Rating and value of First World War paintings

If you own a painting from the First World War, 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 object, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on today's market. Then, if you wish to sell your painting, we will guide you towards the best possible means of obtaining the best possible price. The price of a painting can vary greatly depending on the artist's identification, its state of preservation, the school of the painting or the subject depicted.

Rating and value of Great War paintings   

Great War paintings are appreciated and sought after by collectors. The price at which they sell on the art and auction market ranges from €55 to €760,000, a considerable delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to your paintings. They are prized by buyers of all nationalities, and are of interest to some collectors because they are sometimes less expensive than masterpieces when the artist is not identified. The oil on canvas by Édouard Detaille and Alphonse de Neuville entitled Fantassins du 122ème ligne, for example, fetched €12,000 while it was estimated at between €12,000 and €15,000.

Order of value ranging from the simplest to the most prestigious painting

Reasons to have a painting from this era appraised at auction

If you own a painting depicting the First World War conflict, you may be unaware of its value. Indeed, even if the painting is not signed, it is possible in some cases to identify the artist. If it's listed on the auction market, then the price could rise very quickly. It is also possible that the artist is not identifiable and that we can only know the school of the painting.

Defining a war painting 

A war painting is a work often painted on a flat surface, which will in most cases be made with the technique of oil on canvas. Some works, however, are produced using drawing, etching, charcoal, oil on bristol or other techniques. These are no longer, as in the 19th century and particularly in the case of First Empire paintings of battle scenes, history paintings in the academic sense of the term.

Artists are taking advantage of the new artistic currents emerging at the beginning of the 20th century, and ceasing to conform to the material and stylistic constraints of the Académie. All currents were put to good use. Some artists made war painting their specialty, but others like Maurice Denis or Othon Friesz painted a few canvases inspired by a conflict without devoting their entire output to it.

Works from this specific period are sought after by collectors, but are much less valuable than World War II paintings.

Representing the Great War  

The twentieth century was marked by two major wars that exerted a great influence on the history of art.

During the First World War, painters were inspired by the everyday life of soldiers, the number of soldiers who died at the front, and the weapons used. They remained in the vein of impressionism and realism, without too much distortion of bodies and shapes. The colors used can sometimes be very light, however paintings from this period give the impression that the dominant color is gray. In the paintings by Maurice Denis depicting the conflicts of this period, a gray veil seems to cover the picture. The violence of war remains underlying, and the dead are represented in the image of the bodies of the living. As in literature, painting of the Great War is positioned in retreat from reality, like Voyage au bout de la nuit.

Some artists, however, represent those who died at the front with great realism, like the painter Jean-Louis Forain and his painting of the Verdun cemetery. The violence of war is visible, but in a more concealed way than in World War II painting.

The signing of paintings

Many war paintings from the Great War are not signed, and neither are the backs of their frames. That's why it's important to have your work appraised.

Knowing the definite value of your painting

If you happen to own a war painting from any school, or think you might, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using our form on our website. A member of our team of experts and chartered auctioneers will contact you promptly with an estimate of the market value of your painting, and will provide you with all the relevant information. If you wish to sell your product, 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.