How Much Is Concarneau. Calme du soir (allegro maestoso) Worth?

Concarneau scenes from 1891 represent Signac’s mature Pointillist technique and his focused engagement with coastal light and chromatic harmony. The Concarneau group is well regarded in Signac scholarship and frequently cited in exhibition histories of his Neo‑Impressionist period. As a clearly dated, signed scene from 1891, Op.220 sits within a peak creative moment for the artist. That art‑historical placement elevates market desirability among museum curators and blue‑chip private collectors; works that are both demonstrative of Signac’s method and traceable to key series tend to out‑perform generic late‑19th‑century marine views. For valuation purposes this factor materially raises the ceiling and supports competitive bidding when other elements (condition, provenance, literature) align.

Op.220’s provenance into Count Antoine de La Rochefoucauld, later to Galerie de l’Élysée, then Robert Lehman and the Lehman gift to The Metropolitan Museum of Art (1975 accession) is a significant value enhancer. Museum provenance and a Lehman collection history confer institutional validation and provenance clarity — two attributes that reduce buyer risk and increase estimates. However, the same museum ownership that enhances prestige also makes an appearance on the market less likely (deaccession is rare and often constrained), which affects liquidity and the probability of a sale. When museum works do appear, they frequently attract deep institutional and private buyer pools, driving prices upward.

The painting’s physical state — original canvas, evidence of relining, degree of inpainting, varnish discoloration and structural stability — will be decisive. At 64.8 × 81.3 cm (25½ × 32 in), the work is a moderate, displayable scale favored by collectors; size is supportive but not determinative. Major conservation interventions or extensive restoration history can reduce market value materially (often 20–50% or more depending on severity). Conversely, intact original paint and a minimal‑intervention history support premium pricing. A detailed condition report and technical imaging (X‑ray/IR/UV) are required to lock down the estimate.

The direct sister work Op.219 (Concarneau, calme du matin) sold for $39.32M at Christie’s NY (Nov 2022) and functions as the strongest single‑lot anchor for Op.220’s market potential [2]. Other large Signac seascapes have realized sums ranging from mid‑seven figures to tens of millions, showing a wide dispersion tied to size, quality and sale context. The post‑2022 landscape has normalized below the Paul G. Allen sale peak, but that record demonstrates the ceiling for museum‑quality Concarneaux. Using those comparables yields the $15–45M range, with mid‑case near $20–30M in typical top‑house selling conditions.

Large, high‑quality Concarneau canvases by Signac are uncommon on the market; scarcity supports higher prices when a museum‑grade example becomes available. Marketability is strong among institutional lenders and private collectors who focus on Neo‑Impressionism and major late‑19th‑century French colorists. Nevertheless, top‑end Signac sales are episodic and heavily dependent on single‑owner consignments and sale timing, making the top price volatile. Practical marketability also depends on export permissions and the owner’s willingness to permit major house promotion and potential travel/exhibition prior to sale.