Rating and value of World War II and Holocaust paintings

If you own a World War II painting, 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 the 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 World War II paintings     

World War II paintings are sought after by collectors. The price at which they sell on the art and auction market ranges from €55 to €36,448,000, 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. Max Beckmann's oil on canvas Holle der Vögel, for example, fetched €36,448,000.

Order of value 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 Second 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 is 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 produced using the oil-on-canvas technique. 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 notably as in the First Empire paintings representing battle scenes and History paintings in the academic sense. Works associated with the Second World War were more likely to depict the historical consequences of the conflict.

Artists took advantage of the new artistic currents emerging at the beginning of the 20th century, and ceased to conform to the material and stylistic constraints of the Académie. All currents were put to good use. Some, such as Academism, Impressionism and the paintings of the Nabis, had fallen into disuse by the time the Second World War came around. Expressionism, particularly German Expressionism, and Figuratism now dominate the scene.

Representing the Second World War and the Holocaust

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

During and after the Second World War, art reflected the pain and horror of six years of conflict and deportation in Europe. It was a need and a necessity for artists and audiences alike. Expressionism, emerging before the First World War, was the driving force behind this category of paintings. Two Expressionist groups existed in Germany: Die Brücke (the Bridge), whose members included Ernest Ludwig Kirchner. The other group, Die Blau Reiter (the Blue Rider), included Kandinsky, Franz Marc and Auguste Macke, among others. These two groups were to exert a major influence on the works produced during the Second World War. 

Many artists, such as Zoran Music, lived through the concentration camps and used art to externalize their emotions and leave an artistic trace of the Holocaust. The result is striking, like the works of Primo Levi or Jeorge Semprun. Today, his works have become true historical witnesses, as important as the manuscripts recovered from this period and later literature.

Other artists lived through these tragic events vicariously. This was the case for Maurice Mendjisky, who lost part of his family and saw the Polish ghettos with his own eyes. Like Marguerite Duras in La douleur, he externalizes his suffering in his work.

Younger artists, such as Georg Baselitz, also depicted the consequences of this war in their own way. For his part, he expressed above all through his works life within his fractured country.

The signing of paintings

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

Know the definite value of your painting

If you happen to own a painting from this period, whatever the 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.