# Franz von Bayros artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/franz-von-bayros/
Profile generated: 2026-05-23T18:59:00.000Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1866-05-18
- Death date: 1924-04-03
- Nationality: Austrian
- Movements: Decadent movement, Symbolism, Art Nouveau
- Common media: etching, drypoint, lithography, watercolor, pen and ink, book illustration

## About Franz von Bayros

Franz von Bayros (1866–1924) was an Austrian illustrator, painter, and printmaker associated with the Decadent movement in late-imperial Central Europe. Born in Zagreb, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, he held the title of marquis and trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna beginning in 1882 before continuing at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. He also studied under Heinrich Knirr and Adolf Hoelzel. Bayros is best known for his controversial illustrated portfolio "Tales at the Dressing Table," which drew both acclaim and censorship for its erotic and phantasmagoric imagery. Working across etching, watercolor, lithography, and pen-and-ink drawing, he produced highly detailed compositions that blended fin-de-siècle aestheticism with Symbolist and Art Nouveau sensibilities. He also used the pseudonym Choisy le Conin for certain commercial graphic work. Collectors today encounter his output primarily through original prints, illustrated books, and portfolios.

## Common works and media

Original etchings, drypoints, and lithographs from illustrated portfolios and books; watercolor paintings; pen-and-ink drawings; book illustrations, title-page designs, and ex-libris plates. Common subjects include allegorical and mythological figures, erotic and sensuous compositions, fantastical and phantasmagoric scenes, aristocratic portraiture, and decorative Art Nouveau motifs. He also produced commercial graphic work under the pseudonym Choisy le Conin.

## Market and appraisal context

Franz von Bayros's work appears at auction most often as original etchings, drypoints, and lithographs from his illustrated portfolios and book commissions. Key valuation factors include the specific portfolio or series, whether the print is a signed lifetime impression, plate size, paper quality, and overall condition. Works from his "Tales at the Dressing Table" and other erotic portfolios tend to attract particular collector interest. Original watercolors and drawings are less commonly seen at auction and may carry premiums when well-attributed. As with many early-twentieth-century printmakers, collectors should confirm attribution and distinguish between original prints and later reproductions or restrikes.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine identity research from museum, library-authority, and scholarly sources with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q26917
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500103628
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/68925267/
- RKD: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/5262
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_von_Bayros
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n84123960