Rating and value of works, drawings, paintings by Édouard Detaille

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

Rating and value of the artist Édouard Detaille      

The artist Édouard Detaille left behind a body of work characteristic of academic painting, famous for his canvases and drawings. Prices for his works are now rising under the auctioneer's hammer. His paintings are particularly prized, especially by French buyers. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €20 to €147,300, a considerable difference, but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to Detaille's works. In 2022, Le Portrait de John Chard, an oil on canvas depicting a soldier sold for €31,000, against an estimate of €1,100 to €2,100.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of the artist Édouard Detaille   

Édouard Detaille was a 19th-century painter of academic figuratism. He is particularly famous for his paintings of military art, which depict war scenes as well as the daily lives of soldiers in peacetime. He produced engravings, drawings and oils on canvas.

The life of Édouard Detaille

Édouard Detaille (1848-1912) was a French painter born in Paris.

His father was close to Horace Vernet, who encouraged him to become a painter. He grew up surrounded by artists and high-ranking military officers. At the Lycée Bonaparte, his talent for drawing was noticed. He applied for a place in Alexandre Cabanel's studio, but was later trained by Meissonier. He painted his first military canvases in the south of France, which would prove to be the key to his success. Mathilde Bonaparte bought his work for a substantial sum. He became a recognized specialist in military and historical paintings.

Like Alphonse de Neuville, and sometimes with him, he worked on depictions of the Franco-Prussian war. He has been described as a painter of revenge, in the same way that Neuville described the glory of the French military in defeat. Detaille says he "loves his country better than anyone" but "does not want to reduce his art to mere patriotic art".

In collaboration with Alphonse de Neuville, he produces oil on canvas panoramas of the Battle of Champigny and the Battle of Rezonville.

Some of his works were censored for diplomatic reasons, as the French government feared complaints from the German government.

He traveled with the French army as a second lieutenant and represented the Prince of Wales's English troops, as well as soldiers close to Tsar Nicholas II, with whom he became friends.

Detaille's imprint on his era

Detaille painted military scenes throughout his career, and his works are now preserved in numerous museums and art collections around the world. He leaves behind an important legacy as a military painter.

Today, private collectors play a major role in preserving his work.

Recognizing the artist's signature

Not all the painter's works are signed. However, with or without a mention, it is important for you to have the work appraised to ensure its originality and to be able to date it. Of course, there are also copies.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by or after Édouard Detaille, 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.