Elizabeth Catlett Auction Prices and Value Guide

Elizabeth Catlett auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 970 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Elizabeth Catlett auction prices: quick answer

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

Artist
Elizabeth Catlett
Source records
970
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About Elizabeth Catlett

Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012) was an American-born Mexican sculptor, printmaker, and educator whose work centers on the experiences of Black women, social justice, and the African American community. Born in Washington, D.C., she was the granddaughter of formerly enslaved people and pursued art at a time when opportunities for Black women artists were severely limited. After early training at Howard University and the University of Iowa, a 1946 fellowship brought her to Mexico City, where she joined the Taller de Gráfica Popular, a celebrated printmaking collective. She later headed the sculpture department at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas and became a Mexican citizen, spending most of her career in Cuernavaca. Catlett's practice spans sculpture in bronze, wood, and terracotta alongside linocuts and lithographs that combine bold figuration with activist themes. Her work is held by major museums including MoMA and is widely represented at auction.

African American artSocial RealismTaller de Gráfica Popular (Mexican printmaking collective)Sculpture (bronze, wood, terracotta, stone)Printmaking (linocut, lithograph)DrawingBlack women and the female experienceAfrican American experience in the 20th centuryMotherhood and familyCivil rights and social justice

Common works and media

Catlett is best known for bronze, wood, and terracotta sculptures depicting women, mothers, and figures from African American history. Her printed works include linocuts and lithographs, often published in numbered editions, featuring portraits, laborers, and civil-rights themes. Drawings and posters produced during her years with the Taller de Gráfica Popular also appear at auction. Collectors may encounter both unique sculptures and editioned prints, with subjects ranging from intimate mother-and-child compositions to bold political imagery.

Market and appraisal context

Elizabeth Catlett maintains a deep and active secondary market with 722 recorded auction lots (603 with realized prices) spanning from 2001 through April 2026. Her auction footprint is anchored by Swann Auction Galleries—the dominant house for African American fine art—alongside Black Art Auction, Weschler's, Rachel Davis Fine Arts, Bonhams, and Christie's. Price dispersion is exceptionally wide: the recorded range runs from $60 for minor prints and posthumous or 'after' editions to $485,000 for unique sculptures, with a median of $3,500 and an interquartile range of $1,875–$7,500. The strongest prices are consistently achieved by unique bronze and wood sculptures, led by the 1946 'Reclined Figure' which realized $161,000 at Swann (October 2024) and 'Olmec Bather' which brought $88,900 at Swann (April 2026). Editioned lithographs and linocuts typically trade between $500 and $3,500, making them the more accessible entry point for collectors. Liquidity remains healthy with 38 lots offered in the trailing twelve months, though this represents a decline from 56 in the prior period, suggesting a modest contraction in supply rather than demand.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Sculpture (bronze, wood, terracotta, stone)
  • Printmaking (linocut, lithograph)
  • Drawing

Value drivers

  1. [object Object]

Appraisal caveats

  • Market values vary widely between editioned prints and unique sculptures; no single price range characterizes Catlett's output.
  • Attribution questions can arise for unsigned or posthumously estate-stamped prints; expert review is recommended.
  • Auction records for Catlett are numerous (approximately 970 recorded lots), but realized prices span a broad range depending on medium, size, and period.
  • [object Object]

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 Elizabeth Catlett

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Elizabeth Catlett 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 Elizabeth Catlett artwork?

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