Rating and value of paintings by Giuseppe de Nittis

If you own a work by or after Giuseppe de Nittis, 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 Giuseppe de Nittis  

Giuseppe de Nittis leaves behind a very singular body of work, in the neoclassical movement. Prices for his works are now rising under the auctioneer's hammer. His paintings are particularly sought-after, especially by French and Italian buyers.

The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €20 to €768,900, a substantial range but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to the works of Giuseppe de Nittis.

His oil on canvas Une marche le long des Champs-Élysées sold for €768,900, whereas it was estimated at €133,700 to €200,000.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of Giuseppe de Nittis

Giuseppe de Nittis was an Italian painter of the 19th century, and a major figure of European modernism. He occupies an intermediate position between Realism, the Italian Macchiaoli and French Impressionism, without however fully adhering to them.

His work focuses on the representation of modern life. He first trained in southern Italy, before settling permanently in Paris and joining international artistic circles.

He produced modern urban views of Paris (boulevards, squares, racecourses) and London (bridges, parks, fog). His social scenes are elegant, with strollers and horse races.

He also depicts seaside landscapes and the Italian countryside. His work shows a central interest in the Haussamanian city, crowds, traffic and contemporary leisure.

Modernity is approached with him as a visual and social fact, and not as radical experimentation. His compositions are open and often asymmetrical. The viewpoints are plunging or slightly off-center, with a notable inlfuence of photography and Japanese prints in the framing.

His perspective is controlled but softened, with spaces constructed to suggest movement and depth. He uses circulation axes as structuring lines. His chromatic palette is clear and refined, with colored grays and cool blues. He rejects violent contrasts and favors tonal harmony.

The life of Giusseppe de Nittis

Giuseppe de Nittis (1846-1884) was born in Barletta, in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (southern Italy), into a modest social background far removed from the major Italian artistic centers.

He entered the Naples Institute of Fine Arts, but soon found his academic training too restrictive. He was expelled from the institution because of his independence and refusal of strict academic standards.

He became close to the Macchiaioli movement, an Italian movement that advocated direct observation of reality, plein-air painting and the study of light effects. His first works were devoted to landscapes and rural scenes in southern Italy.

He moved to Paris in 1867 and quickly became integrated into artistic and social circles. Paris became the center of his career and of the distribution of his works. He exhibited regularly at the Salon from 1869, and achieved rapid critical and commercial success, being appreciated for his modern, elegant scenes.

He took part in the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874, and maintained close links with Degas, Manet, Vuillard, Bonnard and Caillebotte, while still refusing to fully identify with the Impressionist group.

He married Léontine Gruvelle, a cultivated, worldly woman. Their salon became a meeting place for artists, writers and critics. He led an intense social life, in keeping with his pictorial subjects.

He continued to travel to Italy and England, London playing an important role in his work, particularly for its misty atmospheres. His health was fragile, and he died prematurely in Paris in 1884, at the age of 38, of a stroke.

His works are today held in numerous international public collections, including the Musée d'Orsay and other Italian museums. He is recognized as a central figure of 19th-century pictorial modernity.

Market segmentation and artist's rating

The market for works by Giuseppe de Nittis is international, solid and hierarchical, pertaining to 19th-century modernist painting. The artist is at a high level, close to the major Impressionists without depending directly on them.

Supply is limited due to the artist's short career. Oils on canvas are the most valued central segment, while works on panel or cardboard are rarer and form part of a secondary but sought-after market.

Pastels and drawings constitute a specific segment with documentary and decorative interest. As far as subjects are concerned, modern urban views (Paris, London) constitute the premium segment of the market, with boulevards, crowd scenes and climatic atmospheres.

Italian landscapes and seascapes belong to a slightly lower but active segment. The mature Parisian period (1870 - 1880) is at the top of the market. Early Italian works have a lower valuation but are historically important.

Medium to large formats (60 - 120 cm) are the most sought-after. The determining criteria for valuation are the subject clearly identified as modern, atmospheric and chromatic quality, state of preservation , signature and dating as well as provenance and exhibition history.

The market is stable, supported by the rarity of the works, museum recognition and the continuing appeal of paintings of modern life.

Recognizing Giuseppe de Nittis's signature  

Giuseppe de Nittis's works are usually signed. However, with or without a mention, it is important for you to have the work appraised to ensure its originality and to be able to date it. What's more, there are many copies of course.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by or after Giuseppe de Nittis, 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 any relevant information about it.

If you wish to sell your work, our specialists will also be on hand to offer you alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market inclinations.