# George Morland artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/george-morland/
Profile generated: 2026-05-01T01:06:31.124Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1763-06-26
- Death date: 1804-10-29
- Nationality: English, British
- Movements: Late 18th-century British genre painting, Informed by Dutch Golden Age painting tradition
- Common media: oil painting, watercolor, pastel, printmaking, drawing, miniature painting

## About George Morland

George Morland (1763–1804) was an English painter, printmaker, and watercolorist remembered for lively rustic genre scenes depicting farm life, hunting, smugglers, and rural landscapes. Born in London to the artist Henry Robert Morland, he trained under his father, copying works by Paulus Potter, Joseph Vernet, and Thomas Gainsborough before developing his own distinctive style in the 1790s. His mature compositions drew heavily on the Dutch Golden Age tradition, combining richly textured landscapes with empathetic portrayals of rural labourers, travellers, and animals. Morland was remarkably prolific; the RKD records nearly 1,800 images attributed to him. His brother-in-law William Ward engraved many of his paintings, greatly extending their reach. Despite a short career—he died at forty-one—Morland's work remained popular with collectors and influenced British genre painting into the nineteenth century.

## Common works and media

Original oil paintings on canvas or panel form the core of Morland's market, particularly pastoral landscapes, stable interiors, coastal smuggling scenes, and hunting compositions. He also produced watercolors, pastels, and drawings. A large body of reproductive engravings—many executed by William Ward and other printmakers—circulates widely and represents an accessible entry point for collectors. Miniature paintings are occasionally attributed to him. Works are typically unsigned or bear the monogram GM.

## Market and appraisal context

George Morland maintains an active and well-established secondary market spanning over 25 years of recorded auction activity, with 549 total lots catalogued and 351 carrying realized prices. His work trades regularly at major international and regional houses including Christie's, Sotheby's, Bonhams, Dreweatts, Sworders, Cheffins, and Roseberys. The price distribution is wide—from $5 for reproductive prints to $37,500 for premium oils—reflecting the broad spectrum of media that circulate under his name. Original oil paintings of characteristic subjects (hunting scenes, smuggling narratives, pastoral landscapes with animals) cluster in the £1,000–£5,500 / $1,000–$10,000 range, while works described as 'after,' 'attributed,' or 'in the manner of' Morland typically realise under $500. Prints and engravings after his compositions trade between $20 and $200. Liquidity is stable, with 25 priced lots in the most recent 12-month period versus 24 in the prior period, indicating consistent collector demand. The large volume of workshop copies, follower works, and reproductive prints means that a significant portion of lots appearing at auction are not by Morland's own hand, which compresses the lower end of the distribution and makes attribution the single most consequential factor for valuation.

## Auction-house-backed market evidence

George Morland maintains an active and well-established secondary market spanning over 25 years of recorded auction activity, with 549 total lots catalogued and 351 carrying realized prices. His work trades regularly at major international and regional houses including Christie's, Sotheby's, Bonhams, Dreweatts, Sworders, Cheffins, and Roseberys. The price distribution is wide—from $5 for reproductive prints to $37,500 for premium oils—reflecting the broad spectrum of media that circulate under his name. Original oil paintings of characteristic subjects (hunting scenes, smuggling narratives, pastoral landscapes with animals) cluster in the £1,000–£5,500 / $1,000–$10,000 range, while works described as 'after,' 'attributed,' or 'in the manner of' Morland typically realise under $500. Prints and engravings after his compositions trade between $20 and $200. Liquidity is stable, with 25 priced lots in the most recent 12-month period versus 24 in the prior period, indicating consistent collector demand. The large volume of workshop copies, follower works, and reproductive prints means that a significant portion of lots appearing at auction are not by Morland's own hand, which compresses the lower end of the distribution and makes attribution the single most consequential factor for valuation.

### Appraisal notes

Appraisily uses these auction records as comparable-market context alongside the physical evidence a collector provides—photographs of the work, measured dimensions, identified medium (oil on canvas, oil on panel, watercolor, pastel, print), signature or monogram presence (Morland works often bear 'GM' or are unsigned), surface condition (noting punctures, overpainting, relining), and documented provenance chain. The 351 priced lots allow meaningful statistical benchmarking: the median and interquartile range provide a baseline, while the dispersion confirms that subject matter, medium, size, condition, and—critically—confirmed attribution each move a work substantially above or below the central tendency. An appraiser would narrow comparable sales to lots sharing the same medium, similar dimensions, and comparable subject (e.g., smuggling scenes versus pastoral landscapes versus animal studies) before adjusting for condition and provenance quality. Works appearing at top-tier houses (Christie's, Sotheby's, Bonhams) may carry modest premium assumptions relative to regional house results. All auction-record evidence is supplementary to hands-on physical inspection and should not substitute for professional connoisseurship, especially given the high volume of copies and reproductive prints attributed to Morland's circle.

### Valuation factors

- Attribution certainty is the primary driver: fully attributed original oils by Morland command multiples of works described as 'attributed to,' 'after,' 'manner of,' or 'circle of' Morland. Recent auction data confirms this gap—attributed works realise under $500 while signed originals reach $3,000–$10,000.
- Medium: original oil paintings on canvas or panel are the most valuable category, followed by watercolors and drawings. Reproductive prints and engravings after his compositions trade in the $20–$200 range and represent an accessible but distinct market tier.
- Subject matter: hunting scenes, smuggling narratives, and animal paintings generate the strongest collector interest. A recent smuggling-scene oil realised $10,000 USD at Helmuth Stone (March 2026), and 'Feeding the Pigs' achieved £5,500 at Dreweatts (November 2025).
- Dimensions matter: larger-scale compositions carry premiums. The 32 × 47 cm oil-on-panel format seen in recent Sworders and Mallams lots represents a common mid-range size.
- Condition and provenance are critical given the age of the work (late 18th century). Canvas punctures, overpainting, relining history, and any restoration documented in condition reports directly affect value.
- Auction-house tier: results from Christie's, Sotheby's, and Bonhams tend to anchor the upper end of the market; regional UK houses (Sworders, Cheffins, Roseberys) provide a robust mid-market; and US and continental houses show international demand.
- Signature or monogram: works signed or bearing the 'GM' monogram attract stronger bidding. Unsigned works require additional provenance or connoisseurship to sustain attribution.
- The substantial volume of copies and follower works dilutes the lower price range and means that professional authentication or expert catalogue notes significantly influence buyer confidence.

### Collector notes

- If you own a work you believe is by George Morland, start by determining whether it is an original oil, watercolor, or drawing versus a print or copy after his compositions. Prints after Morland—especially those by his brother-in-law William Ward—are common and collectable but trade at a fraction of original-painting values ($20–$200 versus $1,000–$10,000+). Look for the 'GM' monogram or a full signature; unsigned works require stronger provenance documentation to support attribution. Condition is especially important for works from the 1790s: check for canvas relining, panel splits, surface abrasion, and overpainting. Provenance trails showing continuous ownership or prior appearance in a recognized auction catalogue add measurable value. The market is liquid—25 lots traded in the past 12 months—so comparable sales data is available for most subject types and media. Sellers should ensure clear catalogue descriptions (original versus 'after' versus 'attributed') to avoid post-sale disputes and to attract appropriate bidding. Buyers seeking investment-grade Morland should focus on well-attributed oil paintings of his signature hunting, smuggling, or animal subjects with clean provenance and good condition.

### Market caveats

- A significant proportion of lots appearing at auction are described as 'after,' 'attributed to,' 'in the manner of,' or 'circle of' Morland rather than as securely attributed originals. Recent lots include multiple works explicitly titled 'After George Morland' or 'Painting in the Manner of George Morland,' which trade at $20–$275. These should not be confused with autograph works when assessing value.
- Price data spans multiple currencies (USD, GBP, CHF, EUR) and converting between them introduces exchange-rate variation that affects exact comparability.
- The Appraisily auction record set contains 549 lots of which 351 have realized prices; 198 lots lack price data, which means the lower and upper extremes of the market may not be fully captured.
- Morland was extremely prolific and his compositions were widely reproduced as engravings by contemporaries including his brother-in-law William Ward. The sheer volume of reproductive material means attribution requires specialist knowledge.
- Death date sources conflict: the Library of Congress records 27 October 1804, while RKD and Wikipedia record 29 October 1804. This does not affect market value but may cause confusion in provenance documentation.
- Auction results reflect hammer or realised prices and do not include buyer's premiums (typically 20–25% at major houses), which affect the total cost basis for buyers.
- The top observed price of $37,500 represents an outlier; the interquartile range of $250–$2,800 is more representative of typical trading values.

### Market evidence sources

- Appraisily auction record index: https://appraisily.com/api/scraper-search/artists/george-morland/seo-profile?recentLimit=24&relatedLimit=0
- Invaluable / Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-george-morland-british-1762-1804-attributed-pastoral-landscape-with-sheep-and-shepherd-3095-c-b5447b0b19
- Invaluable / Koller Auctions: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-george-morland-3217-c-7d882454d0
- Invaluable / Mallams: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-george-morland-1762-3-1804-soldiers-at-leisure-before-a-country-inn-with-passing-figure-on-horseback-signed-oil-on-panel-32-x-47cm-144-c-d195dbb149
- Invaluable / Roseberys: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-george-morland-british-1763-1804-a-landscape-with-men-q-156-c-f6909d1d04
- Invaluable / Helmuth Stone: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-george-morland-1763-1804-the-smugglers-22a-c-8f40c36c58
- Invaluable / Willow Auction House: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-pair-of-prints-after-george-morland-93-c-10c8278d98
- Invaluable / Willow Auction House: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-pair-of-prints-after-george-morland-209-c-71bbc5b245
- Invaluable / Meander Auctions: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-pair-of-english-family-scenes-after-george-morland-467-c-48381a08da
- Invaluable / Sworders: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-george-morland-1763-1804-181-c-36565dd9ea
- Invaluable / Millea Bros Ltd: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-george-morland-after-oil-on-canvas-3035-c-0074a3eb3b
- Invaluable / MiddleManBrokers: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-19th-c-painting-in-the-manner-of-george-morland-237-c-35b4c4d8e4
- Invaluable / Cheffins: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-after-george-morland-12-c-c0c48fda25
- Invaluable / Neue Auctions: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-the-weary-sportsman-after-george-morland-78-c-3e34a72a67

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine researched artist identity from museum, library-authority, and scholarly sources with publicly available auction records, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lot data when those records are available. Page content does not constitute an appraisal and should not be used as a substitute for professional valuation.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2405427
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Morland
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/37185990/
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83013597
- RKD (Netherlands Institute for Art History): https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/57783
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500031295