Rating and value of old paintings by the Copenhagen School

If you own an antique painting by the Danish school, 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 object, and provide you with a precise estimate of its current market value. Then, if you wish to sell your painting, we'll guide you towards the best possible means of obtaining the best possible price. The price of a painting can vary greatly, depending on the artist, the state of conservation, the school of painting and the subject depicted.

Rating and value of an old Danish painting

Old Danish paintings are appreciated and sought-after by collectors. The price at which they sell on the art and auction market ranges from €30 to €15,500, a considerable delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to your paintings. They are prized by buyers of all nationalities, and interest some collectors as they are often less expensive than master paintings when the artist is not identified. In 2016, a series of paintings by the Copenhagen School immortalizing King Christian IX and his children sold for €15,500, whereas they were estimated at between €10,000 and €12,000.

Order of value from simplest to most prestigious painting

Reasons to have an antique painting appraised at auction

If you own an old Danish painting, you may not be aware of its value. Indeed, even if the painting is not signed, it is possible in some cases to identify the artist. If it's listed on the auction market, then the price could rise very quickly. It is also possible that the artist is not identifiable, and that only the school of the painting is known.

Defining an old painting

An antique painting is a work of art painted on a flat surface, usually canvas, wood panel or metal plate, and dating back several centuries. These works are the result of the work of often talented artists who, through the ages, have sought to illustrate historical figures, wars and the important moments of their time. Depending on the period and the country, the iconography and subjects can be very different. The 19th century is a pivotal period, and late academic figurative paintings can be considered antique, but with care. The same applies to Romantic paintings.  

The Copenhagen School and the Danish Golden Age

The rise of Danish art is due to the creation of the Copenhagen School of Fine Arts. This is often referred to as the Copenhagen School. The school included Caspar David Friedrich and Chritsoffer Wilhem Eckersberg. The latter succeeded in changing art education in Denmark and developed Biedermeier art, which focused on bourgeois art and was not appreciated by many because it was too conservative. This art form emerged after the Congress of Vienna and the structural ideas of the Restoration throughout Europe. This is why early paintings by the Copenhagen School are often limited to depicting genre scenes in interiors or landscapes. In this respect, they have much in common with early paintings from the United Provinces: a sober interior, a seated woman, a calm atmosphere and a window letting in the light. Biedermeier - a term used after the works were produced to describe them.

The Copenhagen school reached its golden age around the same time as Dutch painting. Geographically close, these two regions shared the same stylistic tendencies, and Denmark also produced marine paintings. As in France, the paintings were intended as propaganda for the Danish monarchy, often in dark tones and with solemn emotions, as did the Barons Gros and Gérard in France.

The Danish school was influenced by other European countries: many painters traveled to Italy, and Eckensberg spent time in Paris, where he was a pupil of Jacques-Louis David. Nevertheless, it managed to forge its own artistic identity, and remains highly appreciated today on the auction market.

Signing paintings

Many Danish paintings are not signed, and neither are the backs of their frames. That's why it's important to have your work appraised.

Find out the exact value of your painting

If you happen to own an old painting by the Copenhagen School, or think you might, please feel free to request a free appraisal using the form on our website. A member of our team of experts and chartered auctioneers will contact you promptly with an estimate of the market value of your painting, and will provide you with all the relevant information. If you wish to sell your product, you will also be accompanied by our specialists in order to benefit from alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account the inclinations of the market.