Value and quotation of works, paintings by Carolus Duran

If you own a work by or after Carolus Duran, 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 guide you towards the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.  

Rating and value of the artist Carolus Duran  

The artist Carolus Duran leaves behind a distinctive body of work, mostly composed of portraits. He studied art in Lille and then Paris. From then on, the prices of his works rose under the auctioneers' gavels. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €110 to €357,000, a significant gap but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to Carolus Duran's works. In 2014, a portrait by Fantin-Latour sold for €139,800. The artist's value peaked in the 1990s/2000s, but his works are still sought after by collectors.  

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious 

Style and technique of artist Carolus Duran 

Carolus Duran chooses to remain within the academic canons acquired during his training with painter François Souchon. His work consists mainly of portraits, although he also depicts war scenes. He was very popular under the Third Republic, and was often described as a "worldly painter".  

Carolus Duran, a forgotten figure of the 19th century  

Carolus Duran, whose real name was Charles Auguste Émile Durant (1837-1917), was a French artist and one of the most sought-after portraitists of the 19th century.  

He began his training in Lille, in the studio of sculptor Jean-Baptiste Cadet de Beaupré. Cadet trained him in drawing. He then moved to Paris, where he learned painting and oil-on-canvas techniques from François Souchon. He met all the great painters of the time: Courbet, Fantin-Latour, Manet... He befriended them, and they naturally influenced his work and vice versa.  

He left for Rome in 1862 on an artistic residency. His work les Assassinés was bought for him by the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lille, enabling him to leave for Spain. There, he was inspired by Velasquez, which radically changed his way of painting.  

He married in 1868 and painted a portrait of his wife that would please many. Following this, he has the funds to open his studio in Montparnasse. He is a member of the jury of the Universal Exhibition for 10 years, so his talent is known and recognized.  

At the end of his career, he is appointed director of the Académie de France in Rome. He was also elected a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts and co-founded the Société Nationale des Artistes.  

He didn't take artistic risks despite his talent, and would be criticized for it: Pisaro and Zola published reviews, among others, that raised this fact.  

Carolus Duran's imprint on 19th-century art 

Carolus Duran was a very famous painter of his time, who is less well known today as he made no mark on art history. He was appreciated during his lifetime and still is today for his technique, but did not have an innovative spirit, and preferred to work on classical works that brought him more money.  

Recognizing the artist's signature  

Not all of Carolus Duran's works are signed, especially where drawings and prints are concerned. This is why an estimate is important.  

Knowing the value of a work 

If you happen to own a work by or after Carolus Duran, 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 for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market inclinations.