The Angelus Prints Value Guide

These antique prints of Jean-François Millet's 'The Angelus' represent a pinnacle of late 19th-century French piety and rural dignity. Housed in distinctive oval brass frames with convex glass, these specific reproductions from the 1890-1920 era are highly sought after for their period-correct aesthetic and historical significance.

What Is The Angelus Prints Worth?

The typical price range for The Angelus Prints is $150 - $250 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• The physical condition of the brass frames, specifically looking for dents or heavy oxidation that impacts display quality.
• The clarity and preservation of the paper prints, as fading from UV exposure significantly reduces the $150-$250 valuation.
• The integrity of the convex glass, as original curved glass is difficult and expensive to replace if cracked.
• Provenance or original labels on the reverse side that confirm the French origin and production date.

How to Identify The Angelus Prints?

• Verify the presence of original convex (bubble) glass, which was standard for high-quality oval frames of the 1890-1920 period.
• Examine the frame material for genuine aged brass patina rather than modern spray-painted finishes.
• Look for the specific imagery of two peasants bowing over a potato basket, a hallmark of Millet's 1857-1859 masterpiece.
• Check the paper quality under magnification for period-appropriate printing techniques versus modern digital reproduction.

History of The Angelus Prints

'The Angelus' is an oil painting by French painter Jean-François Millet, completed between 1857 and 1859. It depicts two peasants bowing in a field over a basket of potatoes to say a prayer, the Angelus, that traditionally commemorates the Incarnation of Christ. The iconic image became a symbol of piety and the dignity of rural life, widely reproduced in various forms throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries.