Market Reports
In 2008, the financial crisis took a toll on many parts of the art market, and by 2012 the 19th-century market seemed to have hit bottom. It lingered there for about five years, and in 2018 we started to see renewed interest and prices began to rise. 2019 saw a continuation of that upward trend with better works and new, and even young (under 40) buyers, coming to the market. I believe that collectors now realize how inexpensive many of the better 19th-century academic/realist works are in comparison to the upper levels of the contemporary market.
Over the past year, we have sold many important academic works, including those by Hugues Merle, Geza Vastagh, Rudolph Ernst, Ferdinand Roybet, Jehangeorges Vibert, Adolphe Lesrel, Daniel Ridgway Knight, Cesare Detti—and 20thcentury works by Paul Aizpiri, Louis Valtat, Stanley Bielecky, Cecil Chichester, Richard Kimbel, Johann Berthelsen, Guy Wiggins, Antoine Blanchard and Edouard Cortes.
It is difficult to “discover” new artists in the historical field. Overall, what I can say is that there are still many artists whose work is undervalued. Collectors and buyers should spend a little time searching through various gallery websites to find the art that speaks to them…in other words, brings a smile to their face or stirs up pleasant memories. Then dive in and learn more about the artists by contacting the galleries and talking with the owner/ owners; a good art dealer will be happy to educate you.
Since 2001, Howard L. Rehs has released his own “Comments on the Art Market” in monthly volumes, all of which can be found at www.rehs.com.