Rating and value of works, sculptures and drawings by Germaine Richier

If you own a work by or after the artist Germaine Richier, 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 an accurate 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 the artist Germaine Richier  

Germaine Richier is an important artist of 20th century sculpture. She is one of those artists who cannot be pigeonholed, constantly exploring new horizons and techniques.

At present, the prices of her works are soaring exponentially at the auctioneers' gavels.

Her bronzes are particularly prized, and the price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €1,350 to €5,271,750, a considerable delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to the works of Germaine Richier.

In 2017, the bronze La Tauromachie, dating from 1953 sold for €2,600,000, while it was estimated at between €800,000 and €1,200,000.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of artist Germaine Richier

Germaine Richier, renowned for her sculptures at the crossroads of expressionism and realism, favors bronze as her main material.

Her work with bronze enables her to create human and animal figures that are both powerful and vulnerable, often marked by deformations that evoke the inner struggle and fragility of existence.

While she also creates a few sculptures in marble, she does so sparingly, preferring the suppleness and density of bronze to express the full emotional power of her subjects.

Her work, long neglected, is now finding new resonance thanks to art institutions striving to bring her unique legacy to light.

Despite the shadow of other sculptors, her work is now widely appreciated for its ability to transcend the limits of classical representation.

 The art market continues to recognize the value and originality of his sculptures, in which precise technical mastery is combined with a profound exploration of the human condition.

Germaine Richier or the artist freed from the shadow of the masters

Germaine Richier (1902-1959) was a renowned French sculptor, born in Grans, Bouches-du-Rhône. Known for her unique talent and contribution to twentieth-century sculptural art, she made her mark in a world still dominated by male figures.

Richier studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Montpellier before joining the studio of Antoine Bourdelle, with whom she perfected her skills.

Although her work was influenced by her master, she quickly freed herself to develop a deeply personal style.

She is known for her bronze sculptures, where human and animal merge in distorted, expressive and often disturbing forms.

Richier, unlike some of her contemporaries, has never remained in the shadow of her influences, even if her art has been slow to gain full recognition. Like Camille Claudel facing Rodin, his work has sometimes been relegated to the background, overshadowed by the giants of sculpture.

However, her innovative style, characterized by angular, organic forms, helped redefine modern sculpture.

Despite the obstacles encountered as a female artist, Germaine Richier was able to impose her vision on the art world. If recognition was not immediate, her work is celebrated today for its singularity and depth.

She succeeded in imposing her own voice, far removed from convention, offering an intense reflection on the fragility of the human, which still finds great resonance today.

Visit the Germaine Richier exhibition at Pompidou

Germaine Richier's imprint on her era 

Germaine Richier profoundly marked her era with the singular contribution she offered to twentieth-century sculpture, although her recognition only reached its peak after her death.

His works, characterized by an organic style blending figuration and abstraction, influenced many contemporary artists and changed the perception of modern sculpture.

Today, Germaine Richier's value on the art market is constantly on the rise, reflecting growing recognition of her creative genius thanks to her unique temperament.

Germaine Richier succeeds in abundantly mixing references to the human body, the plant world while revisiting iconographies traditionally associated with men and women.

In 1956, she was the first artist to be exhibited at the Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris, for the field of sculpture. Her work recently returned to the spotlight thanks to a retrospective at the Centre Pompidou, which highlighted this exceptional artist.

Her sculptures, long underestimated, are now fetching record prices at auction. Works such as Le Griffu or La Mante regularly sell for impressive sums, illustrating the growing interest of collectors and museums in his work.

The rarity of his pieces on the market, particularly his bronzes, contributes to this rise in value. The rediscovery of her work through exhibitions and in-depth studies has solidified her place among the great masters of twentieth-century sculpture.

In the final analysis, Germaine Richier, once marginalized, is today considered a key figure in modern art, and her works have become prized gems on the contemporary market.

Focus on the gilded bronze Chauve-souris by Germaine Richier

The sculpture La Chauve-Souris by Germaine Richier stands as an emblematic work of her unique artistic vision, where humanity and animality mingle in a striking dance.

At first glance, this captivating piece seems frozen in a moment of suspension, oscillating between light and shadow.

Richier manages to capture the very essence of metamorphosis. The figure, half-human, half-animal, emerges from a raw, rich texture, while its outstretched wings, though jagged, evoke a certain majesty.

This duality creates a palpable tension, as if the creature were both ready to take flight and trapped within its own body.

True to his style, Richier plays with organic forms, avoiding an overly realistic representation. The lines, both delicate and powerful, sculpt a silhouette that transcends the simple animal to become a symbol of fragility and strength.

Every detail, every asperity, contributes to a complex visual narrative, prompting the observer to question the very nature of existence.

The material, in this case gilded bronze, enriches the sculpture with a particular depth. The shine of the metal catches the light, revealing golden nuances that mingle with the shadows, creating an intriguing play of reflections.

Richier, with skill, uses this material to suggest an inner world, a spiritual essence that transcends the tangible.

The surface, both irregular and textured, invites contemplation. It embodies the struggle of being in the face of the invisible forces that surround it, as if every hollow and every relief bore witness to a lived history.

The gaze loses itself in the smallest details, discovering a poetry hidden in this apparent simplicity.

The face, barely sketched, hints at a complex, yet mysterious interiority. Rather than giving an obvious expression, Richier chooses an abstraction that allows each viewer to project their own emotions and reflections.

This approach lends La Chauve-Souris a touching universality, inviting everyone to explore their own inner world.

Thus, this work perfectly embodies Germaine Richier's approach, which, far from excess, achieves a rare depth by focusing on the essence of life and emotion.

La Chauve-Souris then becomes a timeless reflection on the human condition, where the union of movement and immobility, lightness and weight, is transformed into a true masterpiece.

Recognizing Germaine Richier's signature

The artist often signs " G. Richier " on the base of her sculptures. Copies may exist, which is why expertise remains important.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by or after Germaine Richier, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using 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 market value of your work, as well as ad hoc information about it.

If you are considering selling 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 the inclinations of the market.