# Mario Prassinos artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/mario-prassinos/
Profile generated: 2026-05-09T21:24:07.875Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Death date: 1985-10-23
- Nationality: Greek, French
- Movements: French Modernism
- Common media: painting, printmaking (engraving), illustration, stage design (scenography), sculpture, textile art

## About Mario Prassinos

Mario Prassinos (1916–1985) was a French modernist painter, printmaker, illustrator, and stage designer of Greek-Italian descent. Born in Constantinople (now Istanbul), he moved to France as a child and was naturalized as a French citizen in 1949. Prassinos worked across an unusually broad range of media — painting, engraving, illustration, scenography, sculpture, and textile art — and became a recognized figure in twentieth-century French art. His work is held in major institutional collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Prassinos also pursued writing, and his literary output complemented his visual practice throughout his career. Collectors encounter his work most often through prints and illustrated editions, though his paintings and stage designs also appear on the market.

## Common works and media

Prassinos produced engravings and other prints, oil and mixed-media paintings, book illustrations, stage and theater set designs, sculptural works, and textile pieces. Prints — especially etchings and lithographs — are the most frequently encountered medium at auction. Illustrated books and portfolios bearing his visual contributions also circulate among collectors.

## Market and appraisal context

Mario Prassinos's work appears regularly at auction, with engraved prints and illustrated books being the most commonly traded categories. Paintings are less frequently offered and may command different levels of interest depending on period, size, and provenance. Stage designs and textile works represent a niche collecting area. As with many twentieth-century French artists, factors such as attribution, edition size for prints, condition, exhibition history, and documented provenance can materially affect appraisal outcomes. Institutional holdings, including works at MoMA, add credibility but do not directly predict market value.

## Appraisily data basis

This Appraisily artist page combines identity research from museum records, library authority files, and biographical sources with available auction-house context, sale records, and comparable lot data. When specific realized prices or auction histories are available, they inform the market observations above. Collectors should treat all market observations as general context and consult a qualified appraiser for item-specific valuations.

## Sources

- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50021562
- RKD (Netherlands Institute for Art History): https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/64661
- The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/4721
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/49316539/
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q472243
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500074250
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Prassinos