Rating and value of paintings by Louise Abbéma

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Rating and artist value Louise Abbéma  

Louise Abbéma is a major artist of 19th-century painting. Today, prices for her works are rising under the auctioneer's hammer.

His oils on canvas are particularly prized, especially by French buyers, and the price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €40 to €103,000, a considerable delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to the artist's works.

In 2019, an oil on canvas entitled Portrait de Renée Delmas de Pont-Jest, dating from 1875, sold for €103,000, whereas it was estimated at between €28,000 and €47,000. Its value is on the rise.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of the artist Louise Abbéma

Louise Abbéma's technical subtlety is rarely overlooked, often overshadowed by her role as a socialite portraitist and figure of the Belle Époque.

Yet his style reflects a delicate mastery of the play of light and nuance, borrowing from the Impressionists their taste for vibrant atmospheres, while retaining an academic precision in drawing.

Working in both oil and watercolor, she reveals a dexterity that balances the spontaneity of her brushstrokes with the rigor of careful composition.

The soft, radiant complexions of his female figures are captivatingly natural, while his often sketchy backgrounds demonstrate a keen sense of harmony.

Louise Abbéma also favors a luminous palette, dominated by light tones and subtle contrasts, evoking the freshness of a morning or the intimacy of a sun-drenched living room.

His technique, halfway between academic tradition and measured modernity, echoes the art of his contemporaries, but is distinguished by an almost tactile sensitivity, a visual poetry that enchants without ever rushing.

In this way, his painting unfolds like an elegant conversation between classicism and the effervescence of new currents, asserting a singular identity at the heart of a rapidly changing era.

Louise Abbéma, a singular trajectory

Rarely has enough attention been paid to the singular trajectory of Louise Abbéma, an artist who combined talent and modernity while fully embracing the social circles of the Belle Époque.

Born into a wealthy family in Étampes in 1853, she benefited early on from an environment that nurtured her artistic talent.

Pupil of masters such as Charles Chaplin, Carolus-Duran and Jean-Jacques Henner, she acquired a solid academic training, but it was her boldness and assertive personality that opened the doors to the Parisian salons.

Very close to Sarah Bernhardtwho became both her muse and close friend, Abbéma forged a reputation as a talented portraitist, immortalizing the emblematic figures of her time.

However, her career was not limited to painting. Illustrator, decorator, she also distinguished herself with monumental frescoes that adorned various public places, testifying to a rare versatility for a woman artist of her era.

Awarded several prizes at the Salons, she gained international recognition, taking part in the World's Fairs where her refined style was acclaimed.

Louise Abbéma, while remaining faithful to her academic heritage, embodies an assertive, elegant femininity, making her one of the leading artistic figures of her century.

Focus on Portrait of Sarah Bernhardt, Louise Abbéma

Louise Abbéma's painting could just as easily be compared to a vibrant encounter between light and intimacy.

In his portrait of Sarah Bernhardt, the work unfolds as an unparalleled tribute to the muse who was both the central figure of his inspiration and his faithful friend.

In this canvas, the artist captures not only the actress's physiognomy, but also the very essence of her aura.

Just look at the gestures, fluid and light, and you'll sense the discreet yet confident staging of the period.

Sarah Bernhardt's face is treated with particular subtlety: the nuances of color, sometimes soft, sometimes strong, convey the complexity of the model's soul.

The brush seems to brush gently against the skin, revealing the radiance of a deep, intense gaze, as if we could almost hear the emotion of this great actress through her posture.

It's not just a question of a performance, but of the artist's interpretation of a personality. This typically academic technique in no way detracts from a contemporary, modern approach that exudes an atmosphere both intimate and theatrical.

Interestingly, the almost divine light bathes Bernhardt's face, while the background remains blurred, almost as if to signify that this woman transcends the limits of her time.

Abbéma doesn't just paint an actress; she depicts a legend, in all its majesty, and invites us to take part in this fascinating spotlight.

Louise Abbéma's imprint on her period

It's rare for an artist like Louise Abbéma to be remembered for the impact she had on her era.

At first glance, one might think that his work is confined to the intimacy of salons, to the bewitching light of celebrity portraits, to those moments frozen in time. Yet his impact goes far beyond this.

For Abbéma, through his art, brilliantly embodied the aspirations and contradictions of the Belle Époque, a time when the artist was no longer simply a witness to, but a player in, a rapidly changing society.

His unique view of his contemporaries, full of finesse and delicacy, was not without echoes of the social and cultural upheavals of his time.

She portrayed emancipated women of strong character, muses but also creators, figures of the artistic and theatrical avant-garde.

Through her portraits, she contributed to the construction of a modern image of women, far removed from the fixed stereotypes of the past.

Through her discreet but profound commitment, she contributed to the emergence of new forms of representation, where academic tradition blended with touches of personal freedom.

Her impeccable technique and aesthetic choices left their mark on her time. Louise Abbéma also discreetly acted as a catalyst, offering her subjects a space for expression that still resonates today.

Far from merely reproducing reality, she sublimated it, transforming it into a pure form of sensibility, opening the way to a more intimate, more human vision of art.

Louise Abbéma's stylistic influences

Louise Abbéma's stylistic influences lie at the crossroads of several major 19th-century currents, marked by a richness of approach and great finesse in the treatment of portraiture.

His academic training, nourished by the classical precepts of the École des Beaux-Arts, gave him an unquestionable mastery of drawing, perspective and anatomy, essential elements for capturing the personality of his models with striking precision.

But it was through her encounter with Impressionism that she broke away from the constraints of academic realism, bringing a new luminosity and a subtle sense of movement to her portraits.

It's no coincidence that his work is reminiscent of the play of light and shadow of the great masters such as John Singer Sargent, or of Edgar Degas' search for the psychology of his subjects.

However, Louise Abbéma was not content to simply echo the trends of her time; she added her own sensitive, elegant touch, influenced by Symbolism, which enabled her to install an almost mystical dimension in her portraits.

Her ability to capture the intensity of gazes and underline emotions hidden beyond the surface makes her an artist at the crossroads of these currents, a unique voice that transforms the portrait into a work where the intimate and the sensitive come together. 

Recognizing the artist's signature

Louise Abbéma often signs her name at the bottom of her drawings or oil paintings. Copies may exist, so expert appraisal is important.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a painting by or after Louise Abbéma, don't hesitate to ask for a free estimate 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're thinking of selling your work of art, our specialists will also be on hand to help you find alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking market trends into account.