Auction sales

 

 

Meta-Impressionism / other exhibitions

Auction sales

starting page

 

Introduction:
Apart from the Salon and their own ‘impressionist’ expositions, auction sales were a way to promote oneself as an artist and to sell art-works. The most used place to do so, was Hôtel Drouot. But, the Durand-Ruel and Georges Petit gallery also organised auction sales. These sales gave a good indication of what a work was worth on the art-market (R5,p102). Partakers of the ‘impressionist’ expositions and other artists did use auction sales to sell their art-works. Mostly as individual and sometimes as a small group. Many sales presented (a part of) the collection of an art-collector. Many sales were organised after the departure of an artist or an art-collector (or their wife). Sometimes the sales were held because of financial problems (like those of Hoschedé), to gain money to achieve a new collection (like Faure) or because one needed money for a house move. Sometimes there were benefit auctions. Helas, auctions were also used as form of speculation to gain more money (see my opinion about this).
One or two days before the actual auction the works were on display. This you can see as a short exposition.
Auction sales give an inside in the provenance of an art-work and can help with the identification of exhibited works.
Note: this page has just been started.

 

Links to more information:
The following links will lead you to more information (and pictures) on other pages. the scope of these links comprises roughly the years 1855-1940. Note: many pages need further development.

  • overview auction sales at  Hôtel Drouot. (=HD)
  • group sale at Hôtel Drouot in 1875; info and most pictures (=HD1875/03/24).
  • group sale at Hôtel Drouot in 1877; not yet started (=HD1877/05/28).
  • overview of auctions at the Durand-Ruel gallery (=DR)
  • overview of auctions at the Georges Petit gallery (=GP)
  • overview of art-collectors; for important collectors you are linked to seperated pages.
  • posthumous auction sales of the collection of Gustave Caillebotte and of Henri Rouart.

 

The ‘impressionists’ at auction sales:
Which partakers of the ‘impressionist’ expositions did offer their works for sale and who didn’t?
Art-works of which partakers were often present in auction sales?
How did the prices develop of these art-works? Which partakers were more valued?
Note: the answers will be added later.

 

The provenance of art-works:
Auction sales can give an inside in the provenance of an art-work. In a Catalogue Raisonné of an artist you will find a chronological (and sometimes thematical) overview of the known art-works (mostly only paintings). For each painting the provenance is indicated: who owned this painting since and till when? This provenance can help with the identification of exhibited works, especially when this work was a loan.
Only of the more known partakers of the ‘impressionist’ expositions one or more Catalogue Raisonnées are known. Some also render an overview of (the most important) auction sales. The index of names (of collectors) can render an indirect indication.
Gustave Caillebotte: Marie Berhaut (1994=R102,p293-298); overview 1877-1993.
Paul Gauguin: Sylvie Crussard (2002=R181); no overview
Claude Monet; Wildenstein (1996=R22IV,p1044-1056); in the index of collectors the sales are also indicated.
Berthe Morisot: Clairet, Montalant, Rouart (1997=R186,p361); overview 1875-1997.
Camille Pissarro: Joachim Pissarro & Claire Durand-Ruel Snollaerts (2005=R116I,p427-429); overview 1872-1903.
Paul Signac: Françoise Cachin (2000=R106); no overview
Alfred Sisley: Silvie Brame & François Lorenceau (2021=R396,p525+526); overview 1878-1939; not comprehensive.
Federico Zandomeneghi: Fondazione Enrico Piceni (2006=R204); no overview; neither an index of names.

Of the lesser known partakers of the ‘impressionist’ expositions I will render (in the future) overviews of exhibited and auctioned titles. In the accounts I will also note (in the future) (important) auction sales.

 

Other auctions:
Here below you will find some auction sales that were not held at Hôtel Drouot, Georges Petit or Durand-Ruel.

 

Recommanded citation: “Meta-Impressionism / other expositions: auction sales, starting page. Last modified 2026/04/27.  https://www.impressionism.nl/auction-sales/”

 

Note: additional info and pictures will follow.