Bertel Thorvaldsen Auction Prices and Value Guide

Bertel Thorvaldsen auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 276 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Bertel Thorvaldsen auction prices: quick answer

Bertel Thorvaldsen auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Bertel Thorvaldsen
Source records
276
Market update
2026-02-16

Bertel Thorvaldsen market snapshot

Bertel Thorvaldsen shows developing auction liquidity with 41 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $1,000. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 1 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2025-11-15.

Realized price distribution

  • Under $1,000 (48.1% · 13 sales)
  • $1,000 to $10,000 (25.9% · 7 sales)
  • $10,000+ (25.9% · 7 sales)
Median sale (last 12 months)
$40
Sales recorded (last 12 months)
1
Median shift vs prior year
0.0%
Latest recorded sale
2025-11-15

Artist context

About Bertel Thorvaldsen

Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770–1844) was a Danish sculptor and medalist who became one of the most celebrated European artists of the early nineteenth century. Born in Copenhagen to a working-class family of Danish and Icelandic heritage, he was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Art at age eleven and later awarded a traveling stipend to study in Rome. He remained based in Italy from 1797 to 1838, establishing a large workshop that produced marble statues, reliefs, portrait busts, and medals for patrons across Europe. Thorvaldsen's style is closely associated with Neoclassicism, characterized by idealized forms drawn from Greek and Roman antiquity. His major public commissions include monuments and sculptural groups for churches, museums, and civic buildings throughout Denmark, Germany, Poland, and Switzerland. The Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen, built to house his personal collection and models, opened in 1848 and remains the primary institution dedicated to his life and work.

NeoclassicismMarble sculpturePlasterMedals and medallionsBronzeMythological figuresPortraits and portrait bustsReligious and biblical scenes

Common works and media

Marble statues and statuettes of mythological and biblical figures, portrait busts in marble and bronze, bas-relief panels, plaster casts and models, commemorative medals and medallions, monumental public sculptures and equestrian statues, and tomb monuments. Many compositions exist in multiple versions: large-scale marble originals, workshop plaster models, reduced bronze editions, and later 19th-century reproductions.

Market and appraisal context

Thorvaldsen's works appear at auction primarily as marble sculptures, plaster models and casts, bronze reductions, portrait busts, and relief panels. Collectors should be aware that the artist's Rome workshop produced numerous versions of popular compositions in different media and scales, so attribution and edition status are critical valuation factors. Original marble carvings executed under Thorvaldsen's direct supervision carry significantly more value than later reproductions. Provenance tracing back to the artist's studio, the Thorvaldsen Museum, or a documented early collector is an important indicator of authenticity. Condition, scale, subject matter, and the identity of any portrait sitter all influence appraisal outcomes.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Appraisal caveats

  • Thorvaldsen's workshop produced many copies and reductions in multiple media; attribution and edition status should be verified by a specialist.
  • Later 19th-century casts and posthumous reproductions circulate widely; provenance documentation is essential for appraisal.
  • No specific auction price records were available in the source pack; comparable public auction results should be consulted for current market value.

Evidence

Sources for artist context

This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.

Source-grounded artist Markdown

Data basis

This page is built from Appraisily's public auction market index. Private transactions, incomplete sale feeds, and attribution changes may not be fully represented.

LLM-readable Markdown summary for Bertel Thorvaldsen

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Bertel Thorvaldsen worth?

Comparable public auction sales are the best starting point, but final value depends on the specific artwork, condition, size, medium, provenance, and attribution confidence.

Can Appraisily value my Bertel Thorvaldsen artwork?

Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.