LIVE LOTS 17,750,189 HOUSES 866 UNSOLD RECORDED 4,679,234 UPDATED NIGHTLY
TheBasis.Art

American, 1915–1991

Robert Motherwell

Follow artist
2,411results on record
86%sell-through
$5,000median result (USD, incl. premium; 90% observed, 10% estimated from hammer)
$12,690,000record in our coverage

Drawn from 2,411 recorded results (2,224 sold · 187 passed) across 20 auction houses, 1998–2026. 24 upcoming lots on the ledger. What we cover

Median sold price by year typical estimate range median result USD, incl. premium; 90% observed, 10% estimated from hammer method · log scale

$7.4K$15K$22K1998: $5.1K median, 20 sold1999: $4.0K median, 65 sold2000: $5.9K median, 19 sold2001: $5.0K median, 26 sold2002: $2.8K median, 29 sold2003: $5.8K median, 46 sold2004: $5.4K median, 73 sold2005: $4.2K median, 89 sold2006: $6.9K median, 105 sold2007: $13K median, 86 sold2008: $11K median, 63 sold2009: $14K median, 22 sold2010: $15K median, 31 sold2011: $12K median, 20 sold2012: $19K median, 36 sold2013: $7.5K median, 53 sold2014: $7.5K median, 51 sold2015: $8.6K median, 78 sold2016: $11K median, 76 sold2017: $8.4K median, 124 sold2018: $12K median, 84 sold2019: $6.4K median, 74 sold2020: $4.8K median, 133 sold2021: $4.0K median, 128 sold2022: $2.5K median, 191 sold2023: $2.3K median, 221 sold2024: $2.7K median, 100 sold2025: $4.2K median, 106 sold2026: $4.1K median, 75 sold19982005201220192026

Where does a value land in this market?

$
$5.0K$41$13M

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

MediumResultsSell-throughMedian result (USD)
prints 1,035 94% $4,500
painting 114 73% $149,000
works on paper 70 76% $48,438
ceramics & design 39 77% $7,500
other 19 71% $6,000
sculpture 5 75% $9,472

Medium is recorded for 1,282 of 2,411 results (53%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.

Compared with Andy Warhol Robert Motherwell Andy Warhol

$15K$30K$44K1998: $34K median1999: $17K median2000: $11K median2001: $12K median2002: $22K median2003: $17K median2004: $21K median2005: $21K median2006: $25K median2007: $46K median2008: $41K median2009: $33K median2010: $55K median2011: $35K median2012: $50K median2013: $40K median2014: $46K median2015: $46K median2016: $38K median2017: $38K median2018: $40K median2019: $37K median2020: $28K median2021: $32K median2022: $40K median2023: $36K median2024: $28K median2025: $18K median2026: $35K median1998: $5.1K median1999: $4.0K median2000: $5.9K median2001: $5.0K median2002: $2.8K median2003: $5.8K median2004: $5.4K median2005: $4.2K median2006: $6.9K median2007: $13K median2008: $11K median2009: $14K median2010: $15K median2011: $12K median2012: $19K median2013: $7.5K median2014: $7.5K median2015: $8.6K median2016: $11K median2017: $8.4K median2018: $12K median2019: $6.4K median2020: $4.8K median2021: $4.0K median2022: $2.5K median2023: $2.3K median2024: $2.7K median2025: $4.2K median2026: $4.1K median19982005201220192026
MetricRobert MotherwellAndy Warhol
Median result$5,000$32,500
Record price $12,690,000 $195,040,000
Results on record2,41115,103
Years active at auction 1998–2026 1998–2026

Related artists: Andy WarholRoy LichtensteinPablo PicassoJim Dine

Market strength liquidity score, 0–100 · method

77/ 100
  • Sell-through86%
  • Meets estimate55%
  • Market depth2,411 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

HouseResultsSell-throughMedianvs. estimate
Christie's 612 95% $5,975 —
Sotheby's 603 85% $13,750 0.95×
Bonhams 313 79% $3,570 0.80×
Heritage Auctions 221 94% $3,500 —
Phillips 220 85% $6,000 —
Rago 113 90% $2,570 —
Freeman's | Hindman 83 95% $2,750 0.75×
Wright 72 82% $2,875 —
Dorotheum 12 75% $5,633 —
Doyle 9 78% $2,880 —
SBI Art Auction 8 62% $1,840 —
Ketterer Kunst 4 — $2,521 —
Barridoff Auctions 4 100% $3,594 1.15×
Lyon & Turnbull 2 100% $1,203 0.77×
Grisebach 1 — $43,476 —
Artcurial 1 — $14,745 0.40×
Matsart 1 100% $4,062 1.08×
Kruso Art 2 50% $41 0.10×
Clark's Auction Company 1 100% $12,500 0.33×
Auktionshaus am See 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 3,094 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 187 passed lots

DateLotMediumvs. estimateEstimate USDResult USD, incl. premiumHouse
100 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $39, once — buy a pass
2005·02 Untitled, from A la Pintura (see Belknap 82-102; Engberg and Banach 111-131) $1,000–$2,000 Christie's
2005·02 Plate 4, from Africa Suite (B. 43; E. and B. 72) $1,500–$2,000 Christie's
2005·02 Plate 5, from Africa Suite (B. 44; E. and B. 73) $1,500–$2,000 Christie's
2005·02 Blue 4, from A la pintura (see B. 89; E. and B. 118) $800–$1,200 Christie's
2005·02 Tallith for Meyer Schapiro (B. 111; E. and B. 154) $1,000–$1,500 Christie's
2005·02 Harvest, in Scotland, from Summer Light Series (B. 129; E. and B. 144) $3,500–$4,500 Christie's
2005·02 Tobacco Roth-Händle (B. 140; E. and B. 171) $2,000–$3,000 Christie's
2005·02 Gesture I (State I) (B. 167; E. and B. 203) $3,000–$5,000 Christie's
2005·02 Untitled (B. 194; E. and B. 224) lithograph and $1,500–$2,500 Christie's
2005·02 Dance I (B. 199; E. and B. 230) $2,500–$3,500 Christie's
2005·02 Easter Day (B. 212: E and B. 244) $800–$1,000 Christie's
2005·02 El General (B. 214; E. and B. 246) $1,000–$1,500 Christie's
2005·02 Los Angeles Sun (B. 221; E. and B. 254) $1,000–$2,500 Christie's
2004·11 Summer Light Series: Harvest with Leaf (Engberg & Banach 147) $1,079–$1,618 Christie's
2004·11 Dance III (E. & B. 232) $1,079–$1,348 Christie's
2004·11 Drunk with Turpentine oil on board $10,000–$15,000 Christie's
2004·11 Open 45A acrylic on canvas $60,000–$80,000 Christie's
2004·11 Régie Française acrylic, graphite, printed paper and cardboard collage on paper $50,000–$70,000 Christie's
2004·11 Imaginary Landscape watercolor and ink on paper $15,000–$20,000 Christie's
2004·11 Untitled ink on paper $15,000–$20,000 Christie's
2004·11 Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 71 oil on canvas $600,000–$800,000 Christie's
2004·11 Summer Studio with Sea $30,000–$40,000 Sotheby's
2004·11 Untitled $70,000–$90,000 Sotheby's
2004·11 Dance I (B. 199; E. and B. 230) $2,000–$3,000 Christie's
2004·11 Bastos (Belknap 138; Engberg & Benach 169) $12,000–$18,000 Christie's
2004·11 Untitled (B. 151; E. & B. 182) $3,000–$4,000 Christie's
2004·11 Game of Chance (B. 345; E. and B. 377) $5,000–$8,000 Christie's
2004·11 Redness of Red (B. 324; E. and B. 354) $15,000–$18,000 Christie's
2004·11 Mexican Night II (B. 318; E. and B. 348) $12,000–$15,000 Christie's
2004·11 Elegy Black Black (B. 274; E. and B. 309) $12,000–$16,000 Christie's
2004·11 Rite of Passage III (B. 217; E. and B. 250) lithograph and $2,500–$3,500 Christie's
2004·11 Dance III (Red) (B. 202; E. and B. 233) $5,000–$7,000 Christie's
2004·11 Gesture IV (State I) (B. 172; E. and B. 208) $7,000–$9,000 Christie's
2004·10 (1915-1991) $1,618–$2,022 Christie's
2004·10 Wanderers $2,500–$3,500 Wright
2004·09 Untitled ink and watercolor on paper $15,000–$20,000 Christie's
2004·09 The Garden #2 acrylic on canvas $40,000–$50,000 Christie's
2004·07 from the dutch linen suite (belknap 133) $1,348–$2,022 Sotheby's
2004·06 Untitled $8,090–$10,787 Sotheby's
2004·05 Bête Noire $120,000–$180,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 Elegy for the Spanish Republic, XXX $50,000–$70,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 the baltic sea bride ii $40,000–$60,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 open study # 12 $10,000–$15,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 gypsy collage 4 $30,000–$40,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 Drunk with Turpentine $20,000–$30,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 automatism a (walker art center 19; belknap 6) $3,000–$4,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 america-la france variations ii (w.a.c. 330; b. 298; t. 444:rm64) $2,500–$3,500 Sotheby's
2004·05 america-la france variations iii (w.a.c. 331; b. 299; t. 445:rm64) $2,500–$3,500 Sotheby's
2004·05 rite of passage iii (w.a.c. 250; b. 217; t. 406:rm25) $3,000–$4,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 put out all flags (w.a.c. 263; b. 230) $5,000–$7,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 america-la france variations vii (w.a.c. 335; b. 303; t. 449:rm68) $2,500–$3,500 Sotheby's
2004·05 black cathedral (w.a.c. 522) $5,000–$7,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 game of chance (w.a.c. 377; b. 345) $4,500–$5,500 Sotheby's
2004·05 three forms (w.a.c. 469; b. 407) $4,000–$6,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 la guerra ii (w.a.c. 253; b. 219; t.408:rm27) $2,500–$3,500 Sotheby's
2004·05 america-lafrance variations v (w.a.c. 333; b. 301; t. 447:rm66) $3,000–$4,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 summer sign (w.a.c. 494; b. 430) $3,000–$4,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 black wall of spain; and through black emerge purified (w.a.c. 310 & 315; b. 278 & 288; t. 427:rm46 & 42:rm56) $2,000–$3,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 america-la france variations iv (w.a.c. 332; b. 300; t. 446:rm65) $3,000–$5,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 sirens i (w.a.c. 443; b. 382) $3,000–$4,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 elegy study  (w.a.c. 240; b. 209) $3,500–$4,500 Sotheby's
2004·05 on the wing (w.a.c. 340; b. 309; t. 454:rm73) $4,000–$6,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 hermitage (w.a.c. 180; b. 149; t.394:rm13) $3,500–$4,500 Sotheby's
2004·05 signs on copper (w.a.c. 286; b. 252) $6,000–$8,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 octavio paz suite (w.a.c. 415-41; b. 354-80) $18,000–$22,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 america-la france variations i (w.a.c. 329; b. 297; t. 443:rm62) $5,000–$7,000 Sotheby's
2004·05 delos (w.a.c. 525) $5,000–$7,000 Sotheby's
2004·04 Red Sea I (Belknap 158; Engberg & Banach 193) $5,000–$7,000 Christie's
2004·04 Three Figures (B. 426; E. & B. 489 ) $8,000–$10,000 Christie's
2004·04 At the Edge (B. 315; E. & B. 345) etching with aquatint in colors, 1984, on $6,000–$9,000 Christie's
2004·04 Black Mountain (State II Red) (B. 267; E. & B. 302) $5,000–$7,000 Christie's
2004·04 Black Mountain (State I) (B. 266; E. & B. 301) $3,500–$4,500 Christie's
2004·03 Beau Geste II $2,000–$3,000 Wright
2004·02 America-La France Variations II (B. 298; E. & B. 330) $2,500–$3,500 Christie's
2004·02 America-La France Variations V (B. 301; E. & B. 275) $2,500–$3,500 Christie's
2004·02 America-La France Variations III (B. 299; E. & B. 331) $2,000–$3,000 Christie's
2004·02 El General (B. 214; E. & B. 246) $1,000–$1,500 Christie's
2004·02 On Stage (B. 293; E. & B. 317) $1,000–$1,500 Christie's
2004·02 Untitled, from Ten Works by Ten Painters (Belknap 5; Engberg & Banach 16) $900–$1,200 Christie's
2004·02 Mediterranean (State II Yellow) (B. 148; E. & B. 179) $1,000–$1,500 Christie's
2004·02 Easter Day 1979 (B. 212; E. & B. 244) $1,000–$1,500 Christie's
2004·02 The Wave (B. 198; E. & B. 229) etching in black with $1,500–$2,500 Christie's
2004·02 Game of Chance (B. 345; E. & B. 377) $5,000–$7,000 Christie's
2004·02 The Green Studio (B. 331; E. & B. 363) $2,000–$3,000 Christie's
2004·02 America-La France Variations IX (B. 305; E. & B. 337) $2,000–$3,000 Christie's
2004·02 America-La France Variations VI (B. 302; E. & B. 334) $2,500–$3,500 Christie's
2003·11 Gauloises with Scarlet #1 $20,000–$30,000 Sotheby's
2003·11 Bust of Stravinsky $30,000–$40,000 Sotheby's
2003·11 untitled #23 $10,000–$15,000 Sotheby's
2003·11 gestures iv (state i) (w.a.c. 208; b. 172) $6,000–$8,000 Sotheby's
2003·11 barcelona elegy to the spanish republic (w.a.c. 533) $3,000–$4,000 Sotheby's
2003·11 america-la france variations vii (w.a.c. 335; b. 303; t. 449:rm68) $2,500–$3,500 Sotheby's
2003·11 america-la france variations v (w.a.c. 333; t. 447:rm66) $3,000–$4,000 Sotheby's
2003·11 lament for lorca (w.a.c. 289; b. 254; t. 413:rm32) $5,000–$7,000 Sotheby's
2003·11 redness of red (w.a.c. 354; b. 324) $14,000–$18,000 Sotheby's
2003·11 black wall of spain (w.a.c. 310; b. 278; t. 427:rm46) $1,500–$2,000 Sotheby's
2003·11 burning elegy (w.a.c. 520) $30,000–$40,000 Sotheby's
2003·11 monster (w.a.c. 170; b. 139; t. 384:rm3) $2,500–$3,500 Sotheby's
2003·11 el negro (w.a.c. 308.1-.21; b. 268-91; t. 415:rm34-44:rm59) $7,000–$9,000 Sotheby's
2003·11 america-la france variations ix (w.a.c. 337; b. 305; t. 451:rm70) $2,000–$3,000 Sotheby's

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