Hans Bellmer

Do you have a piece by Hans Bellmer in your possession and would like to know its value? Our Experts will carry out a free appraisal of your piece, provide you with an estimate of the market price, and then help you to sell at the best possible price.

Quote, estimate and price of the artist Hans Bellmer

Average price of a drawing: 1 500 – 21 500 €.

Estimate for a print: 80 – 350 €.

Average artist rating for a photograph: 1,000 – 88 200 €.

Estimation of a painting: 6 500 – 65,000 €.

Hans Bellmer’s training

Hans Bellmer was born in Kattowitz on 13 March 1902 and died in Paris on 23 February 1975. He cultivated a taste for the marvellous through toys and popular novels in a violent family context. In 1922, he learned industrial design at the Technische Hochschule in Berlin. He became interested in the politics of Marx and the discussions of the artists of the Dada movement. In 1924, on the advice of Grosz, he abandoned his studies to train as a typographer at Malik-Verlag.

Hans Bellmer and Surrealism

In 1925-1926, he went to Paris and met some members of the Dada and Surrealist group. Back in Berlin, he opened an advertising studio which he was forced to close in 1933 because of the political context. It was during this period that he produced his work “La poupée” directly inspired by the “Contes from Hoffmann”. He will have the same approach as the surrealists without being aware of it. From 1936 onwards, he exhibited his creations with André Breton’s surrealist group. It is for him the occasion to present his drawings and his ball joint sculptures. According to him, the woman is an anagram that metamorphoses ad infinitum.

In 1938, after the death of his wife, he left Germany to settle in Paris. During the war, he was imprisoned in the Camp des Milles with Max Ernst before moving to Castres where he painted portraits for a living. He will elaborate his works with the decalcomania process developed by Oscar Dominguez. He also discovered engraving and he illustrated the second version of Alain Gheerbrant’s “l’histoire de l’œil”.

In 1949 he made the second “poupée” and published his photos in the book “jeu de poupée”, but he could hardly make a living from his art. During a trip to Berlin, he met the journalist Unica Zürn with whom he created a book mixing drawings and anagrams. They both return to Paris and lead a precarious life. In 1959, Daniel Cordier bought a large number of works. It was not until 1966 that his art was honoured in Germany. In 1970, his girlfriend committed suicide and he continued his search for textures alone despite his hemiplegia.

Recognising Bellmer’s signature

Like many artists, Hans Bellmer did not sign all of his works. However, you will find below an example of the signatures to give you an idea. Variations of these signatures do exist, do not hesitate to contact one of our experts to formally authenticate a signature.

Appraising and selling a piece by Hans Bellmer

If you own a piece by Hans Bellmer or any other object, 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 piece. In the context of a possible sale, our specialists will also advise you on the different options available to sell your work at the best price.