Francis Augustus Silva Auction Prices and Value Guide

Francis Augustus Silva auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 194 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Francis Augustus Silva auction prices: quick answer

Francis Augustus Silva auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Francis Augustus Silva
Source records
194
Market update
2026-02-16

Artist context

About Francis Augustus Silva

Francis Augustus Silva (1835–1886) was an American painter associated with the Luminist movement and the Hudson River School. Born and based in New York City, Silva developed a reputation for marine scenes along the Atlantic coast, distinguished by his precise handling of atmospheric light and calm, reflective water surfaces. Unlike many of his contemporaries who depicted the same shorelines as leisure destinations, Silva gravitated toward Romantic, contemplative compositions. His paintings of the Hudson River, the New Jersey shore, and coastal New England capture the quiet luminosity that defines the Luminist aesthetic. Collectors encounter Silva's work today through auction houses and American art sales, where his coastal subjects remain his most recognized contributions to nineteenth-century American painting.

LuminismHudson River SchoolOil on canvasMarine scenesAtlantic coastCoastal atmosphere and lightHudson River

Common works and media

Silva is best known for oil-on-canvas marine paintings depicting Atlantic coastal harbors, shorelines, and river views, especially along the Hudson River and the New Jersey coast. Typical compositions feature calm water, low horizons, and carefully modulated light at dawn or dusk. Titles recorded in authority files include 'The Beach at Long Branch,' 'Boats on the Hudson,' 'By the Seaside, New Jersey Shore,' 'Evening,' and 'The Hudson at the Tappan Zee.' Original oils are the primary medium encountered at auction; no significant print editions or sculptural works are documented in the available sources.

Market and appraisal context

Silva's paintings appear with regularity in American art auctions, where his marine subjects attract interest from collectors of Hudson River School and Luminist work. Key factors in appraisal include the coastal or river subject matter, the quality of atmospheric light rendering, canvas condition and any conservation history, provenance documentation, and the presence of a legible signature. His surviving output is modest relative to peers in the same movement, which can contribute to variability in auction results. Comparable public auction records for similar marine compositions by Silva and his circle provide useful benchmarks when assessing individual works.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Value drivers

  1. Subject matter: Atlantic coastal and Hudson River marine scenes are most sought after
  2. Condition: As with all 19th-century oil on canvas works, condition and relining history significantly affect value
  3. Provenance: Documented exhibition or collection history strengthens attribution and value
  4. Attribution: Signature, period, and stylistic consistency with known Silva compositions should be confirmed

Appraisal caveats

  • Market evidence is drawn from Appraisily/Invaluable auction records and published authority files; no dedicated catalogue raisonné was identified in the source pack.
  • Silva's body of work is relatively limited compared to contemporaries, which can mean wider per-lot price variation at auction.

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 Francis Augustus Silva

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Francis Augustus Silva 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 Francis Augustus Silva artwork?

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