Philip Guston Auction Prices and Value Guide
Philip Guston auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 723 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Philip Guston auction prices: quick answer
Philip Guston auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Philip Guston
- Source records
- 723
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Philip Guston
Philip Guston (1913–1980), born Philip Goldstein in Montreal, was a Canadian-American painter, printmaker, muralist, and draftsman whose career traversed three distinct artistic phases. He first gained recognition in the 1930s and 1940s for socially engaged figurative work and murals, then became a leading figure in the Abstract Expressionist movement during the 1950s and 1960s alongside peers in the New York School. In the late 1960s, Guston made a dramatic and controversial return to figuration, developing a raw, cartoonish visual language featuring hooded figures, everyday objects, and allegorical scenes that addressed racism, fascism, antisemitism, and the banality of evil. Today he is regarded as one of the most important and influential American painters of the twentieth century, with work held by major institutions worldwide including the Tate, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Library of Congress.
Abstract ExpressionismNeo-Expressionism (late work)oil paintingprintmakingdrawingmuralracism and antisemitismfascism and American identitythe banality of evil (late figurative work)abstract compositions (mid-career)
Common works and media
Collectors and appraisers may encounter Guston works across several media: large-scale oil paintings from his abstract period characterized by lush, gestural brushwork; late figurative oil paintings with cartoon-like hooded figures, shoes, clocks, and studio imagery; lithographs and screen prints produced in limited editions; ink drawings and works on paper; and early murals and easel paintings from the 1930s and 1940s. His prints, especially those from the 1960s and 1970s, appear frequently in the secondary market and can be identified by edition numbers and printer chop marks.
Market and appraisal context
Philip Guston commands a deep and liquid secondary market anchored by Post-War and Contemporary Art sales at Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips, with an active mid-tier presence at Swann Auction Galleries, Rago Arts and Auction Center, Bonhams, and James Cox Gallery. The Appraisily auction-record index tracks 478 lots with 375 carrying realized prices. The price distribution is wide: prints and ephemera at the low end ($20–$5,750), works on paper and ink drawings in the mid-range ($3,000–$30,000), and major paintings at the top (the recorded high in this dataset is $12.57M; the artist's public auction record is US$25.8M for To Fellini at Christie's 2013). The interquartile range ($3,250–$126,000) reflects the steep premium that important canvases and late figurative works command over prints and minor works on paper. Liquidity has been consistent, with 22 priced lots in the most recent 12 months and 26 in the prior period, indicating steady collector demand across price tiers.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Post-War and Contemporary Art
- Prints and Multiples
- Works on Paper
- Drawings
Value drivers
- Period of work: late figurative paintings with hooded figures and cartoonish imagery command the highest prices at auction
- Auction record: To Fellini sold for US$25.8 million at Christie's in 2013
- Provenance and exhibition history significantly affect value
- Works on paper and prints are more accessible price points than major canvases
- Period: late figurative canvases (late 1960s–1980) with hooded figures and cartoonish imagery command the highest prices at auction
- Medium: major oil paintings trade in the seven-to-eight-figure range; works on paper and ink drawings typically in the $1,750–$190,500 range; prints and multiples generally under $12,000
Appraisal caveats
- Value varies widely between major oil paintings, works on paper, and prints; condition, provenance, and period are critical factors
- The max price of $12.57M in the Appraisily dataset reflects the highest recorded lot in the indexed sample; the artist's broader public auction record stands at US$25.8M (To Fellini, Christie's 2013), confirming that the sample does not capture all top-end sales.
- Two recent lots from Venduehuis der Notarissen (April 2025) carried no realized price, indicating either buy-ins or post-sale negotiations not reflected in the data.
- Prices are denominated in mixed currencies (USD, GBP, CAD, EUR); direct comparison requires currency normalization.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
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 Philip Guston 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 Philip Guston artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.