Paul Delvaux

Do you own any Paul Delvaux’s artwork? Are you curious to know what they are worth? Our Experts can provide a free appraisal to give you an estimate of the market price, then help you to ensure the best possible price should you decide to sell.

Value, estimation and price of the artist Paul Delvaux

Price of a painting: 14,000 – 8 400,000 €.

Estimate of a drawing: 2 800 – 220,000 €.

Estimation of a print: 90 – 37,000 €.

If you would like to have a work by Paul Delvaux appraised, our experts will take care of everything.

Training and influences

Paul Delvaux was a Belgian post-impressionist, expressionist and ultimately surrealist painter. He was born on 23 September 1897 in Antheit and died on 20 July 1994 in Furnes.

Paul Delvaux was subject to his mother’s authority and became fearful of her and the whole female universe. He was also influenced by his best friend, Émile Salkin, another renowned painter. They regularly went to the Natural History Museum in Brussels together to draw the skeletons on display.

He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels where he created post-impressionist and expressionist paintings under the tuition of Jean Delville and Constant Montald. Paul Delvaux was passionate about the railway station, as can be seen with Evening Trains, but destroyed all his works with each different current. He also found inspiration in the early 1930s at the Foire du Midi in Brussels, which continued to be a source of inspiration throughout his life.

Surrealism and exhibitions

In 1934, Paul Delvaux discovered Surrealism through the painting Mystery and Melancholy of a Street by Giorgio de Chirico. His works have recurring themes such as nude women and men in suits. He exhibited his works at the Surrealists’ exhibition in Paris in 1938, but also at the World’s Fair in 1958. He painted the mural compositions of the Casino-Kursal of Ostend, but also those of the Institute of Zoology of Liège and those of the Palais des Congrès of Brussels. Paul Delvaux was elected as correspondent at the Royal Academy of Belgium in 1956 and as an honorary member two years later.

On the Belgian coast, in the village of Saint-Idesbald, a private museum dedicated to Paul Delvaux was established in 1982. It is located next to the Paul Delvaux Foundation founded by the painter himself. It houses the largest collection of works by Paul Delvaux in the world.

The painting The Road to Rome was sold for $2,652,500 in New York at a Sotheby’s auction in November 2016.

Recognising Paul Delvaux’s signature

Like many artists, Paul Delvaux 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 Delvaux’s artwork

If you own a Paul Delvaux’s artwork, use our online form for a free appraisal.

You will then be contacted by a member of our team of experts and auctioneers to give you an independent opinion of the market price. Should you wish to sell your painting or any other artwork, our specialists will also advise you on the various options available for selling at the best price.