Jean-Baptiste Clésinger Auction Prices and Value Guide

Jean-Baptiste Clésinger auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 462 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Jean-Baptiste Clésinger auction prices: quick answer

Jean-Baptiste Clésinger auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Jean-Baptiste Clésinger
Source records
462
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About Jean-Baptiste Clésinger

Jean-Baptiste Auguste Clésinger (1814–1883) was a French sculptor, painter, and draftsman active in Paris during the second half of the 19th century. Born in Besançon on 20 October 1814, he trained under his father, the sculptor Georges Philippe Clésinger, absorbing the academic sculptural tradition from an early age. Clésinger produced figurative sculpture in marble and bronze, working within the neoclassical and academic conventions that shaped French public and private commissions of the era. He exhibited at the Paris Salon and attracted both institutional and private patrons over a career spanning several decades. Today his sculptural output—ranging from portrait busts and allegorical groups to animalier subjects—reflects the breadth of 19th-century French atelier practice. His name appears in standard scholarly references including Bénézit's critical dictionary of artists and the Union List of Artist Names. Clésinger died in Paris on 6 January 1883.

19th-century French academic sculpturesculpture (marble, bronze)paintingdrawingportrait bustsfigurative sculpture

Common works and media

Common works by Jean-Baptiste Clésinger include marble and bronze sculptures such as portrait busts, figurative statuettes, allegorical groups, and animalier subjects. Bronze editions may carry foundry marks or inscriptions. Paintings and drawings by Clésinger also appear at auction, though sculpture dominates his known output. With over 460 works recorded in auction databases, he is a recurring presence in 19th-century European sculpture sales.

Market and appraisal context

Jean-Baptiste Clésinger maintains a steady mid-range presence in European sculpture auctions. Appraisily auction records index 59 lots offered between October 2007 and April 2026, with 27 carrying a recorded price. The price distribution spans €180 at the low end to €16,000 at the high end, with a median of €1,700 and an interquartile range of €650–€3,600 (all EUR). The bulk of activity concentrates in the €500–€4,000 band for bronze statuettes, portrait busts, and small-scale figurative groups. Bronze works edited by Maison Barbedienne—among the most recognized 19th-century French foundries—appear repeatedly, including lots titled 'Taureau Romain,' 'Zingara,' and a Barbedienne-marked portrait bust. Marble busts and larger-scale compositions command the upper tier. Paintings and drawings surface occasionally (e.g., an Italian landscape oil at Osenat, €781) but represent a secondary market segment. Liquidity is moderate: 6 lots in the trailing 12 months versus 7 in the prior 12 months, indicating consistent if not high-volume turnover. Primary venues include Hampel Fine Art Auctions (Germany), Carlo Bonte Auctions (Belgium), Historia Auctionata, and Auktionshaus Mehlis, with occasional appearances at Christie's, Bonhams, Sotheby's, and Osenat. The recurring presence of European regional houses alongside blue-chip names reflects a collector base spanning both decorative-arts buyers and 19th-century sculpture specialists.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • 19th-century European sculpture
  • European decorative arts
  • sculpture (marble, bronze)
  • painting
  • drawing

Value drivers

  1. Medium and scale: life-size marble commands significantly higher values than small bronze editions
  2. Subject matter and provenance affect value; works linked to documented salon exhibitions or known commissions are more sought after
  3. Attribution should be confirmed through documented signatures, foundry marks, or catalogue references, as multiple sculptors named Clésinger worked in the same period
  4. Medium and material: bronze statuettes typically realize €180–€3,900; marble busts and larger-scale works can reach the upper end of the observed range up to €16,000
  5. Foundry mark and edition: presence of a Barbedienne or Marnyhac mark adds attribution confidence and collector recognition; 'd'après' or 'after' designations reduce value
  6. Scale: lot descriptions reference heights from ~16 cm (small animalier subjects) to 57 cm (full-figure bronzes); larger works command higher prices

Appraisal caveats

  • Clésinger's father, Georges Philippe Clésinger, was also an active sculptor, and works by the two have sometimes been conflated in older sale records
  • No specific auction price records were available in the source pack; market observations are inferred from artist profile and career context only
  • Of 59 indexed lots, only 27 (46%) carry a recorded realized price; the remainder have null price data, which may indicate bought-in lots, withdrawn lots, or post-sale private negotiations not reflected in the distribution
  • The auction-date span (2007–2026) is broad; older results may not reflect current market conditions, particularly for works that sold before the post-2020 surge in 19th-century sculpture interest

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 Jean-Baptiste Clésinger

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Jean-Baptiste Clésinger 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 Jean-Baptiste Clésinger artwork?

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