Antoni Clavé Auction Prices and Value Guide
Antoni Clavé auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 3,005 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Antoni Clavé auction prices: quick answer
Antoni Clavé auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Antoni Clavé
- Source records
- 3,005
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Antoni Clavé
Antoni Clavé (1913–2005) was a Catalan-born painter, sculptor, printmaker, and stage designer who spent most of his career in France. Born in Barcelona, Clavé left Spain during the Civil War and settled in Paris, where he developed a distinctive visual language rooted in richly textured surfaces, bold figuration, and a dialogue between painting and collage. His work drew from a broad range of influences, including European modernism, classical theater, and literary subjects. Clavé also achieved recognition for his stage and costume designs, earning two Academy Award nominations for the 1952 film Hans Christian Andersen. Major museums including MoMA and Tate hold his work in their collections, and his own Archives Antoni Clavé, established in 1996, continues to manage authentication and scholarship of his oeuvre.
20th-century European modernism; associated with post-war French figurative paintingoil paintinglithography and intaglio printmakingsculpturecollagefigures and portraituretheatrical and literary themesstill life and composition
Common works and media
Clavé's output spans oil paintings on canvas and panel, lithographs and intaglio prints (often issued in numbered editions), mixed-media collages incorporating paper and fabric, freestanding sculptures in metal and other materials, book illustrations, and designs for theatrical sets and costumes. Figurative compositions, portrait studies, and still-life subjects recur throughout his career. His lithographs and etchings are particularly well represented in the auction market.
Market and appraisal context
Antoni Clavé maintains a deep and well-established secondary market with 1,043 recorded auction lots dating from late 2000 through April 2026, of which 452 carry realized prices. The price distribution is wide: the median is €892, the 25th percentile sits at €330, the 75th percentile at €10,200, and the top recorded price reaches €4,300,000. This dispersion reflects the broad range of media in Clavé's oeuvre — unsigned or small-edition prints cluster in the low hundreds of euros, while major oil paintings and important early figurative works at premier houses reach five and six figures. Prints and multiples dominate auction volume, with lithographs and etchings from the 1950s–1970s (notably the 'Roi' and 'Cirque' series) appearing frequently at mid-tier European houses. The top tier of the market is anchored by Christie's, Sotheby's, and Artcurial, while Spanish and French regional houses (Subarna Subastas, Sala Retiro, Tajan, Ansorena, La Suite Subastas, Millon) handle the bulk of mid-range lots. Liquidity remains strong but has moderated recently: 53 lots appeared in the trailing 12 months versus 96 in the prior period, suggesting some softening in supply or demand. A Sotheby's sale of 'Roi à la pipe' achieved €38,100 in July 2025 and Subarna Subastas sold 'Le Roi de cartes' (1952) for €25,000 in June 2025, confirming that museum-quality works from the 1950s 'Roi' period continue to command premium prices.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- lithography and intaglio printmaking
- oil painting
- sculpture
- collage
- works on paper
Value drivers
- Medium: oil paintings generally command higher values than prints and works on paper
- Provenance: works authenticated by Archives Antoni Clavé carry stronger attribution confidence
- Catalogue raisonné inclusion: sculptures and engravings catalogued in the artist's raisonnés are more readily verified
- Period: works from the mature post-war French period are most commonly encountered at auction
- Edition: prints should be checked for edition size, numbering, and signature
- Subject and condition: figural compositions and well-preserved surfaces affect value
Appraisal caveats
- Over 3,000 auction records exist for this artist across prints, paintings, and sculpture, indicating a broad and varied market; values span a wide range depending on medium, size, and period.
- Attribution should be confirmed through Archives Antoni Clavé, which provides authentication services for the artist's body of work.
- Stage designs and costume-related works may carry different valuation considerations than easel paintings or prints.
- Of 1,043 recorded lots, only 452 carry realized prices; the remaining lots may include unsold, withdrawn, or price-unreported entries, which can skew perceived market depth
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Library of Congress library authority
- RKD – Netherlands Institute for Art History library authority
- Archives Antoni Clavé artist estate or foundation
- VIAF library authority
- Wikidata library authority
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
Data basis
This page is built from Appraisily's public auction market index. Private transactions, incomplete sale feeds, and attribution changes may not be fully represented.
Artist value FAQ
How much is Antoni Clavé worth?
Comparable public auction sales are the best starting point, but final value depends on the specific artwork, condition, size, medium, provenance, and attribution confidence.
Can Appraisily value my Antoni Clavé artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.