The price of the works

Which are the determining elements to calculate the price of a painting ?
There are several criteria and it is not necessarily the reputation of the artist that counts

Drawings

First of all, the quality of the drawing is the most important. Then, it is the fame of the artist, his signature, the degree of finishing and conservation (a stomped or faded drawing has no more interest), the subject (outside situation with several persons, portrait of a woman, inside situation, animated landscape, portrait of a man, architecture drawing...) and the colors.

Prints

The determining elements to calculate the price of a print are its rareness, the quality of the printing, its clearness, the paper, the number of known or remaining copies, the subject, the off- sale prints and the colors.
The prints which margins have been cut can loose from 50 to 60% of value.

Paintings

In paintings, the criteria are more numerous. Thus we will consider the reputation of the artist, the authenticity of the painting, its origin, its scarcity, quality or the period of the artist. The state of preservation of the work is also important, its format or its shape. For example, the oval canvases are not very in demand due to the difficulties to find the frame...

• Concerning the subjects, here are the tendencies :

Portraits

Ones prefer the light backgrounds (gold backgrounds for the Italian primitives), a woman or a child instead of a man, a princess instead of a middle-class, a well-known person instead of a unknown one.

Nudes

The female nude is more appreciated than the male one. Thus, even if the quality is equal, a female nude will be sold five times more expensive than a male one.

Scenes

Ones prefer civilian scenes (parties, typical interiors, etc.) than religious scenes and, for those ones, the smiling ones (nativity or annunciation) than painful (crucifixion or deposition).

Still lives

Ones also prefer light backgrounds, light and harmonious compositions: flowers, dressed tables, shellfishes or musical instruments (very rare), high quality vanities (dead games or fishes displease a lot of people). Nowadays, there's a lot of demand for French still lives. The Pastel, less expensive due to its fragility (it can't stand vibration and dampness) and its difficulties to be restored, cost 3 to 5 times less expensive than a canvas.

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