Francis Bacon Auction Prices and Value Guide
Francis Bacon auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 3,619 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Francis Bacon auction prices: quick answer
Francis Bacon auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Francis Bacon
- Source records
- 3,619
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon (1909–1992) was an Irish-born British painter recognized as one of the most important figurative artists of the twentieth century. Born in Dublin, he moved to London in the late 1920s and remained primarily based there for the rest of his career. Bacon's work is known for its visceral, emotionally charged depictions of the human body—distorted figures enclosed in cage-like geometrical structures, screaming popes, crucifixion scenes, and penetrating portraits of intimate companions. He drew inspiration from sources including Velázquez, Picasso, film stills, and photography. Major retrospectives have been held at institutions including Tate, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Centre Pompidou. Bacon worked steadily from the late 1920s until his death in Madrid in 1992, and his paintings are held in museum collections worldwide.
Post-war British figurative paintingoil on canvasworks on paperhuman figurecrucifixionspapal portraitsself-portraits
Common works and media
Bacon's most commonly encountered works in auction and appraisal contexts include oil on canvas paintings—single panels and triptychs—depicting distorted human figures, papal portraits, self-portraits, and animal imagery. Works on paper, including drawings and studies, also appear, though Bacon himself disputed the significance of his works on paper. Lithographic and screen prints after his paintings circulate in the secondary market. Collectors may also encounter exhibition posters, catalogues, and photographs related to Bacon's studio practice, though these are not original artworks.
Market and appraisal context
Francis Bacon's secondary market is one of the deepest and most liquid in post-war art. Appraisily auction records index 1,667 lots attributed to Bacon, with 1,089 carrying a realized price—spanning sales from May 1998 through April 2026. The price distribution is extremely wide: the low end starts at $2 (books, ephemera) while the recorded maximum reaches approximately $86.3 million, reflecting major unique paintings sold through top-tier houses. The interquartile range ($2,880–$17,780) and median ($8,000) are dominated by prints, lithographs, and works on paper rather than unique oil paintings, which trade at orders of magnitude higher. Liquidity remains strong with 82 priced lots in the most recent 12-month window (down from 113 in the prior year), indicating a still-active but slightly cooling market at the print-and-works-on-paper tier. Named auction houses in the record include Christie's, Sotheby's, Bonhams, Artcurial, Forum Auctions, Koller, Setdart, and Millon, confirming broad international circulation across London, New York, Paris, and continental European salerooms.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- oil on canvas
- works on paper
- lithographs
- screen prints
- exhibition posters and ephemera
Value drivers
- [object Object]
Appraisal caveats
- Bacon is among the highest-selling artists at auction; individual results span millions and should not be used as direct comparables without expert analysis.
- Attribution is complex; the Estate of Francis Bacon is the current authority on authenticity.
- Prints and works on paper exist in multiple states and editions; these trade at materially different values than unique paintings.
- [object Object]
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
- Tate museum or university
- Estate of Francis Bacon artist estate or foundation
- Wikidata library authority
- VIAF 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 Francis Bacon 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 Francis Bacon artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.