The value of works, paintings by Olivier Merson

If you own a work by or after Luc Olivier Merson, 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 current market value. Thereafter, if 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 Luc Olivier Merson

The artist L.O. Merson leaves behind a classical oeuvre, a blend of neoclassicism and romanticism. He studied art at a drawing school and then at the Beaux-Arts Academy in Paris. From then on, prices for his works rose under the auctioneers' gavels. His paintings are highly prized, especially by French buyers. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €20 to €25,000, a significant gap but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to Merson's works. In 2019, a dark-toned canvas dating from 1880 sold for €40 000 while it was estimated at between €25,000 and €35,000.

Estimation ranging from the simplest to the most prestigious work

Style and technique of artist Luc Olivier Merson 

Merson succeeds in blending two currents, namely neoclassicism and romanticism. It's not a committed romanticism like Delacroix's; his is more like Chateaubriand's. There are definite influences in his work from Ingres and Raphael.

The life of L.O. Merson 

Nicolas Luc Olivier Merson (1846-1920), a French artist, is an artist who appeals to the most neoclassical among us. Born in Paris, he was immersed in the art world from an early age, as his father was himself an art critic. He began his training at a drawing school in Paris, then naturally entered the Académie des Beaux-Arts, where he acquired his technique. Throughout his career, he remained within the academic canon, choosing to work at the top of the theory of pictorial genres. He exhibited at the 1866 Paris Salon, then at the 1889 Universal Exhibition. His painting The Soldier of Marathon wins him the prestigious Prix de Rome. He paints exclusively history and religious pictures. He keeps the same subjects overall, and his best-selling oil on canvas, Le Repos pendant la fuite en Égypte, is a religious subject. On this point, he joins Caravaggio's influence on the iconographic theme and choice of subjects. He also drew inspiration from the treatment of light and the famous chiaroscuro. At the end of his career, he was awarded the medal of honor by the Salon des artistes français.

Merson's imprint on his period

Luc Olivier Merson marked his time with his late neoclassicism. He was one of the last to remain within the academic canon of history painting. However, unlike his predecessors, he produced more drawings than oils on canvas. He worked with a variety of tools: etching, ink and pencil, for example. He ended up teaching at the Ecole Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, and was thus able to pass on to other student-artists the technique he had acquired, a curious blend of Leonardo, David and Caravaggio.

Recognizing the artist's signature

Merson's works are generally not signed on canvas or paper. There may be an inscription on the back or on the frame, but if you think you own one, it's best to have it appraised to be sure of the originality of your property.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by Luc Olivier Merson 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 wish to sell your work, 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.