Mexican, 1902–2002
Manuel Alvarez Bravo
490results on record
63%sell-through
$5,293median result (USD, incl. premium; 99% observed, 1% estimated from hammer)
$312,793record in our coverage
Drawn from 490 recorded results (394 sold · 96 passed) across 16 auction houses, 1998–2026. 6 upcoming lots on the ledger. What we cover
Median sold price by year typical estimate range median result USD, incl. premium; 99% observed, 1% 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 | 296 | 78% | $5,375 |
| other | 15 | 67% | $12,841 |
| works on paper | 3 | n/a | $10,077 |
Medium is recorded for 314 of 490 results (64%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.
Compared with Henri Cartier-bresson Manuel Alvarez Bravo Henri Cartier-bresson
| Metric | Manuel Alvarez Bravo | Henri Cartier-bresson |
|---|---|---|
| Median result | $5,293 | $9,375 |
| Record price | $312,793 | $265,000 |
| Results on record | 490 | 1,767 |
| Years active at auction | 1998–2026 | 1998–2026 |
Related artists: Henri Cartier-bressonAnsel AdamsEdward WestonAndré Kertész
Market strength liquidity score, 0–100 · method
65/ 100
- Sell-through63%
- Meets estimate53%
- Market depth490 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christie's | 132 | 100% | $5,927 | — |
| Sotheby's | 109 | 60% | $7,800 | 0.80× |
| Heritage Auctions | 72 | 76% | $2,750 | — |
| Phillips | 57 | 70% | $8,158 | — |
| Bonhams | 87 | 45% | $3,200 | 0.80× |
| Lempertz | 7 | 71% | $3,473 | — |
| Grisebach | 5 | — | $3,587 | — |
| Rago | 4 | 100% | $2,540 | — |
| Freeman's | Hindman | 4 | 75% | $1,600 | 0.45× |
| Chiswick Auctions | 2 | 100% | $1,860 | — |
| Artcurial | 1 | — | $7,642 | 1.10× |
| Wright | 2 | 50% | $3,750 | — |
| Lyon & Turnbull | 1 | 100% | $5,894 | 1.44× |
| Galerie Bassenge | 1 | — | $569 | — |
| Finarte | 4 | 25% | $5,077 | 0.88× |
| Dorotheum | 2 | 50% | $1,431 | — |
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 496 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 96 passed lots
| Date | Lot | Medium | vs. estimate | Estimate USD | Result USD, incl. premium | House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $19, once — buy a pass | ||||||
| 2021·06 | Untitled (Mexico) | gelatin silver print | $1,500–$2,500 | Freeman's | Hindman | ||
| 2021·05 | 'El Ensueño', 1931 | $7,062–$9,887 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2021·05 | 'Pintor de Negro', Mexico, 1971 | $2,825–$4,237 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2021·03 | Dos Pares de Piernas (Two Pairs of Legs), 1928-1929 | $4,763–$5,954 | Finarte | |||
| 2021·03 | Caballito de quinto, 1984 | $2,143–$2,977 | Finarte | |||
| 2020·12 | Untitled (Salomé) | $2,426–$3,638 | Lempertz | |||
| 2020·12 | Los Agachados | $5,000–$7,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2020·10 | Parábola óptica (Optical Parable) | $6,000–$8,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·10 | La buena fama durmiendo (Good Reputation Sleeping) | $10,000–$15,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·10 | Recuerdo de Atzompan (Remembrance of Atzompan) | $5,000–$7,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·09 | Mexico, anni 1950 | $3,512–$4,683 | Finarte | |||
| 2020·08 | La Quema Tres (Kiln number three) | $1,500–$2,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2020·08 | Las Bocas (Mouths), Texcoco | $1,000–$1,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2020·08 | Un Poco Alegre y Graciosa (Somewhat Gay and Graceful) | $2,000–$3,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2020·07 | Dos Pares de Piernas (Two Pairs of Legs) | $4,000–$6,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·06 | "Arena y Pinitos" (Sand and Small Pines) | — | Galerie Bassenge | |||
| 2020·06 | Bicycles on Sunday | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2020·04 | Set Trap | $1,800–$2,200 | Bonhams | |||
| 2020·04 | Bicycles on Sunday | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2020·02 | Un Poco Alegre y Graciosa (Somewhat Gay and Graceful) | $2,000–$3,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·11 | La fruta prohibida | $3,844–$4,942 | Lempertz | |||
| 2019·11 | La Desvendada. 1938 | Vintage | $3,303–$4,404 | Grisebach | ||
| 2019·10 | manuel álvarez bravo |selected images from 'fifteen photographs by manuel álvarez bravo' | $10,000–$15,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2019·10 | manuel álvarez bravo | la buena fama durmiendo (good reputation sleeping) | $5,000–$7,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2019·10 | Sistema Nervioso del Gran Simpatico | $3,000–$5,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·09 | Ventana al Coro (Window to the Choir) | $1,000–$1,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·09 | Tranchas (Quiet) | $1,000–$1,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·09 | La Quema Tres (Kiln number three) | $1,500–$2,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·09 | Mar de Lágrimas (Sea of Tears) | $800–$1,200 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·09 | Roca Cubierta de Lichen (Lichen Covered Rock) | $800–$1,200 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·09 | Techos de Usila (Usila Ceilings) | $1,000–$1,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·09 | Y Por Los Noches Gemia (And for the Gemia Nights) | $1,000–$1,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·09 | Las Bocas (Mouths), Texcoco | $1,000–$1,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·09 | Barda de Panteon (Bard of the Pantheon) | $1,000–$1,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·09 | Paisaje Chamula con dos grupos (Chamula landscape with two groups) | $1,000–$1,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·06 | Ensayo de Danza (dance rehearsal), Mexico | $4,000–$6,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2019·06 | La hija de los danzantes (daughter of the dancers), Cholula, Puebla | $4,000–$6,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2019·05 | Retrato de lo eterno | $2,788 | Lempertz | |||
| 2019·05 | [no title recorded] | — | Dorotheum | |||
| 2019·05 | Un Cuarto Para Las Doce (A Quarter Past Twelve) | $2,576–$3,864 | Phillips | |||
| 2019·04 | El Ensueño (The Day Dream) | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2019·04 | Retrato de lo Eterno (Portrait of the Eternal) | Platinum print, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2019·04 | Obrero en Huelga Assasinado (Striking Worker Assassinated) | $4,000–$6,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·04 | La Buena Fama Durmiendo (The Good Reputation Sleeping) | $5,000–$7,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2019·04 | Dos Pares de Piernas (Two Pairs of Legs) | $5,000–$7,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2019·04 | The Eclipse, 1933 | gelatin silver print, mounted on board | $20,000–$30,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2019·01 | Trampa Puesta (Set Trap) | $2,500–$3,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·01 | La Quema Tres (Kiln number three) | $1,800–$2,200 | Bonhams | |||
| 2019·01 | Un Poco Alegre y Graciosa (Somewhat Gay and Graceful) | $2,500–$3,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2018·11 | La buena fama durmiendo, 1938 | $4,570–$6,854 | Christie's | |||
| 2018·10 | Calabaza y caracol (Squash and Snail) | Platinum, 1980 | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·10 | To Climb to the Sky | Gelatin silver | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·10 | Sed Publica (Public Thirst) | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·10 | Aztec Artifacts, 1930s — 1940s | twelve gelatin silver prints | $12,000–$18,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2018·10 | Los Agachados (The Crouched Ones) | $6,000–$8,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2018·10 | La Buena Fama Durmiendo (The Good Reputation Sleeping) | $6,000–$8,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2018·10 | El Ensueno | $5,000–$7,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2018·06 | Parabola Optica | $2,500–$3,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2018·06 | La buena fama durmiendo (The Good Reputation Sleeping) | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Niño orinando (Urinating Boy) | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Obrero en huelga asesinado | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | En el templo del tigre rojo | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Four Photographs from the Fifteen Photographs Portfolio | Gelatin silver, printed 1974 by Lee Friedlander | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Parábola Optica | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Un Pez que llaman Sierra | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Trabajadores del tropico (Workers of the Tropics) | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Bicicletas en Domingo | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Trampa puesta | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Three Photographs from the Fifteen Photographs Portfolio | Gelatin silver, printed 1974 by Lee Friedlander | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Coronada de palmas, Chachalacas, Veracruz | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | El Ensueño | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Frida Kahlo | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Retrato de lo eterno (Portrait of the Eternal) | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Ventana al coro (Window to the Choir) | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2018·06 | Siesta en la Hierba | $2,334–$3,501 | Lempertz | |||
| 2018·06 | Xipetotec | $3,501–$4,668 | Lempertz | |||
| 2018·06 | La Maria | $2,100 | Lempertz | |||
| 2018·05 | Frida Kahlo | $5,406–$8,109 | Phillips | |||
| 2018·04 | Frida Kahlo con Globo, Coyoacan | $4,000–$6,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2018·04 | Parabola Optica | $5,000–$7,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2018·02 | nieves, cuaderno de la mañana, circa 1940 | $6,107–$8,550 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2017·12 | Caja en el Peso (Box on the grass) | $3,000–$5,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2017·12 | Sombrero | $2,500–$3,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2017·12 | La Operacion Hospital, Juarez, Mexico | $2,000–$3,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2017·12 | Peluquero (Barber), Mexico | $3,000–$5,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2017·12 | Hombre Leyendo, Reparador de Llentas, Mexico | $2,000–$3,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2017·12 | Trampa Puesta | $2,500–$3,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2017·12 | Momia #7 (Baby mummy), Guanajuato, Mexico | $2,000–$3,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2017·12 | El Pez Grande Se Come a Los Chicos (The big fish eats the little ones) | $4,000–$6,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2017·12 | Sistema Nervioso del Gran Simpatico | $4,000–$6,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2017·11 | Nude, circa 1985 | gelatin silver print | $2,000–$3,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2017·11 | Sorcellerie Funèbre, San Pablito (Sierra de Puebla), vers 1933 | annoté à l'encre rouge et au crayon (verso) | $3,496–$5,827 | Christie's | ||
| 2017·11 | Un Cuarto Para Las Doce (A Quarter Past Twelve) | $3,939–$6,565 | Phillips | |||
| 2017·11 | La Buena Fama Durmiendo (The Good Reputation Sleeping) | $6,565–$9,191 | Phillips | |||
| 2017·10 | Frida Kahlo con Globo | $3,500–$4,500 | Wright | |||
| 2017·10 | Recuerdo de Atzompan (Remembrance from Atzompan), 1943 | gelatin silver print, mounted on card | $40,000–$60,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2017·10 | El Ensueño (The Daydream), Mexico | $6,000–$8,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2017·10 | Los Agachados (The crouched ones) | $15,000–$25,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2017·05 | El Soñador. 1931 | Gelatin silver print, before 1971 | $1,122–$1,683 | Grisebach | ||
| 2017·05 | 'El Soñador (The Dreamer)', 1931 | $3,904–$6,506 | Sotheby's | |||
Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $19, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.