Jock Sturges Auction Prices and Value Guide
Jock Sturges auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 331 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Jock Sturges auction prices: quick answer
Jock Sturges auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Jock Sturges
- Source records
- 331
- Market update
- 2026-02-16
Artist context
About Jock Sturges
Jock Sturges is an American fine-art photographer born in New York City in 1947. He is recognized for extended portrait projects, particularly long-term studies of families and individuals in naturist communities along the Atlantic coast of southwestern France and in Northern California. Working in large-format black-and-white and color, Sturges photographs the same subjects over many years, creating a body of work that traces individual growth across decades. His images emphasize natural light, coastal environments, and a contemplative approach to the human figure. Sturges's prints are held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and have been exhibited and collected internationally. His photographs have also been at the center of First Amendment–related public and legal discourse in the United States. Collectors most often encounter his work through fine-art photography galleries and auction sales.
Contemporary fine-art photographyGelatin silver printsChromogenic color printsPigment ink printsFigure studies and portraiture in naturist and coastal settingsLong-term multi-decade portrait projects of families and individualsCoastal landscapes of Montalivet, France, and Northern California
Common works and media
Jock Sturges works exclusively in photography. The most commonly encountered formats are gelatin silver prints, chromogenic color prints, and pigment ink prints, typically produced in large format. His subjects center on figure studies and portraits set in coastal and naturist environments, primarily at Montalivet in southwestern France and locations in Northern California. Editions are generally small, often 25 or fewer. Published monographs including The Last Day of Summer and Radiant Identities are also widely collected secondary-market items.
Market and appraisal context
Jock Sturges's photographs appear regularly in fine-art photography auctions. Valuation depends on print size, edition number and total edition size, whether the print is vintage or produced later, the specific medium (gelatin silver, chromogenic, or pigment ink), condition, provenance, and gallery representation. Prints from his best-known Montalivet and Northern California series tend to attract the strongest collector interest. Published monographs and exhibition history can influence desirability. Collectors should verify edition numbering and provenance through gallery certificates and documentation, and note that condition issues such as fading, surface marks, or mounting problems can materially affect value.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Fine-art photography
- Contemporary photography
Value drivers
- Print size and format (large-format prints command stronger market interest)
- Edition number and total edition size
- Vintage versus later printing
- Medium (gelatin silver versus chromogenic or pigment ink)
- Condition, provenance, and gallery documentation
- Series and subject (Montalivet and Northern California bodies of work are most recognized)
Appraisal caveats
- Published monographs and exhibition history can affect desirability but are not direct valuation proxies
- Collectors should verify edition numbering and provenance through gallery certificates or documentation
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Wikidata library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- VIAF library authority
- Library of Congress library authority
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
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 Jock Sturges 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 Jock Sturges artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.