Rafael Coronel Auction Prices and Value Guide

Rafael Coronel auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 1,213 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Rafael Coronel auction prices: quick answer

Rafael Coronel auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Rafael Coronel
Source records
1,213
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About Rafael Coronel

Rafael Coronel Arroyo (1932–2019) was a Mexican painter, sculptor, and graphic artist born in Zacatecas, Mexico. He trained at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado "La Esmeralda" in Mexico City and became a prominent figure in twentieth-century Mexican art. In 1964 he produced murals for the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, and his work reached international audiences through exhibitions across Brazil, the United States, Belgium, Italy, China, and Chile. He was the brother of painter Pedro Coronel and the son-in-law of muralist Diego Rivera through his marriage to Ruth Rivera. Among his recognitions are the Tokyo Biennial prize, the Zacatecas 450 Award, and the Ibero-American Award for Merit in the Arts. In 1990 he donated his personal collection of Mexican art to create the Museo Rafael Coronel in Zacatecas. His work is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

painting (oil on canvas and paper)sculpturegraphic arts / printmakingmuralfigures and faces, often expressive or haunting in style

Common works and media

Coronel worked across oil painting on canvas and paper, sculpture, printmaking, and mural-scale compositions. His paintings frequently feature expressive figures and faces rendered in earth-toned palettes. Collectors may also encounter drawings, mixed-media works, and graphic editions. His output spans the mid-twentieth century through the early 2000s.

Market and appraisal context

Rafael Coronel's auction market is well-established, with 527 recorded lots spanning nearly three decades (1998–2026) and 369 carrying realized prices. His work trades regularly through a mix of major international houses (Christie's, Sotheby's, Bonhams) and respected regional specialists (Morton Subastas, Millea Bros, DuMouchelles, Abell Auction). The price distribution is wide: prints and works on paper cluster below $1,000, mid-scale paintings in acrylic or oil typically realize $2,500–$15,000, and large-format oil-on-canvas compositions from recognized periods reach $20,000–$45,000, with the recorded maximum at $660,000. Recent activity has increased — 16 lots in the trailing 12 months versus 9 in the prior period — indicating sustained collector interest. Coronel's connection to the Diego Rivera circle, his institutional holdings at MoMA, and the namesake Museo Rafael Coronel in Zacatecas lend lasting market credibility.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Latin American Art
  • Modern Paintings
  • Works on Paper
  • Prints and Multiples

Value drivers

  1. Medium and scale — paintings, sculptures, graphic works, and mural-scale compositions carry different market weight
  2. Provenance and attribution — documented exhibition history and institutional holdings support value
  3. Period and date of execution — works from his prize-winning and internationally exhibited periods may attract stronger interest
  4. Connection to the Diego Rivera circle adds cultural and collecting significance
  5. Medium — large oil-on-canvas paintings command significantly more than works on paper, prints, or offset lithographs from the Misrachi portfolio series
  6. Scale — dimensions matter: a 61 × 98.5 in canvas (Tiempo, $45,000) trades well above small-format ink or pencil drawings ($280–$380)

Appraisal caveats

  • No specific price range or auction trend data was available in the collected source pack; any appraisal should consult live comparable auction records.
  • The source pack does not include auction-house lot records; market conclusions should be corroborated with recent realized prices.
  • Price distribution is wide ($20–$660,000); an appraisal must be specific to the work's medium, size, and period rather than relying on artist-level averages.
  • One recent lot was denominated in CAD (A. H. Wilkens, CAD 28,000); currency should be confirmed before using as a USD comparable.

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 Rafael Coronel

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Rafael Coronel 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 Rafael Coronel artwork?

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