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 | ||||||
| 2017·04 | Retrato de lo eterno (portrait of the eternal) | $6,000–$8,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2017·04 | Cuando la buena fama despierta (when good reputation awakens) | $6,000–$8,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2017·04 | Untitled (Political Rally), c. 1946 | gelatin silver print, mounted on paper | $10,000–$15,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2017·04 | Figuras en el Castillo (Figures in a Castle) | $4,000–$6,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2017·04 | Parábola Óptica (Optical Parable), Mexico | $4,000–$6,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2017·04 | Los Obstaculos (The Obstacles) | $40,000–$60,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2017·04 | Retrato de lo Eterno (Portrait of the Eternal) | $50,000–$70,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2017·02 | La Buena Fama Durmiendo, 1938 | $3,172–$5,286 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2016·11 | Frida Kahlo | $4,992–$7,488 | Phillips | |||
| 2016·11 | El Ensueño (The Daydream) | $6,240–$8,736 | Phillips | |||
| 2016·11 | La Buena Fama Durmiendo (Good Reputation, Sleeping) | $6,240–$8,736 | Phillips | |||
| 2016·10 | Tríptico, los novios de la falsa luna | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2016·10 | Casa de Lava | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2016·10 | La Buena Fama Durmiendo (Good Reputation, Sleeping) | $6,000–$8,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2016·06 | Maria Felix | $2,000–$3,000 | Wright | |||
| 2016·06 | [no title recorded] | — | Dorotheum | |||
| 2016·05 | 'La Buena Fama Durmiendo', 1938 | $7,310–$10,234 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2016·04 | La Tela de la Arana | $3,000–$5,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2016·04 | Frida Kahlo with Globe in Manuel Alvarez Bravo's Studio | $5,500–$7,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2016·04 | La Desvendada (The Bandaged One) | Gelatin silver, circa 1950s | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2016·04 | Little Clown | Platinum, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2016·04 | Fin de Tianguis | Platinum, 1970s | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2016·04 | Tríptico, los novios de la falsa luna | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2016·04 | Peregrino en las Cosas desta Vida, 1942 | gelatin silver print | $25,000–$35,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2016·04 | La Buena Fama Durmiendo, 1938 | gelatin silver print, mounted on board, printed early 1950s | $40,000–$60,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2015·11 | Fruta Prohibida - 1976 | Tirage argentique postérieur | $4,275–$6,413 | Artcurial | ||
| 2015·11 | La Maria | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2015·10 | Manuel Álvarez Bravo | $15,000–$20,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2015·10 | 'Margarita de Bonampak' | $10,000–$15,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2015·07 | Tentaciones en casa de Antonio | $5,000–$7,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2015·05 | 'el umbral', 1947 | $46,921–$78,201 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2015·04 | Frida Kahlo | $6,000–$9,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2015·04 | El Ensueño (The Daydream) | $5,000–$7,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2015·04 | La Hija de los Danzantes (The Daughter of the Dancers) | $5,000–$7,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2015·04 | 'Vecina' | $5,000–$7,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2015·03 | Frida Kahlo at the Picasso Exhibition, Mexico City | $2,000–$3,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2015·01 | Frida Kahlo at the Picasso Exhibition, Mexico City | $3,500–$4,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2014·12 | Margarita de Bonampak (Margarita of Bonampak) | $2,000–$3,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·12 | Cruce de Chalma (Cross at Chalma) | $2,000–$3,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·12 | Diá de Todos Muertos (Day of All Dead) | $2,000–$3,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·12 | Ventana al Coro (Window to the Choir) | $2,000–$3,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·11 | Manuel Álvarez Bravo | $18,785–$28,178 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·11 | Obrero en Huelga, Asesinado (Striking Worker, Assassinated) | $3,914–$4,696 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·11 | El Ensueno, 1931 | $124,360–$186,540 | Christie's | |||
| 2014·11 | En un pequeno espacio I, 1995-1996 | $3,737–$6,228 | Christie's | |||
| 2014·11 | En un pequeno espacio, 1996 | $3,737–$6,228 | Christie's | |||
| 2014·10 | Frida Kahlo at the Picasso Exhibition, Mexico City | $4,000–$6,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2014·10 | La Buena Fama Durmiendo (Good Reputation, Sleeping) | $8,000–$12,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·10 | Giving Hand | $15,000–$25,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·10 | Parábola Óptica (Optic Parable), Mexico | $5,000–$7,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·10 | Tentaciones En Casa De Antonio (Temptations at Antonio’s house) | $3,000–$4,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·09 | Frida Kahlo | $6,000–$9,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2014·07 | Fin de Tianguis, Yalalag (End of Market Day) | $700–$900 | Bonhams | |||
| 2014·05 | Sed Pública, 1934 | gelatin silver print, printed 1974 | $3,000–$5,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2014·04 | Retrato de lo eterno (Portrait of the eternal) | $3,000–$5,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2014·04 | Frida Kahlo with Globe in Manuel Alvarez Bravo's Studio | $5,000–$7,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2014·04 | Frida Kahlo at the Picasso Exhibition, Mexico City | $4,000–$6,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2014·04 | paisaje de equitación | $30,000–$50,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2014·04 | Retrato de lo Eterno (Portrait of the Eternal), Mexico | $3,000–$5,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·04 | Señor de Papantla (Man from Papantla) | $2,000–$3,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2013·12 | Paisaje y Galope | $900–$1,200 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·12 | Fin de Tianguis, Yalalag (End of Market Day) | $800–$1,200 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·11 | El trapo negro, 1986 | $4,031–$6,718 | Christie's | |||
| 2013·11 | Fifteen photographs by Manuel Alvarez Bravo, 1974 | $26,872–$40,308 | Christie's | |||
| 2013·11 | Lucrecia, 1940 | $4,031–$6,718 | Christie's | |||
| 2013·11 | Espejo negro, 1947 | $4,031–$6,718 | Christie's | |||
| 2013·11 | Sans titre (nu), 1978 | $6,718–$9,405 | Christie's | |||
| 2013·11 | Magueyes Heridos, 1950 | $3,359–$4,703 | Christie's | |||
| 2013·11 | Fruta prohibida, 1972 | $4,031–$6,718 | Christie's | |||
| 2013·11 | La Buena fame durmiendo, 1938 | $6,718–$9,405 | Christie's | |||
| 2013·11 | Los Obstaculos | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2013·11 | Fruta Prohibida, circa 1920s | Platinum, 1976 | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2013·10 | La Buena Fama Durmiendo | $5,000–$7,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2013·10 | Libros | $2,000–$3,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2013·10 | Parábola Óptica (Optic parable), Mexico | $5,000–$7,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2013·10 | Manuel Álvarez Bravo | $18,000–$22,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2013·10 | La hija de los danzantes (Daughter of the Dancers), Cholula, Puebla | $4,000–$6,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2013·10 | La buena fama durmiendo (The good reputation sleeping) | $7,000–$9,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2013·10 | El ensueño (Daydreaming), Mexico | $8,000–$12,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2013·06 | Paisaje y Galope | $1,500–$2,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·06 | Fin de Tianguis, Yalalag (End of Market Day) | $1,500–$2,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·06 | Señor de Papantla, Veracruz | $2,000–$3,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·05 | Nude with glass. 1938 | Later gelatin silver print | $4,533–$7,124 | Grisebach | ||
| 2013·05 | frida kahlo, 1931 | $5,181–$7,771 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2013·05 | La Falsa Luna (The False Moon) | $2,000–$3,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·05 | Fin de Tianguis, Yalalag (End of Market Day) | $2,000–$3,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·05 | La buena fama, durmiendo (The Good Reputation Sleeping) | $5,000–$7,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·05 | Muchacha viendo pájaros (Girl looking at birds) | $3,500–$5,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·05 | La Hija de los Danzantes (The Daughter of the Dancers) | $4,000–$6,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·05 | Plátano Planta I | $2,500–$3,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·04 | Frida Kahlo | $6,000–$9,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2013·04 | 'platinum portfolio' | $25,000–$35,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2013·04 | El ensueño (Daydreaming), Mexico | $10,000–$15,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2012·12 | Manos, Guanaguato, Mexico | $3,000–$5,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2012·11 | El Ensueno (The Daydream) | Gelatin silver, 1974 | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2012·11 | Sed Publica (Public Thirst) | Gelatin silver, 1974 | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2012·11 | Los Obstaculos | Gelatin silver, printed later | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2012·11 | Los Obstáculos (The Obstacles) | $5,000–$7,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2012·11 | El Payasito (Little Clown), Federal District | $3,000–$5,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2012·11 | En El Templo Del Tigre Rojo (In the Temple of the Red Tiger) | $2,000–$3,000 | Bonhams | |||
Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $19, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.