# Edwin Long artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/edwin-long/
Profile generated: 2026-05-29T19:35:17.491Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1829-07-12
- Death date: 1891-05-15
- Nationality: English, British
- Movements: Orientalism
- Common media: oil on canvas

## About Edwin Long

Edwin Longsden Long (1829–1891) was an English painter celebrated for large-scale Orientalist, biblical, and historical compositions that brought scenes from the ancient world to Victorian audiences. Born in Bath and active in London, Long combined narrative ambition with archaeological detail, reflecting his interest in Near Eastern antiquity. Works such as The Babylonian Marriage Market and Anno Domini established his reputation among the most successful painters of his generation. He also produced portraits and genre scenes. Long exhibited widely during his career and his paintings achieved high prices in his lifetime, reflecting strong contemporary demand. His works are now held in public collections and continue to appear at major auction houses, where collectors seek out his distinctive blend of academic technique and exotic subject matter.

## Common works and media

Edwin Long worked primarily in oil on canvas. His auction-visible output includes large-scale Orientalist and biblical narrative paintings, history scenes set in ancient Egypt, Babylon, and the Levant, formal portraits, and smaller genre subjects. Print reproductions of his most popular compositions were widely circulated in the Victorian era and may also appear in collections.

## Market and appraisal context

Edwin Long's paintings appear regularly at auction, with his most sought-after works being large Orientalist and biblical canvases. Value depends heavily on scale, subject, provenance, and condition. Works with strong exhibition histories or early provenance linked to the artist's studio tend to outperform smaller or less-documented pieces. Collectors should verify attribution carefully, as Long's output ranges from ambitious multi-figure compositions to more modest cabinet paintings. Condition assessment is essential, particularly for large canvases that may have undergone historical lining or restoration.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine identity research from library authority files and museum records with documented auction results, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lot data when available. This page draws on the Getty ULAN, VIAF, RKD, and Wikidata authority records alongside public biographical and art-historical sources.

## Sources

- RKD — Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/50715
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500007608
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/30381624/
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3042629
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Long