Value and quotation of works, paintings by Henri Pontoy

If you own a work by or after the artist Henri Pontoy, 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.

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Rating and value of the artist Henri Pontoy

Considered one of the protagonists of Orientalism in the 20th century, Henri Pontoy leaves behind a unique artistic repertoire imbued with the colonialist artistic spirit.

This legacy consists of paintings that are predominantly oils on canvas. At present, the prices of his works are flying off the auctioneers' hammers.

His paintings and other works are particularly prized, especially by French and Moroccan buyers, and the price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €20 to €120,000, a considerable delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to Henri Pontoy's works.

In 2020, a polychrome composition depicting Fez dating from 1937 sold for 70,000€.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of artist Henri Pontoy

Henri Pontoy is part of the Orientalist movement, very much in vogue in the 20th century, which consists of depicting oriental scenes from various countries, particularly those of North Africa. His colors are warm, and he emphasizes the representation of light.

He worked both in Arab countries ; notably Morocco and Algeria, but also in black Africa, in Guinea and Cameroon, with Jacques Majorelle. Stylistically, he is close to other orientalists such as Émile Deckers.

The life of Henri Pontoy, from Paris to Black Africa

Henri Pontoy (1888-1968) is an important figure in twentieth-century French art. Trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, his teacher was Luc-Olivier Merson, a renowned artist of the time.

At the beginning of his career, Pontoy devoted himself mainly to etching, a technique he quickly mastered, and which enabled him to be exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français.

However, it was with painting that he would truly make a name for himself, thanks in particular to his works shown at the Salon d'Automne, an unmissable event for artists of his time.

One of the highlights of his career was when he won a grant from the Société Coloniale des Artistes Français, enabling him to travel to North Africa.

Fascinated by these new horizons, he resided in Morocco and Algeria, where he received several awards for his work. During this period, he meets Jacques Majorelle, famous for his paintings depicting landscapes and scenes of Moroccan life.

The two artists struck up a friendship and traveled together across North Africa, soaking up the atmosphere, colors and light so characteristic of these regions.

After the Second World War, still in search of inspiration, Pontoy left for Black Africa with Majorelle. They traveled through Guinea and Cameroon, discovering new landscapes and fascinating cultures that influenced their work.

This journey greatly enriched Pontoy's work, enabling him to explore new color palettes and capture scenes of African life with a unique sensibility.

Henri Pontoy, throughout his career, has been a true adventurer of art. From his early days in Paris to his African expeditions, he has captured in his work the beauty and essence of the places he has traversed, leaving behind an artistic legacy rich in diversity and emotion.

Focus on Souk in Morocco, Henri Pontoy

Henri Pontoy, an iconic 20th-century artist, sensitively captured scenes of everyday life through his unique style, strongly influenced by his travels in North Africa.

This painting is a vibrant depiction of a local market, probably in Algeria or Morocco, the places from which the artist drew much of his inspiration.

The touches of vivid color and the movement of the brushstrokes evoke a lively atmosphere, rich in human interaction. Light seems to filter through hanging fabrics, lending a warm, welcoming ambience to the scene.

The human figures, though deliberately blurred and sketched, evoke silhouettes dressed in colorful djellabas, a vision true to the essence of traditional markets in these regions.

Pontoy, influenced by his classical training and travels, here uses a striking contrast of light and dark tones to emphasize the interplay of light and shadow, and suggest an intense heat, typical of the Mediterranean climate.

The composition seems to capture an ephemeral moment of everyday life, imbued with simple beauty, where the viewer is invited to feel the energy and dynamism of this market scene.

This painting perfectly illustrates Pontoy's ability to pay homage to North African culture while incorporating impressionist techniques, making his works timeless testaments to his travels and love for these lands.

Pontoy and Orientalism

Henri Pontoy follows in the footsteps of the great Orientalist painters of the early 20th century, a fascinating artistic movement that emerged in the 19th century under the influence of European colonization and expansion in North Africa and the Middle East.

Inspired by his travels to Morocco, Algeria, and later Black Africa, Pontoy was captivated by the visual richness and cultural diversity of the regions he traversed.

Like Jacques Majorelle, with whom he shared many of his travels, Pontoy developed an aesthetic eye for the Orient, nourished by a fascination for desert landscapes, bustling souks, traditional dress, and the brilliant light that bathes these territories.

His work, though marked by an impressionist approach and a mastery of the interplay of light and color, avoids falling into the clichés of the genre.

Contrary to some Orientalists who depicted the Orient as a frozen, mysterious and exotic world, Pontoy manages to capture the vitality and everydayness of the scenes he paints.

His paintings are not just a fantastical projection of the Orient, but a sincere tribute to the local people and their environments. In this, he stands out among the Orientalists of his time, managing to balance aesthetic admiration with lived reality.

Focus on a street scene by Pontoy

In this painting by Henri Pontoy, the artist once again transports us to the heart of everyday life in a North African town, probably a Moroccan or Algerian village, bathed in soft morning light.

The composition centers on an imposing tree, an almost protective figure under which men, seated in a relaxed posture, seem to be chatting in the shade, a moment of calm in contrast to the activity going on further away.

In the background, colorful silhouettes cross a street lined with earth-toned houses, their gait evoking the peaceful nonchalance characteristic of these places.

The verticality of the tree, which dominates the scene, leads the eye to the minaret rising in the distance, a subtle reminder of the omnipresence of Islamic culture in these landscapes.

Pontoy's palette is, once again, vibrant, blending deep greens with the browns and ochres of the buildings and land, and punctuated by the colorful flashes of the characters' clothing, which provide a striking visual contrast.

This painting perfectly embodies Pontoy's fascination with street scenes, where human interaction and architecture merge in pictorial harmony.

The swift, fluid brushstrokes lend the work a dynamism that suggests life in motion, while capturing a moment of serenity, almost contemplative.

The artist, true to his Orientalist approach, reveals here an authentic scene, far from any idealization, where beauty lies in the simplicity of moments shared under the benevolent shade of an ancestral tree.

Pontoy's imprint on his period

Henri Pontoy is one of the last artists representing the Orientalist movement. He collaborated with Jacques Majorelle, who needs no introduction.

He worked enormously on color tones and light. Today, his works have a stable value on the auction market, and he is part of an artistic movement that is still much sought-after by collectors, and which is particularly highly rated today. 

Recognizing Pontoy's signature

Henri Pontoy's paintings are often signed in the lower left-hand corner of the canvas. He signs " Pontoy " often in a dark tone.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by or after Henri Pontoy, don't hesitate to request a free valuation 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 work, not forgetting to pass on ad hoc information about it.

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