# Lucian Bernhard artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/lucian-bernhard/
Profile generated: 2026-05-24T12:09:07.520Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Nationality: German, Austrian
- Movements: Early twentieth-century European poster design and graphic arts
- Common media: Poster design, Painting, Type design, Graphic design

## About Lucian Bernhard

Lucian Bernhard (1883–1972) was a German graphic designer, type designer, painter, and poster artist whose work helped define the visual language of early twentieth-century commercial art. Born in Vienna, he was active in Germany before relocating to the United States, where he continued his career as a designer, interior designer, and professor. Bernhard is recognized for his influential poster designs, which favored bold product imagery over decorative ornament, and for his contributions to modern typeface design. His work is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He was the father of the noted photographer Ruth Bernhard. VIAF and Getty ULAN authority records confirm his identity and biographical details.

## Common works and media

Bernhard's most frequently seen works in appraisal and auction contexts include original lithographic advertising posters, graphic design layouts, typeface specimen sheets, and paintings. His posters for commercial clients are the most commonly traded category. Type designs and printed ephemera also appear, though less frequently. Works range from large-format exhibition and product posters to smaller printed materials and painted compositions.

## Market and appraisal context

Lucian Bernhard's works most commonly encountered at auction are original vintage posters, graphic design ephemera, and works on paper. Valuation depends heavily on attribution verification, date and place of printing, condition, provenance, and whether the piece is an original period printing or a later reissue. His commercial output was prolific, so identification of specific commissions and publisher collaborations can materially affect value. Collectors should consult comparable public auction results from major houses and specialist poster dealers for current market guidance.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. For Lucian Bernhard, identity data is sourced from Getty ULAN, VIAF, MoMA, and the RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History. Market context is general until specific auction comparable data is linked.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q472989
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucian_Bernhard
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500485719
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/8131910/
- The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/515
- RKD - Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/327816