Henri Laurens Auction Prices and Value Guide
Henri Laurens auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 930 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Henri Laurens auction prices: quick answer
Henri Laurens auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Henri Laurens
- Source records
- 930
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Henri Laurens
Henri Laurens (1885–1954) was a French sculptor, printmaker, and illustrator recognized as a leading sculptor associated with Cubism. Born in Paris on February 18, 1885, he began working around 1902 and developed a distinctive visual language that evolved from Cubist geometric fragmentation toward more organic, rounded sculptural forms in the 1920s and beyond. He worked across a wide range of media—including bronze, stone, terracotta, plaster, gouache, drawing, and printmaking—and also produced illustrations for deluxe artist books. Between 1921 and 1935 Laurens regularly worked alongside his neighbor Aristide Maillol. His work is held in major institutional collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Tate in London, and the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie. Laurens died on May 5, 1954. Collectors most frequently encounter his work at auction through bronze sculptures, terracotta pieces, and works on paper.
Cubismbronzestoneterracottaplasterfemale figureaquatic and marine themesclassical and allegorical motifs
Common works and media
Henri Laurens is best known for sculptural works in bronze, stone, terracotta, and plaster. Common subjects include the female figure, aquatic and marine motifs, and classical or allegorical themes reinterpreted through a modernist lens. In addition to freestanding sculpture and wall reliefs, Laurens produced gouaches, lithographic prints, drawings, and book illustrations for deluxe literary editions. Small-scale maquettes and preparatory studies for larger monuments also appear on the market.
Market and appraisal context
Henri Laurens maintains a deep and active secondary market with 508 recorded auction lots, 282 of which have realized prices, spanning sales from late 1995 through February 2026. The price distribution is wide: the observed range runs from USD 10 for a lithograph on wove paper (EJ's Auction, Sep 2025) up to USD 2,400,000 at the top end, with a median of USD 22,500 and an interquartile range of approximately USD 1,076–80,500. This dispersion reflects the broad spectrum of media and scale—mass-market prints and small drawings at the low end, large-scale bronze and terracotta sculptures at the high end. Christie's dominates the high-value segment, with recent results including a terracotta Femme aux bras levés at EUR 81,900 (May 2025), a bronze Flora at USD 69,300 (May 2025), and a Femme au compotier at EUR 57,150 (Oct 2025). Sotheby's, Artcurial, Bonhams, Piasa, and Freeman's | Hindman also appear regularly. Trading volume has softened slightly: 19 lots in the most recent 12 months versus 28 in the prior 12 months, though this may reflect collection cycles rather than declining demand. The market is well-established and liquid across price tiers.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- bronze
- stone
- terracotta
- plaster
- gouache
Value drivers
- Medium and scale: large bronze and stone sculptures generally achieve the highest prices
- Period: mature works from the 1920s–1940s are especially sought after
- Provenance: documented exhibition history and descent from notable collections affect value
- Edition status for bronze casts: number in edition and foundry marks should be verified
- Condition and completeness, especially for terracotta and plaster works
- Atmosphere of subject matter: female figure and aquatic subjects are recurrent themes in his most recognized works
Appraisal caveats
- Over 930 auction lots recorded, indicating an active and well-documented secondary market across sculpture, works on paper, and prints.
- Small-scale bronzes, terracotta pieces, gouaches, and prints represent more accessible price segments than large-scale sculpture.
- Illustrated artist books (livres d'artiste) form a distinct collecting category separate from independent sculptural works.
- Specific movement attribution beyond Cubism is not fully detailed in the available source excerpts; appraisal should reference published catalogue raisonné entries where possible.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
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 Henri Laurens 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 Henri Laurens artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.