Rating and value of paintings by Valentin Serov

If you own a work by or based on the work of artist Valentin Serov 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

An important Russian artist, Valentin Serov is highly rated on the auction market. Appreciated, Serov's works sell for between €30 and €10,368,080 on the art market, a substantial delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to the artist's works, as evidenced by his oil on canvas Portrait of Maria Zetlin, which sold for €10,368,080 in 2016 at Christie's, while it was estimated at between €1,896,600 and €3,161,000.

Order of value from the most basic to the most prestigious

Artist's style and technique

Valentin Serov was a Russian Impressionist painter who mainly produced oils on canvas. At first, he produced compositions inspired by nature, but also portraits and mythological scenes. Towards the end of his career, he produced war paintings of a rather committed nature.

The life of Valentin Serov

Valentin Aleksandrovitch Serov was a Russian artist born in Saint Petersburg in 1865.

Born into a family of artists, his mother a pianist and his grandfather a composer, he had early access to the Abramstevo circle, which brought together Russian artists of all stripes at the end of the 19th century. He spent his childhood in Germany and Paris, returning to Russia at the age of thirteen. During this period, he took painting lessons with the famous Russian painter Ilya Répine - he even lived with him.

From the age of fifteen, he studied at the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts, then began to paint portraits, notably of important Russian figures. Throughout his career, he was greatly influenced by Repine's realism. Later in his career, he exchanged influences with Constantin Korovine.

He became a member of the Society of Traveling Art Exhibitions, then taught at the Moscow School of Painting and became a member of the Academy of Painting, which he later left after being shot at during a peaceful demonstration. On this occasion, and to make his voice heard, he painted Soldiers, Heroes, Where Has Your Glory Gone, a canvas aimed at denouncing the incipient violence that would fracture the Russian Empire.  

Valentin Serov died in Moscow in 1911. 

Valentin Serov's imprint on his era

Valentin Serov is a painter who left his mark on 19th-century Russian art. His works are part of prestigious collections and are sought after by many buyers, who play a major role in preserving his works, even though some of them are exhibited in museums.

His signature

Valentin Serov's works are not all signed.

Although there are variations, here is a first example of its signature:

Appraising your property

If you happen to own a work by or after Valentin Serov, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal by filling in our form on our website. A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly with an estimate of the value of your work, and will provide you with all the relevant information. If you're thinking of selling your work, our specialists will also be on hand to offer you alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market trends and specificities.