A Seller’s Guide to Jean-Paul Riopelle

In recent years, there has been a considerable surge in the value of Riopelle prints, with five of the top 10 auction sales occurring in 2024. The artist’s significant standing, and the market’s enduring appreciation for abstract art, mean that purchasing his printed work is both a great investment and an opportunity to own a significant work of art for a more accessible price. Individual prints by Riopelle typically fetch between £1,000 and £5,000, with lithographs from the 1960s and 1970s performing particularly well, often achieving prices above this range.

Riopelle's work is known for his distinctive technique of layering colours and shapes to create depth, energy, and movement - something that is very well-suited to the print medium. His lithographs and etchings are perfect embodiments of his artistic style. As such, his most valuable prints are those that demonstrate this most effectively, with dynamic, colourful compositions and intense detail. In 2018, Echo (1967), a vast lithograph of rich, overlapping colour, with additional collage elements, sold for £14,246 at auction, setting the record for highest price achieved by a Riopelle print. Four years later, in 2022, Sans Titre (1985) sold for £12,111. Although this piece is considered one of Riopelle’s later prints, it originates with a painting created using the brush-less mosaic technique best associated with the 1950s; the thick, sculptural quality of the paint can be easily seen.

Other popular print series include his Les Suites series (1972) - monochromatic prints that were, at the time, the largest lithographs ever produced in Europe. Their scale, significance in the history of printmaking, and relative rarity (at an edition of only 30 prints) ensure they stand out for collectors. In 2024, Suite Fancy (1972) sold for £7,634.

Series that appear frequently at auction include Les Mouches À Marier and Auprès De Mon Lac, prints from both of which have sold for over £3,000 as recently as 2021. These prints are all examples of Riopelle’s profound connection to nature and its influence on his style and compositions. They demonstrate the mosaic effect of his paintings and the experimental techniques he used to capture this in print form.

The most vital part of print authentication is establishing provenance - reviewing the paper trail that illustrates the pattern of ownership and exhibition from the print’s creation. Documentation such as certificates of authenticity from the artist’s studio or publishing house, receipts from gallery or auction sales, exhibition catalogues, or correspondence with an authoritative body, is all worth collecting and preserving alongside your print.

Professional appraisers will be able to assess the materials used in your print and ensure they align with expectations for the edition. Paper type plays an important part in this process. Riopelle’s Les Suites series, for example, was printed on Arches paper, while the print Clairière (1969) was printed on Chiffon de Mandeure paper. High-quality papers such as these will bear stamps or watermarks that make them easy to identify. The printing process itself, whether lithography, etching, or a combination of techniques, should also be consistent with Riopelle's known practices for the period in which the print was produced, and can only be confidently verified by an expert in Riopelle’s printmaking.

The definitive resource for authenticating Riopelle's work is the catalogue raisonné compiled by Yseult Riopelle, the artist's daughter. This comprehensive catalogue documents Riopelle's entire artistic output, including his prints, and provides detailed information on techniques, editions, and variations. You should be able to directly compare your print to the entries in the catalogue.

Riopelle worked with various publishing houses and print studios throughout his career, including Maeght Éditeur. Each of these collaborations has its own characteristics in terms of paper, technique, style, and stamps or signatures, which can be identified and used to corroborate the authenticity of your print. Understanding these nuances and the evolution of Riopelle's printmaking practice over time is essential for accurate authentication and valuation.

Edition and Signature

Jean-Paul Riopelle's approach to signing and numbering his prints was generally consistent throughout his career, although there are some variations to be aware of. Typically, a very neat, looped signature of “riopelle” in lowercase appears in pencil in the lower right corner of the print, often accompanied by the year of creation. The edition number is not always found on the front of the print; when visible, it is written as a fraction.

Riopelle's print editions varied in size, with some limited to as few as 30 copies, while others reached 150 or more. Artist's proofs, often marked “E.A.” (épreuve d'artiste), are highly sought after by collectors. In some cases, particularly with experimental prints or those created for special occasions, Riopelle produced unique variants or very small editions, which can be especially valuable. “H.C.”, or Hors Commerce, prints are extremely rare; these non-commercial prints were often given as gifts by Riopelle to close friends and family.

Browse Jean-Paul Riopelle prints on the Trading Floor and find out more about the print market growth on the MAB100 Print Index.

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The market for Riopelle prints has shown steady growth; however, interest can dip and spike in line with cultural events and the cyclical nature of the secondary art market. For this reason, staying abreast of news, trends, and events will help you time the sale of your Riopelle print most profitably.

The biggest influence on the print market is often the exhibition schedule at major galleries. Prominent retrospectives are likely to generate more interest from new and existing collectors alike. The National Gallery of Canada held a major retrospective of Riopelle’s work in 2023, titled Crossroads in Time. This exhibition was followed by 12 months of near-record sales across Canada, including two of the top four print sales to date: Clairière (1969) and Été Indien (1969). The exhibition was held to commemorate the centenary of Riopelle’s birth - anniversaries such as this can also play a big part in driving the ebbs and flows of the art market.

One of the best ways to keep up-to-date with trends is by monitoring sales results and value trajectory reports from major auction houses and galleries. These resources can provide insights into which periods or techniques of Riopelle's printmaking are currently in highest demand, as well as broader trends in Abstract Expressionist and post-war art. For instance, if a pattern of high-value sales of Riopelle's early lithographs from the 1950s emerges, it might be an opportune time to sell works from that period.

Seasonal factors can also play a role in timing your sale. The art market typically sees increased activity in the spring and autumn, coinciding with major art fairs and auction seasons. However, for prints in the mid-range value category, which includes many Riopelle prints, the market can be active year-round, especially through private sales.

MyArtBroker offers advanced art tech tools to help you determine the optimal time to sell. Our MyPortfolio service features an AI-powered value indicator that provides real-time valuations of individual prints based on both public and private sales data. Combined with our complimentary valuations, we can help ensure your print achieves maximum value by selling at the perfect moment.

At MyArtBroker, our specialists provide a free market valuation for your artwork, offering a level of transparency unmatched in today’s market. In addition to our valuations, through our online Trading Floor, you can access real-time insights into works by the artist you’re looking to sell, including pieces that are most in demand, wanted, or currently for sale: allowing sellers to trust the valuation that they are provided.

Additionally, the MyPortfolio collection management service grants you free access to our comprehensive print market database. This resource allows you to review auction histories for the specific work you’re looking to sell, including hammer prices, values paid, and seller returns. In a fluctuating market, this historical data is invaluable - and often comes at a cost elsewhere - offering insights into past and current values to further inform decisions based on market timing and conditions. In addition to our specialists guidance, you have concrete data.

Our approach is tailored to align with the unique attributes of each artwork, and offer optimal results:

How a Private Sale Works

Unlike peer-to-peer platforms, which lack specialised expertise, authenticity guarantees, and legal infrastructure for high-value sales, MyArtBroker operates through private sales ensuring a secure and seamless transaction process. We charge sellers 0% to sell, and take a small commission from our buyers, absorbing essential aspects including insurance, shipping, and marketing - at no extra cost to the seller. There is no magic to it, we’re a lean specialised business with less overheads than traditional models meaning we can do better for our clients.

Our revenue is derived from buyer commissions only, which are individually negotiated upon offer, and we aim to give the client the best return in the market place. By focusing on high-value artworks in excess of £10,000, we provide specialised care and expertise, ensuring each piece receives the attention it deserves, while simultaneously maximising returns with our clients. For works that fall below this threshold speak to the team about a recommendation, we offer market advisory free of charge. Our goal at MyArtBroker is to offer a seamless solution, setting us apart in the art market.

Advisory and Recommendations

In cases for artists and artworks, where our existing network of collectors isn’t the best fit due to value, medium or condition we collaborate with reputable partners to facilitate its sale. Carefully tailoring your artwork to the right party. This tailored approach is especially important as it considers the unique attributes of each artwork, providing sellers with the best possible outcome in today’s shifting art market. You can discuss this approach with us without charge as part of our advisory service.

Such recommendations are on a case-by-case basis, and ensures broader exposure and takes advantage of our knowledge of where a work will do best.

In addition to our live trading floor, MyArtBroker's MyPortfolio serves as a collection management system, empowering collectors to curate and oversee their prints and editions collection. This feature grants users access to our print market database, uniquely tied to our proprietary algorithm, SingularityX. This algorithm scans and analyses both public auction and private sales data to determine real time valuations of individual print works, factoring in various aspects such as condition, colour, and other factors affecting value.

Read What Powers MyArtBroker's Technology? In Conversation With Stuart Jamieson, Financial Quant to learn more about our algorithm.