Rating and value of works, paintings, drawings by Maurice Denis

If you own a work by or after Maurice Denis, 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 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 Maurice Denis    

The artist Maurice Denis leaves behind a unique body of work, composed mainly of paintings stemming from the influence of the Nabis. Now, prices for his works are rising under auctioneers' gavels.

His paintings are highly prized, especially by French and American buyers. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges between €5 and €1,951,840, a very substantial gap but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to Maurice Denis's works.

In 2015, a painting entitled La Cuisinière sold for €1,951,849 while it was estimated at between €443,600 and €709,760.

Order of value ranging from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of artist Maurice Denis   

Maurice Denis's style is characterized by a resolutely poetic and spiritual approach to painting, making a lasting mark on Symbolist and Post-Impressionist art.

His visual language, immediately recognizable, favors the simplification of forms and colors to achieve a serene harmony that magnifies everyday life.

Through flat colors and fluid lines, he captures the essence of life's scenes, revealing a world imbued with gentleness and calm.

His works seem to unfold an inner light, a mystical breath that invites the viewer to plunge into silent contemplation.

This search for a simple, sacred beauty is also reflected in his technique, where the flat surface becomes a space for meditation.

Today, Denis's creations continue to captivate art lovers, offering a timeless, soothing depth.

Museums and private collections treasure his canvases and frescoes, witnesses to an era when spirituality found a modern language in painting.

Maurice Denis doesn't simply seek to depict subjects; he infuses an emotional dimension that transcends the image, creating an intimate and lasting connection with the viewer.

In this, his artistic legacy stands as an invitation to rediscover the power of a purified and sensitive vision, a tribute to the sensibility of the Nabis.

The life of Maurice Denis    

Maurice Denis (1870-1943) was a French Nabi painter. His life extended far beyond his creations, marking art history with a deeply spiritual and poetic vision.

A visionary artist and theorist, Denis embodied the soul of the Nabi movement, gathering around him young painters eager to reinvent painting by freeing themselves from the constraints of realism.

His unique style is distinguished by a resolutely symbolist and decorative approach, where each canvas becomes a space of introspection, imbued with mythology, nature and religiosity.

Through simplified forms and vibrant colors, Denis composes works that go beyond simple representation to reach an almost mystical dimension.

His creations, imbued with harmony and gentleness, reveal his desire to bring the spiritual into dialogue with the everyday, as a reflection of his personal quest for the absolute. He works alongside such outstanding figures as Paul Sérusier, Ker-Xavier Roussel and Édouard Vuillard, contributing with them to redefining the boundaries of the art of his time.

As a theorist, Denis also leaves an indelible mark. His famous phrase, "Remember that a painting, before being a warhorse, a naked woman or some anecdote, is essentially a flat surface covered with colors in a certain order assembled", resonates as a manifesto of modernity, asserting the autonomy of painting.

His writings profoundly influenced the generations of artists who followed him, encouraging an introspective, symbolic approach to creation.

Today, the works of Maurice Denis continue to enchant art lovers and collectors the world over, and many museums devote dedicated spaces to him, bearing witness to the lasting imprint he left.

Through his art, Denis doesn't just illustrate; he transcends appearances to invite deeper contemplation, a true communion with the sacred.

In this respect, his legacy is much more than an artistic contribution: it embodies a quest for meaning that still inspires those who see art as a path to spiritual fulfillment.

Focus on Saint Bernand preaching on the Virgin, Maurice Denis

This work by Maurice Denis plunges us into the heart of intense spirituality, where devotion becomes almost palpable. In an atmosphere of mystical serenity, a religious man stands before the Virgin, face bowed and hands open in a gesture of fervent prayer.

The Virgin, haloed in light and crowned, stands out gently, holding the Child in her arms.

The composition, of deliberate simplicity, plays on subtle contrasts between the earthy hues of the walls and the luminous glow emanating from the divine figure, like a radiance from another world.

Denis, true to his style, opts for soft lines and pared-down forms, reducing detail to better capture the essential. Here, it's not so much the architecture of the background that's important, but the atmosphere of recollection that emanates from this silent encounter.

Arches and columns suggest a sacred place, but remain deliberately sketchy, leaving plenty of room for the intensity of the exchange between the religious and the apparition.

In this uncluttered setting, every element is charged with symbolism, every gesture and look reinforcing the scene's sacred aura.

The omnipresent light becomes a character in its own right. It envelops the Virgin in a soft, almost ethereal clarity, creating a strong contrast with the religious figure plunged into shadow.

It is this opposition between divine radiance and earthly penumbra that magnifies the moment, like a silent invitation to enter this space of grace. For Denis, this light transcends mere aesthetics: it symbolizes the link between the human and the divine, a luminous bridge to the beyond.

Maurice Denis delivers here much more than a religious scene; he captures a universal emotion, a moment of intense faith. Through his simplified approach and his refusal of pure realism, he invites us to feel the very essence of devotion.

The artist, faithful to the principles of the Nabis, moves away from simple representation to touch the invisible, the spiritual, the unspeakable. This painting then becomes a space for meditation, where beauty becomes prayer, where art becomes a path to the sacred.

Denis reminds us that painting can be a silent communion, a place where emotion is revealed in all its depth.

Maurice Denis and the Nabis - At the roots of modern art

Maurice Denis's imprint on his period

Maurice Denis's imprint within the Nabi movement stands out as a founding pillar, infusing this artistic avant-garde with a vision where the sacred and the everyday intertwine in harmony.

An emblematic figure of the group, Denis helped anchor a symbolist and spiritual aesthetic, inspiring his contemporaries to see painting as an inner quest as much as an act of creation.

His approach is distinguished by a particular sensitivity to color and composition, where each work becomes a place of contemplation and meditation.

Alongside Paul Sérusier, Édouard Vuillard and Pierre Bonnard, he forged a new artistic identity, based on the liberation of form and the celebration of the flat surface.

Through his theories and writings, Denis illuminates the stylistic vein of the Nabi movement, affirming the importance of a painting that transcends mere imitation to become a personal, almost mystical expression.

Today, his influence still resonates, reminding us of the boldness of an artist who knew how to give the Nabis their own language, a visual language nourished by symbolism, spirituality and a profound respect for the creative act.

Recognizing the artist's signature

Not all of Maurice Denis's works are signed. They may be at the bottom of the painting, but if you think you own one, it's best to have it appraised to be sure of its originality.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by or after Lhermitte, 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 to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your work, as well as ad hoc information about it.

If you wish to sell your work, 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 market inclinations.