Artist profile · Market guide
Gerda Wegener
1886–1940 · Copenhagen and Paris. Art Deco painter and illustrator whose portraits of Lili Elbe are today rediscovered and collected.
Elegance, freedom and Lili
Gerda Wegener was a Danish painter and illustrator who made her name in 1910s and 1920s Paris. Her fashion illustrations and magazine work – for titles such as La Vie Parisienne and Vogue – captured the elegant, liberated women of the Art Deco era: slender figures, bobbed hair, bold colour and a playful eroticism.
Her most famous model was Lili Elbe, whom she married as Einar Wegener in 1904. Lili became one of the first known transgender women to undergo gender-affirming surgery, in 1930–31. Gerda's portraits of Lili are both tender and daring for their time. The 2015 film The Danish Girl brought the story to a large audience – and renewed attention to Gerda Wegener's work.
After the success in Paris, her later years were difficult; she returned to Denmark and died in 1940, largely forgotten. Today museums show her again, and prices have risen. In March 2022, her painting I sommervarmen (1924), depicting Lili, set her auction record at €135,000 at Bruun Rasmussen in Copenhagen.
Timeline
- 1886Born in Hammelev, Denmark.
- 1904Marries Einar Wegener, later Lili Elbe.
- 1912Moves to Paris; works as an illustrator for fashion and satire magazines.
- 1920sSuccess with Art Deco portraits and illustrations.
- 1930–31Lili Elbe undergoes gender-affirming surgery; she dies in 1931.
- 1940Gerda Wegener dies in Frederiksberg, Denmark.
- 2022Auction record of €135,000 for I sommervarmen.
Techniques and media
Her market ranges from finished oil paintings to drawings, watercolours and printed illustrations.
Oil on canvas
Portraits and figure scenes, often with Lili as the model – the top of her market.
Watercolour and gouache
Fashion and figure studies with Art Deco lines and colours.
Drawings
Studies and preparatory works in pencil, ink and crayon.
Illustrations and prints
Magazine illustrations and illustrated books – printed, therefore more common.
What Gerda Wegener works sell for
Prices below are public auction results. They show the range – not what a specific piece is worth.
Record: I sommervarmen (1924), Bruun Rasmussen, March 2022, with fees.
Depends on subject, date and quality.
Magazine pages and book illustrations are reproductions and usually of modest value.
Highest auction results
| Work | Price | Auction |
|---|---|---|
| I sommervarmen (Lili), 1924 | €135,000 | Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen, 2022 |
The sale took place in March 2022, around International Women's Day.
Real or not? What to check
Because Wegener worked as an illustrator, many images exist as printed reproductions. The first step is to establish whether a work is hand-painted or printed – a magnifying glass often shows the dot pattern of a print.
- Hand-painted or printed?: Look for brushstrokes, pencil lines and paint texture versus a regular dot grid.
- Signature: Is the signature painted or drawn by hand, and does it fit the work?
- Provenance: Danish and French collections, auction history and exhibition labels help.
How much is a Gerda Wegener painting worth?
Her record is €135,000 for a portrait of Lili from 1924. Other paintings, watercolours and drawings sell for less, depending on subject and quality. Printed illustrations are usually of modest value.
Do you own a work attributed to Gerda Wegener?
Start with a free estimate from photos. For a sale, insurance or an estate, order a written appraisal by an independent expert with a notarized signature.
Sources (auction figures as published there):
ArtworkValue is not affiliated with the estate of Gerda Wegener. This page does not offer works by Gerda Wegener for sale.