Henri Rivière Auction Prices and Value Guide
Henri Rivière auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 686 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Henri Rivière auction prices: quick answer
Henri Rivière auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Henri Rivière
- Source records
- 686
- Market update
- 2026-02-16
Artist context
About Henri Rivière
Henri Rivière (1864–1951) was a French artist, printmaker, and designer best known for his inventive shadow-theater productions at the legendary Chat Noir cabaret in Montmartre and his luminous color lithographs of Breton landscapes and the Eiffel Tower. Born Benjamin Jean Pierre Henri Rivière in Paris, he was largely self-taught and became a central figure in the Parisian avant-garde of the late nineteenth century. His ambitious print series "Les Trente-Six Vues de la Tour Eiffel," directly inspired by Hokusai's "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji," fused Japanese compositional aesthetics with modern Parisian subjects and is regarded as a landmark of French printmaking. Rivière also worked in watercolor, gouache, photography, and woodcut, and his shadow plays drew on Balinese and Chinese theatrical traditions. His output bridges Post-Impressionism and the broader Japonisme movement, and his prints are held by major museums including the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Post-ImpressionismJaponismelithographwoodcutwatercolorgouacheEiffel TowerBreton landscapesshadow theater
Common works and media
The most commonly encountered Rivière works in appraisal and auction contexts are color lithographs, particularly from "Les Trente-Six Vues de la Tour Eiffel" (completed 1902) and the "Paysages bretons" series. He also produced woodcuts, watercolors, gouaches, ink drawings, and photographs. Original paintings and preparatory studies are less common than his prints. Shadow-theater designs, zinc silhouettes, and related ephemera from the Chat Noir period surface occasionally and appeal to collectors of theatrical and cabaret memorabilia.
Market and appraisal context
Henri Rivière maintains a well-established and active auction market spanning more than two decades (2003–2026), with 311 recorded lots of which 276 carried a realized price. The market is anchored in France, with Osenat, Limoges Encheres, Tajan, Ader, Piasa, and Millon & Associes accounting for the majority of offerings, while international exposure comes through Christie's, Bonhams, Swann Auction Galleries, and Armstrong Fine Art. The price distribution is moderately compressed at the center—25th percentile at €400, median at €600, 75th percentile at €893—but with a long tail reaching €40,000, indicating that exceptional impressions, rare series plates, or original works in watercolor or gouache can command significantly higher prices. The most frequently traded material consists of color lithographs from the Eiffel Tower series (Les Trente-Six Vues de la Tour Eiffel) and the Paysages bretons series, typically selling in the €200–€670 range. Recent 12-month volume (27 lots) is up 35% over the prior 12-month period (20 lots), suggesting stable or growing collector interest. Swann Auction Galleries in New York realized $952 each for two lots in April 2026, confirming healthy international demand.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- lithograph
- woodcut
- watercolor
- gouache
- photography
Value drivers
- [object Object]
Appraisal caveats
- The name Henri Rivière is shared with other French artists; collectors should verify attribution carefully.
- Rivière produced many works across multiple mediums over a long career; condition and edition specifics vary widely by individual lot.
- The name Henri Rivière is shared with other French artists active in different periods; all attribution should be verified against catalogue raisonné references (Toudouze, Gamet, Levasseur-Le Bohec, Fields) before relying on auction comparables.
- Price data is predominantly in EUR from French auction houses; USD results from Swann and others are limited and may not fully represent the international market.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Library of Congress library authority
- RKD (Netherlands Institute for Art History) library authority
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- VIAF library authority
- Wikidata library authority
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.
Artist value FAQ
How much is Henri Rivière 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 Henri Rivière artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.