The value of Jacques Germain's works and paintings

If you own a work by the artist Jacques Germain, and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will help you authenticate and appraise it free of charge. Then, if you'd like to sell your work, we'll guide you towards the best possible arrangement to obtain the maximum price.

Cote et valeur de l'artiste Jacques Germain

Considered one of the leaders of lyrical abstract art, along with Hans Hartung, Pierre Soulage and Georges Mathieu, Jacques Germain leaves behind a unique artistic repertoire imbued with pictorial music. This legacy includes paintings, watercolor drawings and prints.

Today, the prices of his works are soaring exponentially under the auctioneers' hammer. His paintings are particularly prized, and the price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €80 to €55,000, a considerable delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to the works of Jacques Germain. In 2023, a predominantly red polychrome composition dating from 1967 sold for €26,000, whereas its estimate was between €6,000 and €8,000.

Order of value of works by Jacques Germain

Who is Jacques Germain?

Jacques Germain (1915-2001) was a French artist who became a leading figure in the 20th-century art world. He studied painting at the Académie Moderne under the eminent masters Fernand Léger and Amédée Ozenfant. In 1931, Blaise Cendrars and Fernand Léger recommended that he continue his studies at the prestigious Bauhaus in Dessau. Jacques Germain, the only French student at the Bauhaus, undertook this formative sojourn in October 1931, staying for a year. After returning to France in 1932, he went back to Germany, this time to Frankfurt, where the constructivist painter Willi Baumeister gave him some lessons.

However, with the rise of the Nazi regime, Jacques Germain had to withdraw to France and took refuge in advertising illustration. He was soon called up for military service and plunged into the Second World War, where he was taken prisoner for three years. After surviving his period of captivity, Jacques Germain turned back to his passion, painting.

Style and technique of artist Jacques Germain

Jacques Germain is inspired by the style of the Bauhaus school, of which he was a pupil, and keeps in mind the teachings of one of his masters: Kandinsky. He works and handles knives to perfection.

How did he mark his period? 

Jacques Germain met many artists, including Georges Mathieu and Jean Fautrier, and it was in this stimulating environment that he developed and refined his own style. In 1949, he was given the opportunity to orchestrate and unveil his work to the public at his first monographic exhibition in Paris.

Subsequently, Jacques Germain took part in a number of international exhibitions, making a lasting impression on the art scene.

Jacques Germain shows a real attachment to structuring through vertical and diagonal lines, the canvas like a canvas. Nevertheless, it is in these intertwining colors that he creates his own vibrant rhythms. The breadth and vigor of his painting lies in his knife technique: rapid, virulent and iterative. One of his hallmarks remains his exploration of the intricacies of colorimetry. Modeled on the great Dutch masters of the 17th century, Jacques Germain's tonal painting features refined gradations that blend gracefully into a palette dominated by successive shades of blue, red or paler hues.

How to recognize Jacques Germain's signature?

Jacques Germain's paintings are usually signed and dated in the lower right-hand corner.

How do you know the value of a work of art?

If you happen to own a work by Jacques Germain or after the artist, don't hesitate to ask for a free estimate using our 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 ad hoc information about it. 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.