American, 1912–1962
Morris Louis
120results on record
82%sell-through
$721,000median result (USD, incl. premium; 100% observed, 0% estimated from hammer)
$5,712,500record in our coverage
Drawn from 120 recorded results (113 sold · 7 passed) across 7 auction houses, 1998–2026. 1 upcoming lot on the ledger. 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 | 53 | 82% | $716,229 |
Medium is recorded for 53 of 120 results (44%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.
Compared with Andy Warhol Morris Louis Andy Warhol
| Metric | Morris Louis | Andy Warhol |
|---|---|---|
| Median result | $721,000 | $32,500 |
| Record price | $5,712,500 | $195,040,000 |
| Results on record | 120 | 15,103 |
| Years active at auction | 1998–2026 | 1998–2026 |
Related artists: Andy WarholAlexander CalderRoy LichtensteinWillem De Kooning
Market strength liquidity score, 0–100 · method
81/ 100
- Sell-through82%
- Meets estimate71%
- Market depth120 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 | 57 | 95% | $722,500 | 0.98× |
| Christie's | 51 | 80% | $721,000 | — |
| Phillips | 6 | 67% | $1,404,750 | — |
| Ketterer Kunst | 2 | — | $1,006,830 | — |
| Rago | 1 | 100% | $3,302 | — |
| Wright | 3 | 33% | $60 | — |
| Heritage Auctions | 1 | 100% | $310,000 | — |
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 122 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 7 passed lots
| Date | Lot | Medium | vs. estimate | Estimate USD | Result USD, incl. premium | House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $19, once — buy a pass | ||||||
| 2006·05 | Dalet Chet | $300,000–$400,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2006·05 | Beth Zayin | $800,000–$1,000,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2006·05 | Floral V | acrylic and Magna on canvas | $700,000–$900,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2005·10 | number 17 | $71,038–$106,557 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2005·09 | untitled | $3,000–$4,000 | Wright | |||
| 2005·05 | Number 1-51 | $80,000–$120,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2005·05 | Apogee | $100,000–$150,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2005·05 | Gamma Ro | $150,000–$200,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2004·11 | Number 31 | acrylic on canvas | $120,000–$180,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2004·11 | Gamma Omicron | $250,000–$350,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2003·11 | Alphard | $200,000–$300,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2003·10 | Number 1-64 | magna on canvas | $200,000–$300,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2003·10 | Number 8 | acrylic on canvas | $250,000–$350,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2003·05 | Number 1-37 | $80,000–$120,000 | Christie's | |||
| 2002·11 | Untitled | black-and-white photographs, ink and acrylic, in six parts | $700,000–$900,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·05 | Pillar of Fire | $250,000–$350,000 | Christie's | |||
| 2001·05 | Alpha Psi | $250,000–$350,000 | Christie's | |||
| 2001·05 | Third Element | $250,000–$350,000 | Christie's | |||
| 1999·06 | Saf | magna on canvas | $900,000–$1,200,000 | Christie's | ||
| 1998·11 | Gamma | $250,000–$350,000 | Christie's | |||
| 1998·05 | Gothic | $150,000–$200,000 | Christie's | |||
| 1998·05 | Pillars | $80,000–$120,000 | Christie's | |||
Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $19, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.