Paula Modersohn-Becker Auction Prices and Value Guide

Paula Modersohn-Becker auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 250 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Paula Modersohn-Becker auction prices: quick answer

Paula Modersohn-Becker auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Paula Modersohn-Becker
Source records
250
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About Paula Modersohn-Becker

Paula Modersohn-Becker (1876–1907) was a German painter and draftswoman recognized as one of the most important early Expressionists. Born in Dresden and raised in Bremen, she joined the Worpswede artists' colony in 1897 and trained in Berlin and Paris at the Académie Colarossi and École des Beaux-Arts. She was among the first German artists to grasp the revolutionary importance of Cézanne and Gauguin, whose influence shaped her bold approach to form and color. Over roughly a decade she produced more than 700 paintings and over 1,000 drawings before her death at age thirty-one. Modersohn-Becker is noted for her self-portraits—including nude and pregnant self-portraits that were unprecedented for a woman artist—and for still lifes and figurative works that bridge Post-Impressionism and Expressionism. The Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum in Bremen, opened in 1927, was the first museum in the world dedicated solely to a woman artist's work.

Early ExpressionismOil paintingDrawingSelf-portraits (including nudes and pregnant self-portraits)PortraitsStill lifesLandscapes of the Worpswede moor region

Common works and media

Collectors and appraisers most commonly encounter Modersohn-Becker's oil paintings on canvas or board, including self-portraits, portraits of fellow Worpswede artists and local figures, still lifes, and moorland landscapes. Her drawings encompass figure studies, portrait sketches, and compositional studies in pencil, charcoal, and ink. Works on paper from her Berlin and Paris training periods also appear. Prints and reproductive posters of her best-known paintings circulate widely and should be distinguished from original works.

Market and appraisal context

Paula Modersohn-Becker's brief career and substantial output mean that her works appear with some regularity at major auction houses specializing in German and European modern art. Oil paintings, especially self-portraits and figurative compositions from her mature Paris period, tend to attract the strongest collector interest. Drawings and works on paper also circulate. Provenance, attribution, condition, and the specific period of the work (Worpswede versus Paris) are key factors in appraisal. Because her career lasted only about a decade, scarcity of major works can affect availability. Collectors should verify authentication through documented provenance and consult current auction records for comparable lots.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • 19th/20th Century European Paintings
  • German Expressionist Works on Paper

Value drivers

  1. Medium: oil paintings generally command higher values than drawings
  2. Subject matter: self-portraits and nude self-portraits are historically significant and sought after
  3. Period and provenance: works from the Paris period showing Cézanne/Gauguin influence are particularly noted
  4. Rarity: short career (approximately 10 active years) limits the total body of work available
  5. Condition and attribution: given her significance to German art history, authentication and documented provenance are critical

Appraisal caveats

  • No specific realized auction prices or recent sale records are available from the source pack; market estimates should reference current auction-house databases

Evidence

Sources for artist context

This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.

Source-grounded artist Markdown

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.

LLM-readable Markdown summary for Paula Modersohn-Becker

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Paula Modersohn-Becker 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 Paula Modersohn-Becker artwork?

Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.