An exceptional portrait by Labille Guiard from the 18th century has recently rewritten the history of international auctions with a great record. The art collecting world is giving unprecedented recognition to Adélaïde Labille Guiard, confirming the growing interest in great female painters of the past.
What is the new value of the artist?
The painting Portrait of Marquise Marie-Thérèse-Odile de la Valette reached the record figure of 1.1 million pounds (about 1.5 million dollars). The work was auctioned by Christie’s in London on June 30.
Nevertheless, the final price almost doubled the initial maximum estimate. This sale marks a turning point for the French painter, admitted to the Académie Royale in 1783. Since then, her figure is finally breaking away from the historic rivalry with Elisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun.
A career against gender prejudices
Born in 1749, the painter fought determinedly against the social conventions of her time. She studied under the guidance of the pastel master Quentin de la Tour at the Académie de Saint-Luc, learning oil painting independently.
The rise of a pioneer
Subsequently, in 1795, she obtained the prestigious right to have a studio at the Louvre, a historic achievement for a woman of that era. Additionally, she financially supported several emerging young female artists.
How is the art market reacting?
Historical data indicates a steady growth in collecting interest. Between 2018 and 2025, the average auction price for her works in the art market increased by over 250%.
However, her works rarely appear in public auctions. In the last ten years, in fact, the Artnet database records only nine auction appearances for this extraordinary author.
| Work | Year of Sale | Auction House | Hammer Price |
| Portrait of Marquise de la Valette | June 2025 | Christie’s | £1,100,000 ($1,500,000) |
| Self-portrait (acquired by Versailles) | December 2024 | Tajan | €843,800 ($988,785) |
| Unnamed Portrait | End of 2022 | Beaussant & Lefèvre | €243,200 ($258,530) |
What elements make up this masterpiece?
The painting boasts impeccable preservation and dates back to the artist’s most famous period. It was exhibited at the prestigious Salon of 1787 and has an uninterrupted provenance starting from the same noblewoman depicted.
Overall, these elements have driven collectors to compete for the work with great enthusiasm. This exceptional provenance justifies the surge in value compared to the conservative estimates on the eve.
A balance for Christie’s seasonal sales
The evening auction dedicated to Old Masters at Christie’s generated a total of 38.9 million pounds (about 51.4 million dollars), with 90% of the lots sold.
That said, the overall result is at lower levels compared to the previous year, which recorded as much as 55.3 million pounds (75.9 million dollars). That exceptional total was driven by a masterpiece by Canaletto sold for the record figure of 31.9 million pounds (43.9 million dollars).
Moreover, today’s excellent performance demonstrates that the art market continues to reward works of utmost rarity and historical quality.
As expert in digital marketing, Amelia began working in the fintech sector in 2014 after writing her thesis on Bitcoin technology. Previously author for several international crypto-related magazines and CMO at Eidoo. She is now the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Cryptonomist and Econique.
She is also a marketing teacher at Digital Coach in Milan and she published a book about NFTs for the Italian publishing house Mondadori, while she is also helping artists and company to entering in the sector. As advisor, Amelia is also involved in metaverse-related project such as The Nemesis and OVER.
