Rating and value of works, drawings, sculptures by Léon Drivier

If you own a work by or based on the artist Léon Drivier and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers can help 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

A pupil of Rodin and considered one of the most important sculptors of his time, Léon Drivier's name is little known. Yet the artist is highly rated on the art market and attracts many collectors. Indeed, at auction, Léon Drivier's academic studies are commonplace and popular. However, his sculptures are his most highly-rated works, and can fetch tens of thousands of euros at auction, like his bronze L'archer, which sold for €45,000 in 2004.

Order of value from the most basic to the most prestigious

The artist's works and style

Inherited from his mentor Rodin, Léon Drivier's artistic style is characterized by an expressionist touch and a perfect balance between the classical traditions of Antiquity and the Renaissance. The artist's reinterpretation of ancient art brings calm, serenity and aestheticism.

Best known for his sculptures, the artist also produced numerous drawings and paintings. In keeping with his sculptures, his drawings depict academic figures, most often anatomical studies. Drivier's paintings are also studies, depicting human figures, alone or in groups.

Léon Drivier, his life and work

Léon Ernest Drivier was born in 1878 into a family of glove-makers in Grenoble. After his admission to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Léon Drivier apprenticed with Louis-Ernest Barrias, renowned for his sculptures.

In 1900, the young artist joined Rodin's studio. His role as assistant enabled him to immerse himself in and draw inspiration from the work of the famous sculptor. A few years later, Driver became an active member of the Bande de Schnegg, a group of early twentieth-century sculptors gathered around the artist Lucien Schnegg. He exhibited regularly at the Galerie Barbazanges in Paris.

His first major success, Portrait officiel de La France triomphante (Official Portrait of Triumphant France ), produced in 1918, established his reputation. At the start of his career, Léon Drivier was associated with the neo-romantic movement, but later turned to neo-classicism, following in the footsteps of Charles Despiau.

From the 20s onwards, Léon Drivier carried out a number of prestigious commissions, including an imposing gilded bronze statue of the Greek goddess Athena, some ten meters high. It was also at this time that, along with other artists, he founded the Salon des Indépendants. Drivier became one of the leading sculptors of his time.

Throughout his career, the artist created numerous monumental sculptures, as well as paintings and drawings. Together with his contemporaries from the Schnegg Gang, they developed a new artistic approach, focusing on the representation of the human figure, giving rise to a new movement: independent sculpture.

Elected a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, Léon Drivier gained considerable renown in South America. Although considered one of the most important sculptors of his time, his name remains relatively unknown. Yet his works are exhibited in numerous museums and public spaces, both in Europe and abroad.

His signature

Not all Léon Drivier'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 Léon Drivier, 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 Drivier 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.