What a Signed Vuillard Print Actually Costs Today
Signed Vuillard lithographs span a wide market, from modest auction lots to five figure sheets. The size, the series and the signature all move the number, and knowing which matters saves money.
A signed Vuillard print typically sells for roughly $1,000 to $10,000 at auction, with small 1890s colour lithographs at the lower end and large sheets from the 1899 Paysages et intérieurs series well above it. Unsigned reproductions, by contrast, cost under $100. The signature, not the image, accounts for most of that gap.
What Drives the Price Up or Down
Vuillard made most of his original prints in the 1890s, when he was working with the Nabi group and producing colour lithographs of interiors and street scenes. Those early sheets carry the strongest prices. Later lithographs, and restrikes printed after the fact, sell for considerably less. A signature in pencil, as opposed to one printed into the stone, is the single largest value marker.
Condition matters more than buyers expect. Fading, foxing, trimming at the sheet edge or mat burn can halve a price. Because these lithographs were often issued in portfolios and bound, sheets with binding folds or trimmed margins trade well below clean examples of the same image. Two impressions of the same lithograph can differ in price by a factor of three.
Where the Money Goes by Tier
The market divides cleanly into three tiers. At the bottom, unsigned reproductions and posthumous printings sell for tens of dollars and are decoration, not collecting. In the middle, small unsigned period lithographs and lesser signed sheets trade in the low thousands. At the top, signed impressions of the major 1890s colour lithographs, particularly the large interior scenes, reach five figures when condition is strong.
Buyers comparing these tiers should be clear about what they are paying for. A signature adds provenance and scarcity, but it does not change what is on the wall. From across a room, a good reproduction of a Vuillard interior and a signed lithograph look similar. The signed impressionist print market prices rarity and paper history, and those are invisible at viewing distance.
Before you bid or buy
- Confirm the signature is hand applied in pencil, not part of the printed image
- Ask for the catalogue reference and the series the sheet belongs to
- Check the full sheet margins, since trimming reduces value sharply
- Compare recent auction results for the same lithograph, not similar looking ones
The Reproduction Market Is Different
It is worth separating the two markets outright, because the price confusion that surrounds Vuillard comes from mixing them. A signed original lithograph is a work Vuillard himself printed or supervised, and it competes at auction with other period works on paper. A framed reproduction of one of his paintings is a decorative object with a completely different cost structure, usually under $150 framed.
For most people decorating a home, the reproduction is the sensible purchase and the signed print is not. The auction route also brings buyer considereds, shipping for works on paper and the risk of misattribution. If the goal is a Vuillard interior on the wall at a known price, a well made edition does that job. If the goal is ownership of a period object, budget in the thousands and buy from a dealer or auction house that guarantees attribution.
The signature is worth thousands. The image on the wall is worth what any print is worth.
| Type | Typical price | What you are paying for |
|---|---|---|
| Small signed 1890s lithograph | $1,000 to $3,000 | Hand signature, period impression |
| Major colour lithograph, strong condition | $5,000 to $15,000 | Rarity, series importance, clean sheet |
| Unsigned period lithograph | $300 to $1,500 | Original medium without the signature |
| Reproduction, framed or canvas | Under $150 | The image alone, at any size |
Signed Vuillard print price by tier
Key takeaways
- Signed Vuillard prints generally run from about $1,000 to $10,000, with exceptional sheets higher.
- A pencilled hand signature is worth far more than a signature printed into the image.
- Condition and full sheet margins move the price as much as the specific lithograph does.
- Reproductions sit in a separate market entirely and cost under $150 framed.
Related questions
Are all Vuillard lithographs signed?
No. Many were issued unsigned in portfolios, and signatures were often added later, either by Vuillard at the time of sale or by others afterwards. An unsigned period impression is still an original print and still collectable, but it trades at a fraction of a comparable signed sheet.
Do signed Vuillard prints go up in value?
Period works on paper by well known Nabi and post impressionist artists have historically held value, but individual results vary with condition and fashion. Buy a signed print because you want the object. Treat any appreciation as incidental, and expect auction commissions and considereds to eat into resale.
Is a signed print the same as a signed painting?
No, and the price gap is enormous. Vuillard paintings sell in the millions at major auction houses. A signed lithograph is an original work on paper, printed in an edition, and priced in the thousands. Both are authentic Vuillard, but they are different markets with different risks.
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View the collectionGeneral art-historical background drawn from public museum records and standard reference literature. Pricing reflects Auvrique editions and is indicative only.