Value and quotation of works by Jean Léon Gérôme : paintings, drawings, sculptures

If you own a work of art by or after Jean Léon Gérôme, 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 value of the artist J.L. Gérôme

The artist Jean Léon Gérôme leaves behind a classical body of work, composed mainly of historical and religious paintings. He studied art with Paul Delaroche. From then on, prices for his works rose under the auctioneer's hammer. His paintings are highly prized, especially by English and American buyers. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €100 to €3,026,600, a very substantial range, but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to Gérôme's works. In 2019, his painting Riders Crossing the Desert, in the Orientalist vein of the colonial era, sold for €3,026,600 at Sotheby's.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of the artist Jean Léon Gérôme

Throughout his career, Gérôme remained within the academic canon of history and religious painting. However, he did produce Orientalist works, characterized by inspiration from the Orient: these are the most highly-rated and successful at auction today.

The life of Jean Léon Gérôme

Jean Léon Gérôme (1824-1904), a French artist, was born in Vesoul. His father was a goldsmith.

He spent his childhood in Vesoul, where he graduated from secondary school, before leaving to study at the Beaux-Arts in Paris. He became a pupil of Paul Delaroche, with whom he studied in Italy.

His first success was a mythological scene, Jeune grec batant des coqs, which he exhibited at the Salon of 1847. He founded the neo-Greek movement, which was to be short-lived, as neo-classicism already existed and he changed his pictorial genre.

He set off to find inspiration in Egypt and the Ottoman Empire. It was there that he painted his Orientalist canvases, a term that does not cover a movement but only a source of inspiration. He was one of the first to use this inspiration, and other painters went on to make it their career (cf. Henri Pontoy, Jacques Majorelle...). He continued to use the same techniques for depicting bodies, working with light and perspective. He had works sent to the 1855 Universal Exhibition, and the French government acquired The Birth of Jesus Christ and The Century of Augustus.

He then married Marie Goupil, daughter of an art dealer, who further propelled his career. Adolphe Goupil distributed his work more widely.

Towards the end of his career, he turned to sculpture (works that can also be found on the auction market). He produced less sculpture than drawing and painting. His subjects remained the same: at the 1878 Universal Exhibition, he presented the group Les Gladiateurs, inspired by one of his paintings.

Gérôme's influence on his period

J.L. Gérôme marked his time with his late neoclassicism. He was part of the academic figuration movement and one of the most recognized painters of his time. Today, Jean Léon Gérôme is remembered as one of the leading painters of the Second Empire. He was rediscovered at the end of the 20th century; Fauvism and Impressionism were fast approaching when he died in 1904, and he was forgotten. Today, he is a renowned painter much sought-after by collectors, with a stable and very high market value.

Recognizing the artist's signature

Not all Gérôme's works 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 Jean Léon Gérôme, 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.