John Lavery Auction Prices and Value Guide
John Lavery auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 701 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
John Lavery auction prices: quick answer
John Lavery auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- John Lavery
- Source records
- 701
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About John Lavery
Sir John Lavery (1856–1941) was an Irish painter celebrated for his portraits and wartime depictions. Born in Belfast on 20 March 1856, he built a career that spanned late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century Britain and Ireland, earning a knighthood and election to the Royal Academy. Lavery's sitters ranged from society figures to political leaders, and he served as an official war artist during the First World War, producing some of the period's most recognised canvases. His work combines a refined figurative technique with a fluid handling of light and atmosphere, reflecting the broader European plein-air currents of his era. Today his paintings are held by major public collections including Tate and the National Gallery, London, and they appear regularly at international auction.
oil paintingportraitswartime depictions
Common works and media
Lavery is most often encountered in appraisal and auction contexts as an oil painter. Common work types include formal portraits, landscapes and garden scenes, interiors with figures, and wartime subjects. He also produced preparatory oil sketches and smaller cabinet paintings. Prints and reproductive engravings after his major compositions circulate, though the primary market centres on original oils on canvas or board.
Market and appraisal context
The source pack records 15 auction lots (11 priced) spanning 2007–2025 across eight houses, with realised prices ranging from $10 for reproductive lithographs to £381,000 for the original oil "Ariadne" at Sotheby's (November 2023). The median priced lot is approximately $6,875. Lavery's market is anchored by top-tier houses—Christie's and Sotheby's account for the highest prices—while Irish and regional houses (Gormleys, Purcell, Heritage) provide steady mid-tier liquidity. Tangier subjects and figurative compositions are recurring strong performers. The price distribution is strongly bimodal: original oils at major houses realise five- and six-figure sums, while prints and works "after" Lavery trade at nominal levels ($10–$25). No priced lots appear in the most recent 12-month window (as of collection date May 2025), though three lots traded in the prior 12 months, suggesting normal cadence rather than a market interruption.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- oil painting
Value drivers
- [object Object]
Appraisal caveats
- With over 700 auction records attributed to this artist on Invaluable, the range of realised prices is broad; individual results depend heavily on the factors listed above.
- This sample contains 15 lots. Lavery has over 700 auction records on Invaluable, so the observed price distribution under-represents the full market breadth.
- Three of the 15 lots are works "after" Lavery (reproductive lithographs priced at $10–$25), not original paintings. These skew the low end and should not be used as comparables for original oils.
- No auction categories were tagged in the lot records. "Oil painting" is inferred from the existing profile mediums and lot titles.
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
- Wikidata library authority
- VIAF library authority
- Getty Vocabulary Program 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 John Lavery 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 John Lavery artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.