Rating and value 2024 of Richard Parkes Bonington's marine paintings

If you own a marine painting by or after Richard Parkes Bonington, and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers can offer you their expert 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 will guide you towards the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.

Rating and artist's value Richard Parkes Bonington  

Bonington left behind a romantic body of work, much inspired by the sea. From then on, prices for his works exploded under the auctioneers' gavels. His paintings are highly prized, especially by English buyers. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €40 to €5,335,070, a very substantial range, but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to Bonington's works. In 2022, his marine painting Picardy Coast with Children - Sunrise, sold for €2,262,620. Its value is high and stable.  

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of the artist Richard Parkes Bonington   

Bonington was a painter who belonged to the Romantic movement, drawing much of his inspiration from Flemish and Venetian painters. His paintings were inspired by the sea, ships and sailors, making him one of the most eminent marine painters England has ever known.

Richard Parkes Bonington, romantic depictions of the sea

Richard Parkes Bonington (1802 - 1828) was a 19th-century English marine painter.

Despite the brevity of his career, Bonington remains a famous and highly regarded marine painter. He was born in Nottingham Bay. His father worked in several trades, and it was he who introduced him to watercolors. By the age of 11, he was showing watercolors and paintings in Liverpool. His family moved to Calais four years later, where he took painting lessons from François Louis Thomas Francia. With him, he learned watercolor landscape painting, a technique that was at odds with the academic canons of the time. He moved to Paris at 16, and met Eugène Delacroix, who was to become his friend for the rest of his life. They naturally influenced each other's work. He copied Dutch and Flemish landscapes, which were to have a major influence on his paintings.

The following year, at the age of 17, he joined Baron Gros's studio as a pupil, but quarreled with him over academic rules and left. He then lived with Paul Huet, and traveled to Normandy and the Breton coast to find inspiration, like Mathurin Janssaud. He exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1822 to great acclaim. In 1925, he was awarded a gold medal by Charles X, an award also received by John Constable.

He died of tuberculosis in 1828, aged 25. 

Marine paintings

Seascapes are a type of painting that reflects several trends and several centuries. They are generally well priced at auction. Some painters have made them their specialty, while others have preferred to produce only a few. Working on representations of the sea, but also of boats, sailors and the sky. As in the case of old religious paintings, these iconographic programs have managed to survive the passage of time and change.

Richard Parkes Bonington's imprint on his period

Richard Parkes Bonington left his mark on 19th-century art through the dazzling success of his works, despite the brevity of his career. He influenced many painters after him, notably Eugène Isabey, the official painter of the French navy.

Today, his works are still highly prized on the auction market. Although some of his work is exhibited in London, private collectors play an important role in preserving his work.

Recognizing the artist's signature

Not all works by Richard Parkes Bonington are signed. They may be at the bottom of the painting, but if you think you own one, it's best to have it appraised to be sure of its originality.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by or after Bonington, 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 with an estimate of the market value of your work, and will also provide you with all the relevant information. 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.