# Alexandre Istrati artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/alexandre-istrati/
Profile generated: 2026-05-14T18:32:47.773Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Death date: 1991-10-28
- Nationality: Romanian, French
- Common media: painting, drawing

## About Alexandre Istrati

Alexandre Istrati (1915–1991) was a Franco-Romanian painter and draftsperson recognized for his contributions to post-war European art. Born in Romania, he studied law at the University of Bucharest before turning to painting in 1938 and exhibiting in Bucharest between 1941 and 1946. In 1947 he relocated to Paris with his wife, the artist Natalia Dumitresco. Their Montparnasse studios were located near that of Constantin Brancusi, with whom they developed a close friendship; in 1957, Istrati and Dumitresco became Brancusi's testamentary executors and universal heirs. Istrati received the Kandinsky Prize in 1953 and maintained an active painting career in Paris until his death. His work appears regularly at auction, with over 370 recorded lots, reflecting sustained collector interest.

## Common works and media

Istrati worked primarily in oil on canvas and works on paper including drawings. His output spans abstract and non-figurative compositions rooted in the post-war Parisian milieu. Collectors may encounter paintings from both his early Bucharest period and his mature Paris years, as well as works on paper and exhibition prints. Catalogue references and RKD image records provide additional documentation of his range.

## Market and appraisal context

Alexandre Istrati's auction presence is anchored by his Paris post-war career, his association with Constantin Brancusi, and the 1953 Kandinsky Prize. Works that can be firmly dated to his Paris period or linked to documented exhibitions tend to attract stronger interest. Appraisal value depends on medium (oil on canvas versus works on paper), dimensions, provenance clarity, condition, and whether the piece has been included in published references. The absence of a published catalogue raisonné means attribution should be confirmed through exhibition history, gallery records, or expert opinion before relying on it for valuation.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research from authority files and scholarly sources with auction records, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. For Alexandre Istrati, identity data is grounded in the Getty ULAN, VIAF, RKD, and Wikidata authority records.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1695273
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Istrati
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500110921
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/96513388/
- RKD: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/41189
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85372958