John Singer Sargent Auction Prices and Value Guide
John Singer Sargent auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 724 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
John Singer Sargent auction prices: quick answer
John Singer Sargent auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- John Singer Sargent
- Source records
- 724
- Market update
- 2026-02-16
Artist context
About John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) was an American painter born in Florence, Italy, who trained in Paris and spent most of his career working in London and across Europe. He is widely regarded as the foremost portraitist of the Belle Époque and Edwardian eras, known for his virtuosic technique, bold brushwork, and ability to capture the character and social standing of his sitters. Beyond portraiture, Sargent produced over 2,000 watercolors, large-scale mural commissions, and charcoal drawings that documented his extensive travels through Venice, Spain, the Middle East, the Alps, and the American West. His work bridges the grand manner of European academic painting and the light-filled immediacy of Impressionism. Today his paintings hang in virtually every major museum in the United States and Europe, and his portraits of Gilded Age and Edwardian high society remain defining images of their era.
Belle Époque and Edwardian portraitureRealismoil paintingwatercolorcharcoal drawingmural paintingportraits of elite society figuresVenice and Italian landscapestravel scenes from the Middle East, Spain, Corfu, and the American Westwar scenes and official commissions
Common works and media
Collectors most frequently encounter Sargent's oil portraits—both full-length and half-length commissioned likenesses of prominent figures—as well as his vibrant watercolor landscapes and Venetian scenes. Charcoal portrait drawings, often executed in a rapid, economical style, appear regularly at auction. Mural studies and preparatory sketches from his large-scale public commissions, such as those at the Boston Public Library and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, also surface periodically. Prints and reproductions after his paintings circulate widely and should be distinguished from original works.
Market and appraisal context
John Singer Sargent is one of the most liquid and actively traded artists in the global secondary market. The Appraisily auction-record index documents 349 total lots with 223 priced results spanning 1990 to April 2026, distributed across more than ten auction houses. Christie's dominates the high end, accounting for the three highest recent results—Capri (oil on canvas, $11.445M, November 2025), Corner of the Church of San Stae, Venice ($7.395M), and Gondolier's Siesta ($7.395M)—while Sotheby's, Bonhams, Freeman's | Hindman, and regional houses such as Nadeau's, Skinner, and Barridoff Auctions handle mid-tier and lower-value material. The price distribution is extremely wide: the minimum recorded price is $10 (prints and reproductions), the 25th percentile is $3,600, the median is $33,600, the 75th percentile is $150,000, and the maximum is $11,445,000. This dispersion reflects the full spectrum of Sargent's output—from museum-quality oil paintings and major watercolors to charcoal portrait drawings, lithographs, collotypes, posters, and reproductive prints. Auction volume is stable, with 20 lots offered in the most recent 12-month period versus 23 in the prior 12-month period, indicating sustained demand across all price tiers.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- oil painting
- watercolor
- charcoal drawing
- mural painting
Value drivers
- [object Object]
Appraisal caveats
- With 724+ auction records in the Invaluable/Appraisily dataset, Sargent is one of the most frequently traded artists at the highest tier of the secondary market. Prices span an enormous range depending on medium, size, subject, and condition.
- Major oil portraits have realized seven- and eight-figure sums at public auction, while sketches, studies, and minor watercolors trade at substantially lower levels. No single price range is representative.
- Authentication relies on catalogue raisonné entries, provenance documentation, and expert committee opinion. Collectors should verify attribution through published scholarship.
- The Appraisily dataset contains 349 lots with 223 priced results; 126 lots lack price data, which may include withdrawn lots, unsold works, or post-sale private transactions. The price distribution should be interpreted with this gap in mind.
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
- Wikidata library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
- Tate 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 John Singer Sargent 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 Singer Sargent artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.