Rating and value of works, paintings by José Cruz Herrera

If you own a work by or after Cruz Herrera, 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 artist's value José Cruz Herrera

José Cruz Herrera left behind a body of Orientalist and landscape paintings. Prices for his works are now skyrocketing under auctioneers' gavels. His paintings are highly prized, especially by Spanish buyers. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €140 to €380,000, a very substantial range, but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to Cruz Herrera's works. In 2017, his dark-toned oil on canvas Au Harem sold for €370,000, whereas it was estimated at between €250,000 and €350,000. His rating is stable.  

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of artist José Cruz Herrera

Cruz Herrera began his career with landscape paintings, influenced by Goya, Velasquez and Murillo, whom he copied. However, he spent most of his life in Casablanca, Morocco, which gave his works an orientalist character. 

The life of Cruz Herrera

José Cruz Herrera (1880 - 1972) was a 20th-century Spanish painter.

He grew up near Gibraltar, and was ill from childhood. He was given a box of paints, which sparked his interest in art. He copies the great Spanish masters, and proves to be gifted. He began his training in Cadiz with Juan Aciego. He went on to study at the Beaux-Arts in Madrid, before receiving scholarships to study in Paris and Rome. By this time, he was already exhibiting in Spain. He then exhibited in Latin America, notably in Panama, Uruguay and Argentina.

In 1929, he began working in Morocco, where he spent most of his career. At the same time, he traveled to Paris and exhibited at the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. He settled permanently in Morocco in 1939, at the end of the Spanish Civil War. He nevertheless kept in touch with his native country, which awarded him two orders of knighthood and to which he presented a painting of the Immaculate Conception.

His work is characterized by several influences, but his major works are orientalist, with inspiration drawn from Morocco. He depicts scenes of daily life there.

Cruz Herrera's imprint on his period

Cruz Herrera has exerted many influences on Spanish and Moroccan painters. Like Henri Pontoy and Jacques Majorelle, Morocco and its people were a great source of inspiration for him. He has the particularity of using very dark tones, unlike other Orientalist painters who used much lighter shades of color, even pastels. 

Recognizing the artist's signature

Not all of Cruz Herrera'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 Cruz Herrera, 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.