# David Herbert Lawrence artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/david-herbert-lawrence/
Profile generated: 2026-05-29T11:39:29.361Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1885-09-11
- Death date: 1930-03-02
- Nationality: English, British
- Movements: Modernism
- Common media: oil painting

## About David Herbert Lawrence

David Herbert Lawrence (1885–1930) was an English writer and painter, best known for novels such as Sons and Lovers, Women in Love, and Lady Chatterley's Lover. Born in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, he is regarded as a central figure of literary Modernism whose work explored modernity, industrialisation, sexuality, and human vitality. Less widely recognised is his practice as a visual artist: the RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History records him as a painter, and his oil paintings—though few in number—were controversial in their time. Lawrence lived and worked in England, Italy, Australia, Mexico, and the American Southwest before his death in France at age 44. Collectors encounter his visual work at auction alongside literary manuscripts and illustrated editions that sit at the intersection of his dual creative identities.

## Common works and media

Original oil paintings are the rarest category. More frequently encountered are works on paper, including drawings and watercolours, as well as printed material such as dust-jacket designs, book illustrations, limited-edition prints, and literary ephemera with visual content. Some auction records may also reflect manuscripts or correspondence with added sketches.

## Market and appraisal context

Lawrence's original paintings are scarce, and confirmed attributions carry weight at auction due to his cultural stature and the limited size of his painted oeuvre. Works appearing on the market are more often prints, book illustrations, or ephemera tied to his literary output than original canvases. Key appraisal factors include verified attribution, provenance linking the work to Lawrence or his immediate circle, medium, condition, and any exhibition or publication history. The strong literary-memorabilia market for Lawrence material can influence perceived value of associated visual works. Collectors should exercise caution with attribution claims, as the scholarly catalogue of his paintings is not comprehensive.

## Appraisily data basis

This Appraisily artist page combines identity research from library-authority and institutional sources with auction records, sale dates, and comparable lot data when available. Provenance and attribution details should be independently verified before use in appraisal.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34970
- RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/48433
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/95150359/
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500005716
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79018450
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._H._Lawrence