Rating and value of sculptures, animal bronzes by José Maria David

If you own a work of art by or after José Maria David, 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, if you'd like to sell your work, we'll direct you to the best possible arrangement to get the best price for it.

Rating and value of José Maria David's works           

José Maria David mainly produced animal sculptures. Now, prices for his creations can rise considerably under the auctioneer's hammer. His sculptures are particularly prized, by buyers from all over the world.

The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €100 to €252,000, at the moment, a consequent gap but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to the works of José Maria David, whose output is quite abundant.

In 2010, his bronze sculpture Léopard bondissant sold for €252,000, originally estimated at between €80,000 and €100,000.

The upside potential for José Maria David's works on the auction market is therefore quite significant. Sculpture, particularly in bronze, has been very successful of late, setting auction records.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of artist José Maria David

José Maria David (b. 1944) is a contemporary French animal sculptor. His style is based on expressive figuration, combining naturalistic observation and dynamic stylization. He seeks a balance between anatomical exactitude and emotional vitality: the animal is never frozen, but always in tension or suggested movement.

Preferred subjects are felines, horses, bulls, bears and large, emblematic mammals. The importance of movement is central, with slow walks, leaps, oppositions and muscular surges.

The silhouettes are robust, the volumes compact, and the dorsal lines powerful. He represents the animal as a vital force rather than a mere zoological subject. Anatomy is correctly observed but simplified to reinforce visual impact.

Musculature is strongly marked, sometimes exaggerated to accentuate internal energy. The effect of tension is dynamic, with contracted shoulders, advanced legs and taut head. There are no superfluous details; the artist favors formal economy in the service of a strong presence.

He makes almost systematic use of bronze, a material suited to dynamic monumentality, and makes his preparations by modeling in clay or wax, favoring an energetic, vibrant surface.

He then makes his bronze castings using the lost-wax technique, ensuring precision and strength of the volumes. The patinas are varied, often brown, brown-red or brown-green, with nuanced effects giving a lively appearance.

He shows a sense of drama and the decisive moment, his animals are depicted in a moment of internal tension or momentum. Power is contained, energy mastered. He combines a poetic vision with muscular sculpture, close to some 20th-century animal research but with a more expressive surface treatment.

He is heir to the French tradition of animal sculpture (Barye, Pompon, Cain) but with a rawer, more textured language. His style is characterized by vigorous modeling and continuous formal tension.

The career of José Maria David

Born in 1944 in western France, in a rural environment marked by the presence of animals, which had a lasting influence on his artistic sensibility. His training was self-taught; he did not follow the academic curriculum of the Beaux-Arts, and very early on developed a practice of drawing and modeling from nature.

He did an empirical apprenticeship in working with clay and wax, before turning to bronze casting. He presented his first works in the 1970s, a period during which he affirmed his vocation as an animal sculptor.

He was introduced to the lost-wax technique by foundrymen with whom he collaborated on a long-term basis, and exhibited his first sculptures at regional fairs, where they attracted attention for their energy and expressive power.

In the 1980s, he asserted a personal style based on movement, muscular tension and restrained power. He collaborated with galleries specializing in wildlife art, which gave him national exposure.

 He developed an increasingly textured modelling, where tool, hand or finger marks became a stylistic element. There is a progressive accentuation of plastic power, with more compact volumes, increasingly taut silhouettes and more nervous surfaces.

He is today considered one of the most stylistically identifiable contemporary French animal sculptors. His work can be found in private collections in Europe and North America.

Market segmentation and artist rating

The main segment concerns limited edition bronzes, which are at the heart of the market and have established themselves as the main source of value. Plaster casts and terres d'atelier are very rare on the market, and constitute a study segment.

Monumental bronzes are part of an institutional market or large private commissions, with very low circulation. Small formats (20 - 30cm) belong to the entry-level segment, with good accessibility.

Medium formats (35 - 60 cm) belong to the main segment, the most sought-after for its balance between expressive strength and legibility. Large formats (> 60 cm) are present in limited volumes, with strong demand and much higher prices.

Subjects in momentum, with a tense step, a leap, or in opposition are clearly more prized than static poses. Valuation criteria include artist's signature and foundry stamp, limited edition with low numbering, homogeneous and original patina (browns, red-browns, brown-greens, cloudy effects).

Also important are impeccable conservation (intact surface, absence of visible retouching), stylistic typicity (vibrant surface, nervous modeling, muscular tension) as well as provenance from galleries or collectors specializing in animal sculpture.

Geographically, France is the main basin where his works are traded, but there is also a regular presence in Belgium, the UK and North American markets for larger formats.

The market is stable, supported by a loyal clientele of contemporary animal sculpture collectors. Growth in the animal art segment is moderate, driven by increased recognition of contemporary sculptors working in bronze.

José Maria David occupies a solid place in contemporary animal sculpture, with a stabilized and recognized quotation, without excessive speculation. Medium bronzes offer the best combination of accessibility, quality and value retention.

Recognizing José Maria David's signature     

Jose Maria David's works generally bear the artist's signature, with mention of the foundry or edition.

Knowing the value of a work 

If you happen to own a José Maria David creation 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 licensed auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your piece, as well as any relevant information about it.

If you wish to sell your property, you will also be accompanied by our specialists in order to benefit from alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account the inclinations of the market.