Marie Laurencin Auction Prices and Value Guide
Marie Laurencin auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 3,236 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Marie Laurencin auction prices: quick answer
Marie Laurencin auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Marie Laurencin
- Source records
- 3,236
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Marie Laurencin
Marie Laurencin (1883–1956) was a French painter, printmaker, illustrator, and stage designer who became a distinctive voice within the early twentieth-century Parisian avant-garde. Born in Paris and trained in porcelain painting at Sèvres before studying at the Académie Humbert, she was drawn into the circle of Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, and the poet Guillaume Apollinaire, who championed her work. Though associated with the Cubist group known as the Section d'Or, Laurencin developed a highly personal style that departed from Cubist formal rigor in favor of lyrical, pastel-toned compositions depicting graceful young women in dreamlike settings. Influences from Persian miniature painting and French Rococo decoration are evident throughout her mature work. Beyond easel painting, she designed sets for Diaghilev's Ballets russes and the Comédie Française, and illustrated literary works by André Gide and Lewis Carroll. Her work is held by major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tate in London.
Cubism (Section d'Or circle)Parisian avant-gardeOil paintingPrintmaking (lithography, etching)WatercolorPorcelain paintingYoung women and girls in lyrical, dreamlike posesPastel-toned figurative compositionsPortraits
Common works and media
Collectors and appraisers most frequently encounter Laurencin's oil paintings on canvas or panel depicting female figures, portraits, and allegorical scenes in her characteristic pastel palette. Her graphic output is substantial and includes lithographs, etchings, and aquatints, many of which reproduce her favored motifs of young women, animals, and pastoral settings. Illustrated books—particularly her edition of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and collaborations with literary figures—are also well represented in the market. Watercolors, gouaches, and drawings on paper appear regularly at auction, as do occasional porcelain pieces reflecting her early training.
Market and appraisal context
Marie Laurencin maintains an active and well-documented secondary market with 2,004 recorded auction lots, of which 1,215 carry realized prices spanning from 1994 to April 2026. The price distribution is extremely wide: the minimum recorded price is $10 (typically lithographs or small prints), the 25th percentile sits at $320, the median is $1,517, the 75th percentile reaches $15,600, and the auction record stands at $6,200,000. This dispersion reflects the broad range of media in her oeuvre—mass-produced prints and illustrated books at the low end, signed oil paintings from her signature mature period at the high end. Liquidity is strong, with 91 lots appearing in the trailing twelve months (down modestly from 101 the prior year), indicating consistent but not overheated demand. Top-tier houses Christie's and Sotheby's anchor the market, followed by French specialists Artcurial, Piasa, and Aguttes, Swiss houses Piguet and Galerie Kornfeld, and mid-market sellers including Bonhams, Swann Auction Galleries, and Setdart. Recent oil paintings from the 1920s–1930s have realized CHF 38,100–50,800 at Piguet (December 2025), EUR 67,000 at Piasa (June 2024), and EUR 25,000 at Il Ponte (November 2024). Works on paper and watercolors trade in the EUR 400–5,500 range, while lithographs can sell for under $50. The market is well-established and liquid across price tiers, making Laurencin accessible to both entry-level print collectors and high-end painting buyers.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Impressionist and Modern Art
- Works on Paper (prints and drawings)
- Illustrated Books
- Oil painting
- Printmaking (lithography, etching)
Value drivers
- Medium: oil paintings generally command higher prices than prints or works on paper
- Provenance and exhibition history significantly affect value
- Catalogue raisonné: Daniel Marchesseau, Marie Laurencin 1883–1956: catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, provides authentication reference for paintings
- Condition, date of execution, and subject matter are key factors
- Medium is the single strongest price determinant: oil paintings routinely realize thousands to millions, while lithographs and small prints can trade below $100
- Period and date: works from the 1920s–1930s mature period, especially oil paintings of female figures in her signature pastel palette, command the highest premiums
Appraisal caveats
- Large volume of works in the market (3,236 recorded lots) means wide price range depending on medium, size, and period
- Attribution should be verified against the catalogue raisonné for paintings
- Price range spans from $10 to $6,200,000 across 1,215 priced lots—using a single 'average price' is misleading; comparable selection must match medium, size, period, and quality
- The 3,236-lot figure from the existing profile includes unsold and unpriced lots; the Appraisily auction signals record 2,004 lots with 1,215 carrying realized prices
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
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
- Tate museum or university
- 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 Marie Laurencin 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 Marie Laurencin artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.