# Paul Verlaine artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/paul-verlaine/
Profile generated: 2026-05-24T22:46:46.478Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1844-03-30
- Death date: 1896-01-08
- Nationality: French
- Movements: Symbolism, Parnassianism, Decadent movement
- Common media: Drawing, Manuscript, Autograph letter

## About Paul Verlaine

Paul Marie Verlaine (1844–1896) was a French poet, writer, and critic widely regarded as one of the most important figures of the fin de siècle. Associated with the Symbolist, Parnassian, and Decadent movements, Verlaine helped reshape modern French poetry through his emphasis on musicality, nuance, and mood over strict narrative. His major collections, including Fêtes galantes and Romances sans paroles, influenced generations of poets across Europe. Beyond his literary output, Verlaine is documented as a draftsperson in the RKD (Netherlands Institute for Art History), and his visual works on paper occasionally surface at auction. His tempestuous life—including his relationship with Arthur Rimbaud and periods of imprisonment—has made him a compelling figure for collectors of 19th-century literary and artistic manuscripts.

## Common works and media

Autograph letters and signed correspondence, handwritten poetry manuscripts, first and early editions of his published verse collections, drawings and works on paper, photographic portraits and printed ephemera related to his public life, and illustrated or limited editions of his works by associated artists.

## Market and appraisal context

Collectors most commonly encounter Paul Verlaine at auction through autograph letters, literary manuscripts, and first editions of his poetry. Signed manuscripts and correspondence—especially letters connecting to figures like Rimbaud or Mallarmé—tend to attract stronger interest. Verlaine's drawings, while catalogued by RKD, are less frequently seen and should be carefully authenticated. Provenance, condition of paper and ink, the literary significance of the content, and verifiable signatures are the primary factors affecting value. Prints and photographic portraits of Verlaine also circulate, generally at lower price points.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research from authority files and museum records with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. For Paul Verlaine, identity data is sourced from Wikidata, Getty ULAN, VIAF, Library of Congress, RKD, and MoMA.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q755
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Verlaine
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500628201
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/4937684/
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79043496
- The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/12907
- RKD - Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/328312