How Much Is Nu assis sur un divan (La Belle Romaine) Worth?

This painting is dated to Modigliani’s peak nude period (circa 1916–1919), the phase for which he is best known and most highly valued. Works from this series are central to his oeuvre and are museum staples and trophy acquisitions for major collections. As a seated, full‑figure nude of 1917 provenance, the work carries high intrinsic importance: it exemplifies Modigliani’s mature synthesis of elongation, simplified form and a sculptural approach to paint. High art‑historical significance translates directly into market premium because institutions and top collectors prize representative, well‑documented examples from this narrow, celebrated window.

The documented chain (artist → Leopold Zborowski → Dr Raymond‑Jacques Sabouraud → subsequent private owners and public sales) and explicit catalogue‑raisonné and exhibition citations listed in the Sotheby’s lot catalogue materially increase value and sale certainty. Clear, early provenance reduces title risk and buyer hesitation, enabling competitive bidding among institutions and deep‑pocketed private collectors. Inclusion in major catalogues and exhibition histories elevates market standing and is often a gating factor for nine‑figure pricing. Any gaps or disputes in this documentary chain would materially reduce buyer interest and price.

Sotheby’s 2010 condition note reported small historic repairs, localized retouching and a slight canvas wave. These types of interventions are common in century‑old canvases but can depress bidding if they affect visual integrity or structural stability. A full contemporary technical and conservation report (X‑ray, IR reflectography, pigment analysis, and varnish/retouch mapping) is essential: it will either validate present stability and authorship or reveal restoration histories that require disclosure and can reduce the top end. Sound conservation history supports premium pricing; significant restoration or inpainting reduces it.

Direct comparables anchor value: the 2010 realized price of ~$68.96M is the immediate anchor, while Christie’s 2015 Nu couché (~$170.4M) and Sotheby’s 2018 reclining sale (~$157M) define the upper market for premier reclining nudes. Recent regional trophy sales (e.g., notable Paris and Hong Kong results) show continued demand for well‑provenanced Modiglianis. These comparables create a broad but quantifiable band — the subject painting can reasonably achieve mid‑to‑high‑eight‑figure results, and under exceptional sale conditions may approach the lower bound of the very top tier.

Since 2020 the market for early‑20th‑century European works has seen intensified provenance scrutiny, restitution claims, and occasional seizures of suspect attributions. Modigliani works have been part of that trend. Any unresolved restitution issues, title claims, or provenance gaps will chill bidders, invite withdrawal by auction houses, or reduce insurance/guarantee options. A full legal/title search and provenance clearance (especially for transfers during the 1930s–1950s) is therefore mandatory and will materially affect liquidity and price realization. Clearing these issues preserves value; uncertainty reduces it.