Italian, b. 1933
Franco Fontana
108results on record
55%sell-through
$1,748median result (USD, incl. premium; 34% observed, 66% estimated from hammer)
$23,210 est.record in our coverage
Drawn from 108 recorded results (64 sold · 44 passed) across 14 auction houses, 1999–2026. What we cover
Median sold price by year typical estimate range median result USD, incl. premium; 34% observed, 66% 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| photography | 65 | 50% | $1,749 |
| prints | 23 | 57% | $1,918 |
| other | 4 | 50% | $4,601 |
Medium is recorded for 92 of 108 results (85%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.
Compared with Man Ray Franco Fontana Man Ray
| Metric | Franco Fontana | Man Ray |
|---|---|---|
| Median result | $1,748 | $8,400 |
| Record price | $23,210 est. | $5,877,000 |
| Results on record | 108 | 2,359 |
| Years active at auction | 1999–2026 | 1998–2026 |
Related artists: Man RayAndré KertészMario GiacomelliHelmut Newton
Market strength liquidity score, 0–100 · method
68/ 100
- Sell-through55%
- Meets estimate72%
- Market depth108 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finarte | 43 | 79% | $1,991 | 1.13× |
| Kruso Art | 6 | 83% | $651 | 0.63× |
| Lempertz | 5 | 60% | $1,261 | — |
| Galerie Bassenge | 3 | — | $1,829 | — |
| Viscontea auction house | 32 | 9% | $1,015 | 0.56× |
| Heritage Auctions | 4 | 75% | $625 | — |
| Rago | 2 | 100% | $768 | — |
| Artcurial | 2 | — | $6,758 | 0.94× |
| Grisebach | 2 | — | $2,377 | — |
| Sotheby's | 2 | 100% | $3,277 | 1.07× |
| Christie's | 2 | — | $2,463 | — |
| Dorotheum | 2 | 100% | $1,176 | — |
| Bonhams | 2 | 50% | $255 | 0.40× |
| Itineris Auction House | 1 | 0% | — | — |
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 108 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 44 passed lots
| Date | Lot | Medium | vs. estimate | Estimate USD | Result USD, incl. premium | House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $19, once — buy a pass | ||||||
| 2012·11 | Ohne Titel. 1988 | Dye destruction print | $1,289–$1,934 | Grisebach | ||
| 2012·05 | „Praga“. 1967 | Early Dye-Transfer-print | $995–$1,493 | Grisebach | ||
| 2012·05 | Landscape | Vintage chromogenic | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2012·05 | MarraKech | Vintage dye destruction | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2012·05 | Lago Di San Valentino Landscapes | Ink jet | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2006·03 | untitled | $1,457–$2,186 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2001·10 | Landscape-Basilicata-Italy | $3,266–$4,118 | Christie's | |||
| 1999·12 | Landscape, 1980; Landscape, 1981 | $960–$1,601 | Christie's | |||
Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $19, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.