Nobuyoshi Araki Auction Prices and Value Guide
Nobuyoshi Araki auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 2,122 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Nobuyoshi Araki auction prices: quick answer
Nobuyoshi Araki auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Nobuyoshi Araki
- Source records
- 2,122
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Nobuyoshi Araki market snapshot
Nobuyoshi Araki shows very deep auction liquidity with 1,498 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $1,200. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 144 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2025-12-11.
Realized price distribution
- Under $1,000 (45.2% · 396 sales)
- $1,000 to $10,000 (44.6% · 391 sales)
- $10,000+ (10.3% · 90 sales)
- Median sale (last 12 months)
- $450
- Sales recorded (last 12 months)
- 144
- Median shift vs prior year
- 0.0%
- Latest recorded sale
- 2025-12-11
Artist context
About Nobuyoshi Araki
Born
1940
Nationality
Japanese
Also known as
Araki Nobuyoshi, 荒木経惟, Arākii
Nobuyoshi Araki (born 1940), also known professionally as Arākii, is a Japanese photographer and contemporary artist whose extensive practice is closely associated with photography and the photobook. Authority records identify him in Japanese as 荒木経惟 and classify his roles across photography, art, authorship, and illustration. His work is widely recognized for bringing eroticism and bondage into a fine-art setting, while bibliographic records also document a sustained engagement with Tokyo through numerous publications. Araki's prolific book production is central to how his images circulate: collectors may encounter individual photographs and editioned prints as well as complete photobooks and other published projects. Museum and authority profiles maintained by MoMA, Tate, Getty, VIAF, and IdRef provide strong identity anchors for matching his work across collections, catalogues, and sale records. His substantial presence in Appraisily's matched auction data also means that careful comparison among formats, dates, editions, subjects, and conditions is especially important.
PhotographyPhotobooks and artist booksPhotographic prints and editioned worksEroticismBondage in a fine-art contextTokyo
Common works and media
Collectors are most likely to encounter Araki through photographs, photographic prints, editioned works, and photobooks. Documented subject areas include erotic imagery, bondage presented in a fine-art context, and Tokyo-centered projects. Because his images circulate both as individual works and within publications, an appraisal should identify whether an object is an original or later print, an editioned work, or a commercially published book, and should record its date, dimensions, inscriptions, edition information, and condition.
Market and appraisal context
Nobuyoshi Araki's market should be assessed through closely comparable works rather than a single artist-wide price benchmark. For a photograph or print, relevant details include the photographic medium, dimensions, production date, edition size and number, signature or inscriptions, condition, provenance, exhibition history, and catalogue references. Subject matter, rarity, and attribution confidence may also distinguish one result from another. Photobooks require attention to the exact title, edition, publication details, completeness, condition, and any signature or association. Public auction results can help establish context, but reported totals may treat fees differently and may omit private transactions. Appraisily's collected page also presents inconsistent record totals, so coverage figures should be reconciled before they are used in published market claims.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Photographs and photographic prints
- Works on paper and prints
- Photobooks and artist books
- Editioned works
Value drivers
- Medium, photographic format, dimensions, date, and career period
- Condition, restoration history, and surface quality
- Signature, inscriptions, edition details, and attribution confidence
- Provenance, exhibition history, and catalogue references
- Subject matter, rarity, and current demand
- Recent comparable public auction sales for similar works
Appraisal caveats
- Public auction records are a starting point rather than a complete appraisal.
- Private sales, incomplete auction feeds, and later attribution changes may not be represented.
- Reported auction totals may include buyer premiums or fees, so comparable results should be checked on a like-for-like basis.
- Authentication, edition status, provenance, and condition can materially affect an individual work's value.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context is based on collected public records: medium confidence, adequate source quality.
- Wikidata library authority
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- VIAF library authority
- IdRef library authority
- 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 Nobuyoshi Araki 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 Nobuyoshi Araki artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.