Lebanese/American, 1925–2021
Etel Adnan
229results on record
91%sell-through
$49,416median result (USD, incl. premium; 100% observed, 0% estimated from hammer)
$565,334record in our coverage
Drawn from 229 recorded results (211 sold · 18 passed) across 8 auction houses, 2000–2026. What we cover
Median sold price by year typical estimate range median result USD, incl. premium; 100% observed, 0% estimated from hammer method · log scale
Where does a value land in this market?
The same figure also answers the seller's question: which house clears a work like this, and for how much — expected proceeds by house, from the sell-through the rest of this page is built on.
Every sold result for this market, low to high (log scale) — the dashed line is the median. Enter a value to see where it lands.
By medium where medium is recorded or stated in the catalog line
| Medium | Results | Sell-through | Median result (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| painting | 28 | 100% | $165,472 |
| works on paper | 15 | 88% | $27,357 |
Medium is recorded for 43 of 229 results (19%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.
Compared with Andy Warhol Etel Adnan Andy Warhol
| Metric | Etel Adnan | Andy Warhol |
|---|---|---|
| Median result | $49,416 | $32,500 |
| Record price | $565,334 | $195,040,000 |
| Results on record | 229 | 15,103 |
| Years active at auction | 2000–2026 | 1998–2026 |
Related artists: Andy WarholDamien HirstGerhard RichterYayoi Kusama
Market strength liquidity score, 0–100 · method
94/ 100
- Sell-through91%
- Meets estimate95%
- Market depth229 results
How readily and near-estimate this market clears — sell-through, estimate reliability, and depth, blended into one score. "Meets estimate" is the share of sold lots hammering at or above the low estimate, over catalogs that print a real appraisal: a house whose printed low is a starting bid would meet its estimate on every lot, so those lots are excluded from this term only — their prices and outcomes still count in the other two. Method →
Where this artist sells best
| House | Results | Sell-through | Median | vs. estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sotheby's | 97 | 95% | $49,416 | 1.18× |
| Phillips | 46 | 93% | $14,190 | — |
| Christie's | 45 | 97% | $94,500 | — |
| Bonhams | 33 | 76% | $11,836 | 0.93× |
| Rago | 3 | 100% | $106,250 | — |
| Lempertz | 3 | 67% | $12,153 | — |
| Wright | 2 | 50% | $5,502 | — |
| Artcurial | 1 | — | $1,082 | 1.00× |
The same artist across every house we cover — hammer-vs-estimate side by side. A dash in the estimate column can mean withheld rather than unpublished: the house publishes no hammer price, or its printed low is a starting bid rather than an appraisal. Method →
Prices realized 230 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 18 passed lots
| Date | Lot | Medium | vs. estimate | Estimate USD | Result USD, incl. premium | House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $19, once — buy a pass | ||||||
| 2019·04 | untitled | $10,405–$15,608 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2019·04 | untitled | $45,523–$58,530 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2019·04 | i) untitled (abstract with red square)ii) yellow, red, blue and greeniii) egyptian symbol | $7,804–$10,405 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2019·03 | untitled | $32,875–$46,025 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2019·03 | california | $52,600–$78,900 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2019·03 | journey to the east | $6,575–$9,205 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2018·10 | untitled | $26,056–$32,570 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2018·06 | Untitled | $23,713–$32,935 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2018·06 | Untitled | $26,348–$39,522 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2018·05 | Untitled | $25,000–$35,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2018·03 | Untitled | oil on canvas | $27,743–$41,615 | Christie's | ||
| 2017·11 | untitled | $8,000–$12,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2017·11 | i) untitled ii) untitled | $7,000–$9,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2017·10 | Untitled | $32,944–$39,533 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2017·10 | i) untitled ii) untitled | $6,589–$9,224 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2017·10 | Untitled | $7,907–$10,542 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2017·10 | Untitled; and Le prix que nous ne voulons pas payer pour l'amour (The Price We Do Not Want to Pay for Love) | $2,000–$3,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2017·04 | Untitled (Landscape) | $19,236–$25,648 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2016·10 | california | $18,388–$24,518 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2016·10 | untitled (artist's book) | $24,518–$36,777 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2016·04 | Abstract Landscape | $17,507–$21,884 | Bonhams | |||
| 2016·04 | The Mountain | $8,754–$14,589 | Bonhams | |||
| 2015·04 | i. apollo 10ii. apollo 11[two works] | $18,000–$25,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2015·02 | Untitled (#147) | $23,037–$38,395 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2014·05 | Untitled | pastel on paper | $10,000–$15,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2011·01 | Poèmes silencieux | 1999 | $1,082–$1,083 | Artcurial | ||
| 2008·12 | Untitled | gouache, ink and watercolour on paper | $29,475–$44,213 | Christie's | ||
| 2008·04 | Iradat al-hayat (The Will of Life) | ink and watercolour on Japanese handmade paper | $6,000–$10,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2003·10 | Symbols | ink on paper | $25,434–$42,390 | Christie's | ||
| 2000·10 | Untitled (Sketches and Letters) | (i) felt-tip pen on paper (recto); ink on paper (verso) | $14,342–$21,513 | Unsold listing | Christie's | |
Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $19, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.