Rating and value of drawings and paintings by Nicolas Auguste Gallimard

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Rating and value of the artist Nicolas-Auguste Gallimard          

A religious art painter forgotten in his day, Gallimard leaves behind a unique artistic identity. This legacy consists mainly of drawings and paintings.

At present, the prices of his works are rising at auctioneers' gavels, his quotation is stable. His paintings and other works are particularly prized, especially by French buyers, and the price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €110 to €2,300, a considerable delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to Gallimard's works.

In 2020, an oil on canvas entitled Les quatre évangélistes,dating from 1849 was sold for €2,300 while it was estimated at between €800 and €1,000.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious 

Artist's style and technique

Auguste Gallimard (1814 - 1892) was part of the academic figuratism movement, most of his work inspired by religious subjects. He was influenced by the French neoclassicals. He produced mainly oils on canvas and drawings.

Trained by Paul Delaroche, he is a leading figure in academic painting. His preferred medium was oil on canvas, in line with the academic practices of the time. He occasionally used preparatory drawings in pencil or ink, sometimes enhanced with washes.

His color palette is rich but balanced, favoring harmonious contrasts and chiaroscuro effects. His technique is characterized by great drawing precision, inherited from his academic training.

He superimposes layers and glazes to achieve subtle renderings and depth effects. Detail work is meticulous, particularly on faces, drapery and architectural textures. His execution is masterful, with a constant concern for the clarity and legibility of the scene.

His compositions are often theatrical and balanced, with a staging inherited from history painting. He places great importance on the hierarchy of planes. His foreground is expressive, while his background is narrative or decorative.

The postures and gestures of the figures are studied to convey dramatic intensity or a certain gravity. His subjects include religious, mythological and historical scenes, in the tradition of 19th-century France.

His painting is marked by classical idealism, with meticulous decorations, idealized figures and an emphasis on narrative. The narrative dimension is strong, with each painting intended to be educational and moral, in line with the expectations of public commissions and official Salons.

The chiaroscuro is modulated, with a Caravaggesque inspiration in certain dramatic lighting effects. Transparent glazes are used to intensify the depth of tones and give flesh and fabrics materiality.

He works on the texture of fabrics and surfaces, seeking an illusionistic and detailed rendering, faithful to the canons of academic realism. Nicolas Auguste Gallimard thus embodies the continuity of the 19th-century French academic tradition.

His style brings him closer to contemporaries like Thomas Couture or Hippolyte Flandrin, but in a more historicist vein. His works are part of a painting intended for the official Salon and public commissions, aiming to combine formal beauty and narrative.

The life of Auguste Gallimard    

Born in Paris in 1813, Auguste Gallimard fit perfectly into the artistic canon of his century. Born into a family of artists, he first learned painting from his uncles, Nicolas-Auguste Hesse and Henri-Joseph Hesse. He then studied in Ingres' studio and with the sculptor Denis Foyatier.

In 1835, he presented his first works at the Salon des artistes français, to immediate success. At the 1855 Universal Exhibition, his painting Seduction of Leda was rejected by the jury. This gave rise to a controversy that brought him international recognition. Napoleon III offered the painting to William I of Württemberg as a diplomatic gift. From 1846 onwards, he creates the stained glass windows for the church of Saint Laurent (Saint Laurent soutenu par les anges). This work would earn him commissions for other churches, and he would continue to create stained glass windows throughout his life.

Alongside his painting career, he was also an art critic, publishing articles in various newspapers, and also directed the painting school set up for women painters in Louise Hersent, following Adelaïde Desnos.

He died in 1880 at the age of 66.

Market segmentation and artist's rating

Nicolas Auguste Gallimard (1814 - 1892) was an academic painter of the 19th century, less well known than his major contemporaries (Delaroche, Gérôme, Bouguereau). His works are present in a few public collections, but mostly in private collections.

His presence on the auction market is irregular, and he is an artist more sought after by specialized 19th-century enthusiasts than by the international market.

His history paintings and religious compositions constitute the rarest segment; they are often large format and values are moderate but can attract institutions or discerning collectors.

Portraits are a more accessible production, but may appeal to lovers of academic painting, prices are generally lower than for large narrative scenes.

Preparatory drawings remain a confidential market, but appreciated by collectors of academic works for their precision and documentary role.

For medium-format oils on canvas, estimates are generally between €1,000 and €8,000. Large academic or religious compositions can fetch €10,000 and €20,000, depending on subject and provenance. Portraits come in at around €2,000 to €5,000, and are more accessible and more frequently offered.

Drawings, meanwhile, often negotiate below €1,500, depending on format and state of preservation. The overall factors influencing the value of works are subject, provenance (if the work has passed through the official Salon, its value is enhanced), state of preservation and market trend.

He is still less highly regarded than his master, Paul Delaroche, or figures such as Jean-Léon Gérôme or Alexandre Cabanel. He is in a comparable range to secondary 19th-century artists such as Charles Landelle or Édouard Debat-Ponsan.

Gallimard's imprint on his time

Nicolas-Auguste Gallimard left an important artistic legacy, bearing witness to Belgian society and culture in the 20th century. His works are exhibited in many prestigious art collections around the world and in churches, although he is little known to the general public.

Today, his works are still successful at auction. Although some of his works are kept in museums in Europe, private collectors play a big role in preserving his work, his works are very rarely presented at auction.

Recognizing the artist's signature

Auguste Gallimard sometimes signs his works, mostly at the bottom of the painting, in a color that contrasts with the background. However, there are a few copies, which is why expertise is essential.

Knowing the value of a work 

If you happen to own a work by Auguste Gallimard or after the artist, 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 any relevant information about it.

If you're thinking of selling your work, our specialists will also help you find alternatives to sell it at the best possible price, taking into account market trends.