Adélaïde Labille-Guiard Portrait Sells for Record £1.1 Million at Christie's

An 18th-century portrait by Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, titled Portrait of Marquise Marie-Thérèse-Odile de la Valette, fetched £1.1 million ($1.5 million) at Christie’s London on June 30, nearly doubling its highest estimate and establishing a new auction record for the artist. This sale highlights the growing interest in Labille-Guiard, whose average sale price has increased by over 250% from 2018 to 2025, reflecting a broader appreciation for overlooked women artists. The painting had been held in a private collection since its late 18th-century creation. Labille-Guiard was among the first women admitted to France’s Royal Academy in 1783 and became famous for her royal family portraits. In December 2024, the Palace of Versailles purchased one of her self-portraits for €843,800 ($988,785) at Tajan in Paris. Christie’s Old Masters evening sale totaled £38.9 million ($51.4 million), with 90% of the artworks sold, a decline from £55.3 million last year due to the lack of a notable Canaletto.