# Henry Somm artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/henry-somm/
Profile generated: 2026-05-26T10:55:19.587Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Death date: 1907-03-15
- Nationality: French
- Common media: watercolor, etching, graphic art, drawing

## About Henry Somm

Henry Somm, born François Clément Sommier (1844–1907), was a French illustrator, watercolorist, graphic artist, and etcher active in Paris from the mid-1860s until his death in 1907. He is recognized for his work across print media and watercolor, contributing to the vibrant French graphic arts tradition of the late nineteenth century. Somm's output spans illustration, etching, and watercolor painting, and he is recorded in major artist authority databases including the Getty Union List of Artist Names, the RKD, and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. His professional career, documented from approximately 1864 onward, places him among the prolific graphic artists of the Belle Époque era.

## Common works and media

Somm's most commonly encountered works include etchings, watercolors, ink drawings, and graphic illustrations. He produced illustrations for French periodicals and books, alongside independent prints and watercolor compositions. Collectors may find his work catalogued under prints and multiples, works on paper, or 19th-century European drawings. RKD records indicate 237 works attributed to him in Dutch image databases alone, suggesting a substantial and varied output across graphic media.

## Market and appraisal context

Henry Somm's works appear at auction primarily as prints, etchings, watercolors, and works on paper. Value depends on medium, with original watercolors and finished drawings typically commanding more than reproductive prints or book illustrations. Condition, provenance, date of execution, and subject matter all influence appraisal outcomes. Collectors should verify attribution carefully, as works from this period may carry gallery or studio labels rather than full signatures. Comparable auction records from major houses can help establish realistic value ranges for individual lots.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research from museum, library, and authority-file sources with available auction records, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots. For Henry Somm, identity data is grounded in the Getty ULAN, VIAF, RKD, and Wikidata authority records. Market context is general and should be supplemented with live auction-database queries for specific valuation needs.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1450980
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500001392
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/64052489/
- RKD – Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/73883
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr94014005