woodcarver. He copied numerous models, and soon turned to animal subjects. Like many artists of his time, Paul Jouve or Roger Godchaux for example, he frequents the Jardin des Plantes to find inspiration.

Guyot spends time in Montmartre where he does some work, notably at the Bateau Lavoir, where cubism is born. Although his work is classical and realistic, he remains a modern spirit who likes to seek out other influences. In 1931, he joined the Groupe des Douze, a group of animal sculptors including François Pompon and Paul Jouve.

His first solo exhibition didn't take place until 1970, although he was successful before then.

Georges Guyot's mark on his period

Georges Guyot was a well-known and sought-after artist during his lifetime, selling works at high enough prices to make a living from the various commissions he received. Today, his quotation is stable on the auction market.

Market segmentation and artist's rating

Animal bronzes are at the heart of the market, representing lions, lionesses, panthers, tigers, lynxes, wild boars, deer, birds. He also works with plaster casts and terracottas, which are rare in public sales, and constitute a specialized study and collection segment.

Large bronzes are highly sought-after, with limited circulation and high valuation. Preparatory drawings and studies constitute a confidential but active market among animal art enthusiasts.

Small formats (10 - 25 cm) with stylized felines, birds and small mammals enter the entry segment with good liquidity. Medium formats (25 - 50 cm) are part of the main segment, highly sought-after, especially felines in motion.

Large formats over 50 cm are rare and fetch high prices, with strong institutional demand and advanced collectors. The most sought-after subjects are the felines (panthers, tigers, lions) that are Guyot's stylistic signature.

Valuation criteria include period cast iron (Susse, Valsuani), which is highly valued, homogeneous, old patina, typical modelling, solid provenance, legible signature and limited edition pieces.

France remains the main market for twentieth-century animal sculpture, with works also to be found in Europe and the USA. Liquidity is very good for feline bronzes, good for birds, selective for secondary subjects or late castings.

Modernist post-war animal sculpture is making steady progress, driven by interest in Pompon, Jouve, Sandoz and their contemporaries. Guyot occupies a solid position, with a regular international market. He enjoys a stable and sustained quotation.

Recognize the signature of the artist

Georges Guyot signs his works in cursive script, often with his surname. Expertise remains essential to authenticate your property.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by Georges Guyot ask without hesitation for a free valuation via our 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 value of your work, as well as any relevant information about it.

If you're thinking of selling your work, our specialists will also help you find alternatives to sell it at the best possible price.