Who Was Antoine Blanchard?
Was that even his real name? If not, where did it come from and why are there so many works signed with the same name?
Currently it is estimated that 1 out of every 8 or 10 works found in the market are actually by the “Antoine Blanchard” that we sell and for the record, his real name was Marcel Masson.
Original Antoine Blanchard Painting for Sale
The original Antoine Blanchard painting Porte St. Denis, a 13”x18” oil on canvas, is for sale at auction in June 2020.
By the late 1940s or early 1950s Masson began to experiment with views of Paris and these then lead to more nostalgic scenes based on photos he had collected from the 1880 – 1910 period. At this same point in time he decided to change his name from Marcel Masson to Antoine Blanchard. The current story is that he looked in the Paris phone book and chose his new name at random.
How to Spot an Authentic Antoine Blanchard
Prior to 1958 Blanchard would sign his name with a single period after the signature. Between 1958 and 1961 his style went through a number of changes including the addition of a second period. One after the first name and one after the second.
As Blanchard’s popularity grew and the demand for his paintings became international, art galleries could not acquire enough of his works and would then have another artist paint similar works. The faux “Blanchard” paintings would be signed with the artists name “Antoine Blanchard” and at the time it would not have been out of the ordinary for someone else to use the same name, as Marcel Masson did not register or copyright it. Additionally, at the time they were being painted patrons were not buying works for their “investment” potential and they were viewed as purely decorative paintings.
The galleries that hired artists to paint similar scenes were also smart enough to have those artists sign their works with slight differences. One used two dots after the last name, while another used two dots before the Antoine and two dots after the Blanchard. One used no dots, but favored a real script style signature, while another used a single dot before and after the signature. There are even some paintings signed ‘A. Blanchard’.
With all of this taking place, it has lead to a quite prolific “Antoine Blanchard” market full of both fake and real works. The challenge is to weed out the fake works, which is most easily done by looking at those ever so important but small periods in the signature to spot the real Marcel Masson / Antoine Blanchard paintings.
Learn More about Antoine Blanchard
Read the artist biography and see past auction results for original Antoine Blanchard paintings.
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HI,
I have an Antoine Blanchard but, I do not know if it is a real one.
How to I find out or look for? In the signature there is a period after his first name and one after his last name.
The painting is ” Rue Royal Madeleine 3″
I also have an original John James Audubon – White-Headed Eagle, the watermark is J. Whatman 1832, 25 5/8′ x 38 1/4′
I am interested in selling both of them.
Thank You
Rick, Thank you for reaching out and sharing this with us. If you are interested in learning more about your items, interested in selling, or would like to receive a free auction evaluation, please:
– Submit a free auction evaluation: https://www.ha.com/c/acquisitions.zx?target=auctionevaluation&type=social-cs-Facebookfreeeval-092517
Hi Rick,
We do have a process in place to have items reviewed by our specialists. If you are interested in learning more about your paintings, interested in selling, or would like to receive a free auction evaluation, please visit: https://www.ha.com/c/acquisitions.zx?target=auctionevaluation&type=social-cs-hablog-freeeval-092517
I have a Antoine Blanchard art name Madeline with his autograph on the bottom right hand side with a period after his first name and last name
If you are interested in learning more about your items, interested in selling, or would like to receive a free auction evaluation, please visit: ——
https://www.ha.com/c/acquisitions.zx?target=auctionevaluation&type=social-cs-hablog-freeeval-092517
A specialist will get back to you with an assessment as soon as possible. Thank you for your interest in Heritage Auctions!
Hi Lauren
I have a Blanchard painting of the Arch de Triomphe. The signature is followed by a single dot. I would like to find out if it is authentic.
George
George,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing this with us. If you are interested in learning more about your items, interested in selling, or would like to receive a free auction evaluation, please:
– Submit a free auction evaluation: https://www.ha.com/c/acquisitions.zx?target=auctionevaluation&type=social-cs-Facebookfreeeval-092517
I have a Blanchard I purchased from a art museum in Chicago in 1960, signature looks correct but it has two dots after last name? thank u
Jerry,
To see how much your item is worth, visit https://www.ha.com/c/acquisitions.zx?target=auctionevaluation&type=social-cs-hablogfreeeval-092517 . You can also call us at 1-800-872-6467.
Hi, I have a set of oil paint ballerina paintings signed A. Blanchard. I’ve been told he didn’t paint ballerinas. How can I tell if these are real or fake Blanchard paintings?
Janet,
To see how much your item is worth, visit https://www.ha.com/c/acquisitions.zx?target=auctionevaluation&type=social-cs-hablogfreeeval-092517 . You can also call us at 1-800-872-6467.
I have what looks very similar to the Antoine Blanchard paintings – small and of Paris streets (retro). The name on them is “Masson”. Any chance these were early (they are old and on canvas boards) when he might have used his real name? Did he ever use Masson?
Hi Annette,
Interesting question! I will reach out to our Fine Arts team for their feedback. As noted in other blog responses, the best way to find out more about your item is to submit it to our experts directly via our website at: https://www.ha.com/free-appraisals.s?type=social-cs-hablog-freeeval-092517
I also have an original painting signed by Antoine Blanchard. If it is titled, that must be obscured by the ornate frame. I would guess it to be in the Arc de Triomphe series, but that is only a guess. The signature is a little different in that is more like this: ,,Antoine Blanchard,,
Those marks before the “A” and after the “d” make me think this might just be a copy someone painted. Is this worth pursuing as a possible valuable piece, or is it just to be treated as a nice painting to hang in my living room?
Hi there! You can forward pictures of your painting and your contact information to this link: —— https://www.ha.com/c/acquisitions.zx?target=auctionevaluation&type=social-cs-hablog-freeeval-092517
A specialist will review your item and contact you back with more info. Please allow 2-4 weeks for a response.