Bernard Aubertin Auction Prices and Value Guide

Bernard Aubertin auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 1,502 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Bernard Aubertin auction prices: quick answer

Bernard Aubertin auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Bernard Aubertin
Source records
1,502
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About Bernard Aubertin

Bernard Aubertin (1934–2015) was a French painter, sculptor, and conceptual artist best known for his red monochromatic paintings and his close association with the international ZERO movement. Born in Fontenay-aux-Roses, France, Aubertin began making monochrome works in 1958 after a pivotal encounter with Yves Klein in Montparnasse in 1957. He left Paris in 1961 and eventually settled in Germany, where he lived and worked from 1990 until his death in Reutlingen in 2015. Aubertin's practice extended across painting, sculpture, collage, and relief, with red remaining the dominant chromatic focus throughout his career. His work is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and he is represented in major library authority files including the RKD, VIAF, and the Library of Congress.

ZEROpaintingsculpturecollagemonochrome paintingred monochromefire and nail works

Common works and media

Aubertin's most commonly encountered works include red monochrome paintings on canvas, nail-relief panels, fire-related works incorporating matches or burn marks, collages, and works on paper. Sculptural reliefs and mixed-media constructions also appear at auction. Editioned prints and multiples exist in smaller numbers. The red monochrome surface — whether painted, burned, or constructed — is the unifying visual signature across media. Works range from intimate works on paper to large-scale canvases and wall reliefs.

Market and appraisal context

Bernard Aubertin's secondary market is active and well-established, with 911 auction lots recorded from 2004 through April 2026 and 485 lots carrying realized prices. The market shows healthy liquidity, with 89 lots appearing in the most recent 12 months and 92 in the prior 12 months, indicating stable demand. Price dispersion is broad but structured: the entry point for works on paper and burned-book multiples begins around €200–€800, the interquartile range spans €1,200–€6,500 covering mid-scale monochrome paintings and fire drawings, and top-tier results — such as Christie's Paris achieving €20,320 for a Structures monochromes work in December 2025 — demonstrate meaningful upside for significant pieces. The auction record peaked at €150,000, reflecting strong results for important early or large-scale works. Major houses actively offer Aubertin, including Christie's, Sotheby's, Artcurial, Kunsthaus Lempertz, Karl & Faber, Hampel Fine Art Auctions, Piasa, and Tajan, alongside consistent turnover at Italian regional houses such as Felima Art Casa D'Aste. This house mix confirms Aubertin is traded in both the international Post-War and Contemporary tier and the Central European market where he spent much of his career.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Post-War and Contemporary Art
  • painting
  • sculpture
  • monochrome painting
  • collage

Value drivers

  1. Medium and scale of the work — monochrome paintings, sculptural reliefs, and works on paper each carry different market weight
  2. Provenance and exhibition history — works with documented ZERO-group exhibition provenance or museum provenance are significant
  3. Date of execution — earlier monochrome works from the late 1950s and 1960s are generally rarer than later production
  4. Association with Yves Klein and the ZERO group network provides art-historical context that influences collector interest
  5. Medium and scale: red monochrome canvases and nail-relief panels (Tableau Clous) carry higher weight than burned books (Livre Brûlé) or works on paper (Dessin de Feu). The recent Christie's Structures monochromes result (€20,320) versus Felima Livre Brûlé results (€200–€800) illustrates this spread.
  6. Date of execution: earlier works from the late 1950s and 1960s — such as Tableau Clous works dated 1968 — are rarer and typically command premiums over later production from the 2000s.

Appraisal caveats

  • No specific auction price records are included in the available source pack; appraisal should reference current comparable public auction results.
  • Attribution should be confirmed through provenance documentation, as the market for ZERO-associated artists includes works of varying authentication status.
  • All price data is sourced from Appraisily's auction record index derived from public auction feeds; individual lot results may vary depending on buyer premiums, currency conversion timing, and reporting completeness.
  • Aubertin's market spans French, German, Italian, and Swiss auction houses, so results are denominated in EUR and CHF. Cross-currency comparison should account for exchange rates at the time of sale.

Evidence

Sources for artist context

This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.

Source-grounded artist Markdown

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.

LLM-readable Markdown summary for Bernard Aubertin

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Bernard Aubertin 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 Bernard Aubertin artwork?

Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.