Agathon LÉONARD

Do you own a piece by Agathon Léonard and would you like to know more about the work and its value? Our Experts will carry out a free appraisal of your sculpture, provide you with an estimate of the market price, and help you to sell it at the best price.

Status, price and estimation of the artist Agathon LÉONARD

Price of a sculpture: €600 – €50,000

From Lille to Paris: the road to recognition

A sculptor of Belgian origin, then naturalized as French, Léonard was born in Lille in 1841 and died in Paris in 1923. Léonard Agathon Van Weydevelde was an important reference for Art Nouveau and the female figure.

Art was a vocation for the young Agathon from a very early age, and he began to attend the École des Beaux-Arts in his home town, Lille, as soon as he could, before finally moving to the bustling capital of Paris. He continued his studies at the École des Beaux-Arts before settling down permanently. He even went so far as to become a naturalized citizen, seduced by the culture and education he received.

Increasingly recognised in the city’s artistic circles, he exhibited for the first time at the Salon in 1868 before joining the Society of French Artists and then the Society of Fine Arts in 1897. He was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1900. His fame was such that his work “Le Jeu de l’écharpe” (The Scarf Game), presented at the Paris Universal Exhibition, was offered to the Russian imperial couple by Emile Loubet, President of the Republic at the time.

Art Nouveau and femininity: the cornerstones of his work

Working essentially with bronze, ceramics, marble, quartz and ivory, Leonardo’s work is largely influenced by Art Nouveau. Defined as a reaction to the excesses of industrialisation, this artistic movement, which left a lasting impression on the artist, was imbued with the elements of nature, with rhythms and strong colours designed to demonstrate the artist’s creativity.

From this conception of art, Leonardo retained the motif of femininity as a way of expressing his paradigm of the human condition and his passion for the female form. This resulted in numerous Dancers, such as the Singing Dancer (1907), and sculptures such as The Peasant Woman (1899), each one more ethereal than the next.

Long-forgotten work resurfaces

However, despite the extent of his talent and his numerous awards, as well as his recognition by his contemporaries, Leonardo’s work was long neglected by modernity, before departmental museums such as that of Beauvais gave him back a well-deserved visibility. His works are also popular with buyers. The sale of the Dancer with Cothurn (54 cm in platinum bronze), which was sold for 15,000 euros, is a good example.

Appraise and sell a sculpture by Agathon Léonard

If you own an Agathon Léonard sculpture, ask for a free estimate via our online form.

You will then be contacted by a member of our team of experts and auctioneers to give you an independent view of the market price of your painting. In the event of a sale, our specialists will also advise you on the various options available to sell your work at the best price.