Agathon Léonard porcelain cookie 2024 rating and value

If you own a work of art by or after Agathon Léonard, 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. Then, if you wish to sell your work, we'll guide you towards the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.

Rating and artist value Agathon Léonard

The artist Agathon Léonard left in his wake a very singular body of work, part of the Art Nouveau movement. A talented sculptor, he worked for the renowned Sèvres factory. There, he created porcelain cookies that were particularly prized at auction. Prices for his works are now skyrocketing under auctioneers' gavels. They are particularly prized by French and European buyers. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €900 to €78,530, a considerable delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to Agathon Léonard's cookies. In 2016, a group of porcelain cookies entitled Jeu de l'écharpe, dating from 1903, sold for €78,530, whereas its estimate was between €39,270 and €50,490.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of the artist Agathon Léonard

Agathon Léonard succeeded in reviving the Renaissance mastery of bronze while working with other materials such as porcelain, marble and ivory. His work is part of the Art Nouveau style, and the influence of his Belgian origins and the art of the North is generally very visible in his work. The artist showed great attention to detail, often using the iconography of the dancer and mastering the draping technique in sculpture. He produced numerous porcelain cookies, notably for the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres.

Agathon Léonard, his life, his work

Agathon Léonard (1841-1923), a naturalized Belgian artist, became an important figure in the art world of the 19th century. Born in France, he studied first at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Lille, then in Paris. Like many artists of the time, the Salons were a springboard to public recognition. After the 1868 Salon, he moved permanently to the capital to be closer to the art world. Recognized by his peers, he joined the Société des artistes Français in 1887 and the Société Nationale des Beaux-arts in 1897. His oeuvre is vast and varied. The artist worked for the Manufacture de Sèvres, founded by Louis XV. He also sculpted quartz, various stones and ivory. Thanks to his participation in numerous Salons and his membership of two artistic societies, Agathon Léonard became a recognized artist in the art world, and was in demand, not least thanks to the Sèvres factory. He took part in the 1900 Universal Exhibition, where he presented one of his most famous works: Jeu de l'Écharpe, made in Sèvres porcelain. Like many bronziers, he also worked on reliefs, including the widely-known Sainte Cécile.
He died in Paris in 1923, aged 82.

Collaboration with Manufacture de Sèvres

Very early in his career, Agathon Léonard worked and collaborated with the Manufacture de Sèvres, for whom he produced porcelain cookies. A commission from the factory in 1898 provided him with the main iconography of his work: the dancer. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, Sèvres wanted to change its artistic direction to meet the more contemporary demands of its customers. Assisted by Alexandre Sandier, Agathon Léonard created cookies inspired by Tangaras and ancient Greece, with a strong emphasis on movement.

Agathon Léonard's imprint on his period

Some of Agathon Léonard's works can be seen in various French cities, but relatively few: most of his work is in private collections. He was successively named Rosati d'honneur and Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur for his work, and leaves a considerable legacy in the history of art and sculpture in the early 20th century.

Recognizing the artist's signature

Not all of Agathon Léonard's works are signed. That's why, if you think you own a work by or after the artist, it's essential to have it appraised by an expert who can authenticate it.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by or after Agathon Léonard, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using the 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 of art, our specialists will also be on hand to offer you alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market trends.