Arshile Gorky Auction Prices and Value Guide
Arshile Gorky auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 528 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Arshile Gorky auction prices: quick answer
Arshile Gorky auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Arshile Gorky
- Source records
- 528
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Arshile Gorky
Arshile Gorky (born Vosdanig Manoog Adoian, c. 1904–1948) was an Armenian-American painter whose work bridged European Surrealism and American Abstract Expressionism, making him one of the most influential figures in postwar American art. Born in the Armenian province of Van, he survived the Armenian genocide before emigrating to the United States, where he adopted the name Arshile Gorky around 1932. After years of absorbing the techniques of Cézanne, Picasso, and Miró, Gorky developed a deeply personal visual language in the 1940s characterized by fluid, biomorphic forms and luminous color fields rooted in memory and landscape. His late paintings, such as 'The Liver is the Cock's Comb' and 'Agony,' are landmarks of abstract art. Alongside Rothko, Pollock, and de Kooning, Gorky is recognized as a foundational force in the Abstract Expressionist movement. Major holdings of his work are in the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Abstract ExpressionismSurrealism (transitional influence)oil paintingdrawingsculpturepen drawingabstract biomorphic formsmemory and landscape (Armenian homeland imagery)
Common works and media
Gorky's surviving body of work includes oil paintings on canvas and board, gouaches, ink and pencil drawings, and prints. His most recognized canvases are large-scale abstractions from the 1940s featuring interlocking organic shapes and rich, layered color. Earlier works reflect Post-Impressionist and Cubist influences. Works on paper, including pen drawings and gouache studies, are more commonly encountered at auction. Sculptural works exist but are rare. Collectors may also encounter exhibition posters and printed reproductions of major works held by institutions such as MoMA and the Tate.
Market and appraisal context
Arshile Gorky's works appear at the highest tiers of the Post-War and Contemporary Art market. His mature oil paintings from the 1940s are the most commercially significant, though many were lost in a devastating 1946 studio fire, contributing to the scarcity of available works. Collectors and appraisers should consider provenance, exhibition history, condition (especially fire or conservation issues), medium, and confirmation against the catalogue raisonné. Works on paper and drawings appear more frequently at auction than large canvases. Authentication is managed through the Arshile Gorky Foundation, and any appraisal should account for the limited surviving output from a career cut short in 1948.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Appraisal caveats
- Gorky's total output was limited by his relatively short career and the studio fire of 1946; this scarcity affects market availability.
- The market context above is informed by general art-historical knowledge from the collected sources; specific realized prices should be confirmed against current auction records.
- Attribution can be complex due to Gorky's early practice of reworking and copying other artists' styles before developing his mature voice.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Library of Congress library authority
- VIAF library authority
- RKD - Netherlands Institute for Art History library authority
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
- Tate museum or university
- Wikidata library authority
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 Arshile Gorky 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 Arshile Gorky artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.