Cote et valeur 2024 des tableaux, dessins, peintures de Henri Rousseau

If you own a work by or based on the artist Henri Rousseau and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will be happy to advise you. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on the current market. Then, if you wish to sell your work of art, we will guide you towards the best possible means of obtaining the best possible price.

Artist's rating and value

Thanks to their serene, luminous atmosphere, Henri Rousseau's works are very popular with collectors. On the market, his various compositions are successful at auction. Some of the artist's works, for example, have fetched unprecedented sums, as demonstrated by his 1910 painting Les Flamants, which sold for €34,326,000 in 2024, whereas its estimate was between €18,307,200 and €27,460,800.

Order of value from the most basic to the most prestigious

The artist's works and style

An artist who was active in Paris during the 19th century, Henri Rousseau is one of the leading exponents of French naïve art, a movement inspired by figurative art, with no respect for perspective or proportion. His paintings are predominantly landscape scenes, representing reality fairly faithfully, using fairly soft shades.

The life of Henri Rousseau  

Henri Rousseau (1844-1910) was a French painter of naive art born in Laval.

He first studied law, then moved to Paris, where he worked at the octroi office. Controlling merchandise, he was nicknamed the Douanier Rousseau, a nickname that remained with him throughout his career.

He began painting as a self-taught artist, drawing inspiration from jungle illustrations to produce his canvases, although he doesn't travel.

An adept of naïve art, he did not necessarily respect proportions, and his canvases exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants were judged too childish. Despite the harsh reception he received, notably from Alfred Jarry, other artists of the time such as Félix Vallotton appreciated his work and encouraged him to persevere. Others, such as Derain, Matisse and Picasso, saw a real interest in his work and helped establish its legitimacy.

In 1901, he was appointed drawing and painting teacher at the Association Philotechnique.

At the end of his career, he was imprisoned for fraud. On leaving prison, he sold some paintings to Ambroise Vollard, which enabled him to buy a studio. He did not enjoy it for long, however, dying of gangrene in 1910.

Henri Rousseau's imprint on his period

Henri Rousseau made a lasting impression on the national scene during his period, but was not extremely well known during his lifetime. However, some collectors appreciate his work, and the majority of his canvases are privately owned.

His signature

Not all Henri Rousseau's works are signed.

Although there are variations, here is a first example of its signature:  

Appraising your property

If you own a work by Henri Rousseau, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal by filling in our online form. A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you to provide an estimate of the market value of your work.

If you are considering selling your work, our specialists will also guide you through the various alternatives available to obtain the best possible price, taking into account market trends and the specific features of each work.