# Théodore Géricault artist context and auction value notes Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/theodore-gericault/ Profile generated: 2026-05-05T02:10:33.206Z Quality: high confidence, strong sources ## Artist identity - Birth date: 1791-09-26 - Death date: 1824-01-26 - Nationality: French - Movements: Romanticism - Common media: oil painting, lithography, drawing, sculpture ## About Théodore Géricault Théodore Géricault (1791–1824) was a French painter, lithographer, and draftsman whose dramatic compositions helped define the Romantic movement in French art. Born Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault in Rouen, he trained in Paris and studied the Old Masters intensively, copying Rembrandt's paintings at the Louvre. His masterpiece, The Raft of the Medusa (1818–19), depicting a contemporary shipwreck scandal, became one of the most debated paintings of its era and remains a landmark of Romantic painting at the Musée du Louvre. Géricault also produced a significant body of lithographs, equestrian subjects, and portraits of the mentally ill that reflected his interest in psychology and marginal experience. His career spanned roughly 1810 to 1824, cut short by his death at age 32. Despite his brief output, Géricault influenced a generation of Romantic painters including Eugène Delacroix. Collectors today encounter his work primarily through drawings, prints, and the rare painting at auction. ## Common works and media Common Géricault works encountered at auction and in appraisal contexts include lithographs (especially equestrian scenes and narrative subjects), pen-and-ink drawings, watercolor studies, and oil paintings on canvas or panel. His print output includes lithographic series depicting horses, military scenes, and subjects from contemporary life. Drawings range from quick compositional sketches to finished presentation sheets. Oil paintings span monumental history paintings, cavalry and horse portraits, and landscapes. Works on paper form the largest share of market appearances. Attribution to Géricault's circle or followers is common and should be assessed by specialists familiar with his draughtsmanship and printmaking techniques. ## Market and appraisal context Géricault's auction market spans 161 recorded lots from 2003 through early 2026, with 91 carrying realized prices. The market is anchored by major houses—Sotheby's and Christie's dominate the upper tier, while Tajan, Artcurial, Bonhams, and Piasa handle mid-range works, and Swann Auction Galleries, Roseberys, Hampel Fine Art Auctions, and Koller cover prints and works on paper. Prices are widely dispersed: the entry level starts around $100 for later impressions and minor prints, the median sits near $8,125, and the upper quartile reaches $35,000. The recorded maximum of $970,000 reflects a premium oil or major study. Liquidity is steady at roughly 11–12 lots per year, indicating consistent but limited supply—consistent with an artist whose major paintings are institutionally held. The most active categories are lithographs and works on paper, particularly equestrian subjects and studies related to The Raft of the Medusa. Drawings and gouaches carry significantly higher values than prints, with Sotheby's and Bonhams recording prices of €30,000–65,000 for attributed study sheets. ## Auction-house-backed market evidence Géricault's auction market spans 161 recorded lots from 2003 through early 2026, with 91 carrying realized prices. The market is anchored by major houses—Sotheby's and Christie's dominate the upper tier, while Tajan, Artcurial, Bonhams, and Piasa handle mid-range works, and Swann Auction Galleries, Roseberys, Hampel Fine Art Auctions, and Koller cover prints and works on paper. Prices are widely dispersed: the entry level starts around $100 for later impressions and minor prints, the median sits near $8,125, and the upper quartile reaches $35,000. The recorded maximum of $970,000 reflects a premium oil or major study. Liquidity is steady at roughly 11–12 lots per year, indicating consistent but limited supply—consistent with an artist whose major paintings are institutionally held. The most active categories are lithographs and works on paper, particularly equestrian subjects and studies related to The Raft of the Medusa. Drawings and gouaches carry significantly higher values than prints, with Sotheby's and Bonhams recording prices of €30,000–65,000 for attributed study sheets. ### Appraisal notes Appraisily would use these auction records as comparable-sale benchmarks alongside the client's photographs, measured dimensions, identified medium (oil on canvas, lithograph, pen-and-ink drawing, watercolor, gouache), signature or inscriptions, condition report (foxing, tears, fading, trimming, later margins for prints), and documented provenance. Attribution level is critical: lots catalogued as 'by' Géricault trade at a premium to those listed as 'attributed to,' 'circle of,' or 'after.' Edition details matter for lithographs—early impressions on the original stone command higher values than later restrikes. The 161-lot dataset with 91 priced results provides a meaningful comparable pool, but appraisers should filter by medium, size, condition, and attribution tier rather than relying on aggregate price statistics alone. Works with scholarly publication history (exhibition catalogues, raisonné references) or Raft of the Medusa-related provenance carry premium valuations. ### Valuation factors - [object Object] - [object Object] - [object Object] - [object Object] - [object Object] - [object Object] - [object Object] ### Collector notes - [object Object] - [object Object] - [object Object] - [object Object] - [object Object] ### Market caveats - [object Object] - [object Object] - [object Object] - [object Object] - [object Object] ### Market evidence sources - Appraisily auction record index: https://appraisily.com/api/scraper-search/artists/theodore-gericault/seo-profile?recentLimit=24&relatedLimit=0 - Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-theodore-gericault-french-1791-1824-le-marche-aux-ahevaux-cinq-chevaux-au-piquet-390-c-8980bf9434 - Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-theodore-gericault-108-c-64c4a70a40 ## Appraisily data basis Appraisily artist pages combine identity research from museum, library authority, and scholarly sources with auction records, auction-house catalogue data, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. For Théodore Géricault, identity and biographical data are drawn from the RKD Netherlands Institute, Library of Congress, MoMA, VIAF, and Wikidata. Market context reflects general auction-category knowledge and should be supplemented with specific comparable-sale data for individual appraisal use. ## Sources - RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/31065 - Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50016306 - Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q184212 - Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%A9odore_G%C3%A9ricault - The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/65358 - VIAF / OCLC: https://viaf.org/viaf/64128788/