19th Century European Paintings

Sotheby’s 19th Century European Paintings Department offers the very best examples of works from schools and movements ranging from Orientalist to Barbizon and Academic to Victorian. Important works by such renowned artists as Gustave Courbet, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, William Bouguereau, Joaquín Sorolla, Jean-Léon Gérôme, James-Jacques-Joseph Tissot, John William Godward, Adolph von Menzel and Vilhelm Hammershøi feature in our sales.

Our global team source the finest examples from around the world to prepare highly curated auctions. Their passion for their subject and the trust they inspire in buyers and sellers alike has generated unparalleled results, including the highest sale totals in the field, and the highest price -- $36 million for Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema’s The Finding of Moses.

Auctions take place throughout the year on our premises in New York, London, Paris and Zurich. In New York, our dynamic sale schedule includes a two-part sale of 19th Century European Art in January, in conjunction with Master Paintings week, and a sale in May, scheduled to coincide with our Impressionist & Modern Art sales. We showcase the most important works of the period from both Continental and British schools, and have achieved record breaking prices in New York year after year. Our 19th Century European Paintings sales in London in July and December highlight the work of artists at the forefront of the Continental European schools. We also hold a dedicated Orientalist sale in London in late April. Our Paris salesroom hosts Tableaux et Dessins Anciens du XIXe Siècle in June whilst sales of Swiss Art are held in Zurich in June and December.