# Bernard Cathelin artist context and auction value notes Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/bernard-cathelin/ Profile generated: 2026-05-06T20:40:21.092Z Quality: high confidence, strong sources ## Artist identity - Birth date: 1919-05-20 - Nationality: French - Movements: School of Paris - Common media: oil painting, lithography, watercolor, illustration ## About Bernard Cathelin Bernard Cathelin (1919–2004) was a French painter, lithographer, and watercolorist associated with the School of Paris, a loosely defined circle of émigré and French artists active in the mid-twentieth century that included figures such as Picasso, Chagall, and Matisse. Born in Paris, Cathelin studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs under the painter Maurice Brianchon. He received critical recognition as early as 1950 and by 1955 was able to devote himself entirely to painting. Over his career his work was featured in more than fifty exhibitions worldwide. Cathelin maintained a lasting attachment to the Drôme region of southeastern France, where his mother's family originated, and the landscape and light of that area remained a recurring presence in his art. His output spans oils on canvas, lithographic prints, watercolors, and book illustrations. ## Common works and media Collectors most frequently encounter Cathelin's oil-on-canvas paintings of French landscapes, floral still lifes, and interior scenes. He also produced a significant body of lithographic prints, often in numbered editions, as well as watercolors and book illustrations. Subject matter tends toward the countryside and villages of the Drôme, Provencal markets, flowers, and intimate domestic interiors. Works range from large-scale canvases to smaller-format prints and works on paper. ## Market and appraisal context Bernard Cathelin's auction market is deep and well-established, with 427 recorded lots and 291 priced results spanning from 2001 to April 2026. The price distribution is exceptionally wide — from $15 at the low end to $3,500,000 at the high end — reflecting a meaningful split between original oil paintings and reproductive prints. The median price of approximately $1,075 indicates that most lots are lithographs and smaller works on paper, while large-scale oil paintings of landscapes and floral still lifes command five- and six-figure sums. Top-tier houses including Christie's, Sotheby's, Artcurial, Tajan, and Bonhams regularly offer Cathelin material, confirming sustained institutional demand. Recent twelve-month activity (22 lots) is modestly lower than the prior year (38 lots), suggesting a slight softening in volume but continued liquidity across French, American, and Swiss salerooms. ## Auction-house-backed market evidence Bernard Cathelin's auction market is deep and well-established, with 427 recorded lots and 291 priced results spanning from 2001 to April 2026. The price distribution is exceptionally wide — from $15 at the low end to $3,500,000 at the high end — reflecting a meaningful split between original oil paintings and reproductive prints. The median price of approximately $1,075 indicates that most lots are lithographs and smaller works on paper, while large-scale oil paintings of landscapes and floral still lifes command five- and six-figure sums. Top-tier houses including Christie's, Sotheby's, Artcurial, Tajan, and Bonhams regularly offer Cathelin material, confirming sustained institutional demand. Recent twelve-month activity (22 lots) is modestly lower than the prior year (38 lots), suggesting a slight softening in volume but continued liquidity across French, American, and Swiss salerooms. ### Appraisal notes Appraisily would combine these 427 auction records with the specific work's photos, dimensions, medium, signature, condition report, and provenance to triangulate value. Original oil paintings — especially landscapes of the Drôme and floral still lifes — sit in a different tier from the numerous lithographic editions. Edition number, paper type (e.g., Arches wove), and catalogue reference (Passeron numbers cited in recent Bonhams lots) are critical for prints. Specialist attribution review is recommended when no catalogue raisonné entry can be confirmed. ### Valuation factors - Medium: original oil paintings command significantly higher prices than lithographs, which cluster below $1,000. - Subject: floral still lifes and Drôme landscapes are the most sought-after subjects among recent auction results. - Size and scale: large-format canvases and oversized lithographs (e.g., 250 x 125 cm sheets) carry premiums over small works on paper. - Provenance and exhibition history: documented exhibition records or estate provenance increase collector confidence and price. - Condition: as with all works on paper and canvas, condition reports directly affect realized prices at auction. - Print edition details: Passeron catalogue numbers, edition size, and artist proofs versus numbered editions materially affect lithograph values. - Market venue: results at Christie's and Sotheby's tend to reflect higher estimates than regional houses for comparable material. ### Collector notes - Lithographs can be acquired from roughly $100–$600 at auction, making Cathelin prints an accessible entry point for collectors of the School of Paris. - Original oil paintings of flower compositions have recently realized $15,000 (Showplace, 2025) to $24,000 (Rago, 2025), providing concrete comparables. - The very wide price range ($15 to $3.5M) means medium and dimensions must be confirmed before estimating value — do not assume a high result applies to a print. ### Market caveats - No published catalogue raisonné is widely referenced; the Passeron numbers cited in Bonhams lots appear to be a lithography catalogue but its completeness is unconfirmed from available sources. - Prices are denominated in multiple currencies (USD, EUR, CHF, GBP); cross-currency comparisons are approximate and do not account for buyer's premium or fees. - The $3,500,000 maximum likely represents an exceptional or anomalous result and should not be treated as representative of typical values. - Auction volume decreased from 38 lots in the prior 12 months to 22 lots in the most recent 12 months; a single year's change does not confirm a trend. - Specific death date remains unconfirmed (only the year 2004 is established); this does not affect market value but may complicate cataloguing. ### Market evidence sources - Appraisily auction record index: https://appraisily.com/api/scraper-search/artists/bernard-cathelin/seo-profile?recentLimit=24&relatedLimit=0 - Invaluable (via Auctions at Showplace): https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-bernard-cathelin-zinias-et-roses-d-inde-oil-98-c-38e4abaaf5 - Invaluable (via Rago Arts and Auction Center): https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-bernard-cathelin-bouquet-au-fond-gris-106-c-194636bb81 - Invaluable (via Bonhams): https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-bernard-cathelin-1919-2004-grande-nature-morte-jaune-et-noire-1990-passeron-294-lithographie-en-couleurs-sur-archessignee-et-justifiee-epreuve-d-artiste-10-10-editions-a-30-exemplaires-numerotees-et-10-exempla-186-c-7bf882f571 - Invaluable (via Tajan): https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-bernard-cathelin-1919-2004-176-c-b8bb7f0d58 ## Appraisily data basis Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research drawn from museum, library-authority, and biographical sources with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. The information on this page reflects publicly sourced data and should be supplemented by a professional appraisal for specific valuation or attribution questions. ## Sources - Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2897647 - Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Cathelin - Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500032272 - VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/64042852/ - Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n88608869 - RKD (Netherlands Institute for Art History): https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/15940