Rating and value of paintings by Toshio Bando

If you own a work by or based on the artist Toshio Bando 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.

Then, 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

A major figure of the First École de Paris, Toshio Bando has a rating as high as his fame. Exploring several artistic techniques, Bando's works are commonplace in auction rooms, especially his canvases that sell for thousands of euros at auction. The artist's most prized works by collectors are his oils on canvas.

A secure value on the art market, some of his exceptional canvases fetch tens of thousands of euros at auction, as evidenced by his oil on canvas Autoportrait aux pinceaux ou Composition Bouddha, 25 avril,dating from 1925 and sold for €76,000 in 2025, whereas it was estimated at between €20,000 and €30,000, almost 400% its low estimate.

Order of value from the most basic to the most prestigious

The artist's style and technique

Toshio Bando's work combines Japanese traditions (mastery of line, sense of space, harmony) and the Western art of his time (Impressionism, Post-Impressionism and the School of Paris). We frequently find calm subjects such as still lifes, pets, portraits and interiors treated with finesse and restraint.

He combines soft realism and stylization, objects are recognizable but the atmosphere invites pictorial silence. He uses a subtle palette with moderate tones, often light chiaroscuro, and a calm but contemplative atmosphere.

The space is often compact, with a moderate format, which reinforces the effect of closeness to the subject. His main mediums are oil on canvas or panel. He works with precision in drawing and composition. It is his training with Fujishima Takeji in Tokyo and his immersion in Western art that guide his line and pictorial structure.

He applies pictorial matter in a measured way, with little spectacular impasto but a search for balance, finesse and elegance in presentation. He integrates Japanese cultural motifs (animals, objects, seated figures, dogs, cats) into a Parisian Western setting of the 1920s-1930s.

The life of Toshio Bando

Toshio Bando, full name Toshio Tamotsu Tokiwa Togikawa Bando, (1895 - 1972) was born in Japan on the island of Shikoku. He came from a family descended from two lines of samurai. His mother died when he was just 7.

In 1913, he moved to Tokyo and studied painting with Fujishima Takeji, a master of yo-ga (Westernized painting). He became familiar with avant-garde art magazines published in Japan, such as Shirakaba, which introduced him to Fauvism and Cubism.

In 1918, he held a group exhibition at the Bunten Salon in Tokyo, recognized for his " already highly constructed technique ". In July 1922, he moved to Paris, first to the Left Bank district, then more permanently to Montparnasse, and joined the movement known as the École de Paris.

From 1922 to 1932, his works were spotted by art critics in France, Germany, Belgium and the USA. In 1925, he obtained a contract with the Chéron gallery in Paris, which brought him commercial recognition.

After 1925, he retired to Pierrefitte-sur-Seine, then in 1931 acquired a house in Garré-Villette in the Yvelines. In 1940, he moved to rue Nicolo in the 16th arrondissement, where he remained until his death.

In 1944, he married a French pianist nicknamed Toji, and they had a daughter the same year. In December 1972, he suffered a fall that weakened him, and died in March 1973.

The life and career of this painter remain discreet among all the artists of the École de Paris, he worked for over 50 years in France and Japan, combining Japanese and European influences. His works can be found in several public collections in France and Japan.

Market segmentation and artist's rating

Oils on canvas are the artist's main medium. There are also small-format mats or panels, watercolors or drawings and other editions (silk support). The most popular formats and media are signed canvases in moderate to large formats, with identifiable subjects (animals, interiors, still lifes) in demand.

Engravings and multiple editions are in an affordable segment. The market is concentrated mainly in Paris, but works can also be found in Belgium, Israel, and on the international market for certain works.

Valuing factors are the artist's bilingual signature (name in Japanese and Latin characters), good provenance, signature subjects, state of preservation, format as well as period of execution.

Small formats, prints and secondary works achieve moderate prices. Quality signed canvases constitute a higher segment. Today, more than 700 lots have been registered at auction for Bando.

His rating is moderate but evolving : he is not yet at the level of the most highly-rated artists of the École de Paris (Chaïm Soutine, Amedeo Modigliani, Serge Mendjiski), but recent indications point to growing interest.

The fact that a work will be estimated at between €25,000 and €30,000 in 2025 suggests a still underexplored potential. The large number of lots (700 +) shows that liquidity exists but that price dispersion is strong depending on format, support, subject and condition.

His signature

Not all of Toshio Bando's works are signed, which is why if you think you own one, expertise is paramount. He signs his paintings in Japanese characters and uses his Latin name " Bando ".

Expertise your property

If you happen to own a work by or after Toshio Bando, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal by filling in our form on our website.

A member of our team of experts and chartered auctioneers will contact you promptly with an estimate of the value of your work, and will ensure that you receive ad hoc 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, taking into account the inclinations of the market and its specific features.