Robert Colquhoun Auction Prices and Value Guide
Robert Colquhoun auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 190 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Robert Colquhoun auction prices: quick answer
Robert Colquhoun auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Robert Colquhoun
- Source records
- 190
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Robert Colquhoun
Robert Colquhoun (1914–1962) was a Scottish painter, printmaker, and theatre set designer whose career peaked among the most recognised British artists of the mid-twentieth century. Born in Kilmarnock and trained at the Glasgow School of Art, he formed a celebrated lifelong partnership with the painter Robert MacBryde — together known as 'the two Roberts' — at the centre of a bohemian London circle that included Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, and Dylan Thomas. Colquhoun's early work depicted rural Ayrshire labourers, but his mature style shifted toward an austere Expressionism shaped by Picasso, concentrating on solitary, angular figures rendered in muted tones. A prolific printmaker, he produced numerous lithographs and monotypes alongside his paintings. He also collaborated with MacBryde on notable theatre designs for John Gielgud and Sadler's Wells. His work is held by Tate, MoMA, and other major public collections.
Expressionismoil paintinglithographmonotypetheatre set designisolated and agonised figuresagricultural labourers and workmenportraitnude
Common works and media
Oil paintings of angular, isolated figures and rural subjects form the core of Colquhoun's painted output. He was a prolific printmaker, producing lithographs and monotypes in editions that appear regularly at auction. Theatre set designs and related drawings from his collaborations with Robert MacBryde also surface in the market. Portrait, nude, and genre subjects are documented across his career. Works range from large canvases to smaller works on paper and prints.
Market and appraisal context
Colquhoun's auction profile includes oil paintings, lithographs, monotypes, and works on paper. His strongest market presence relates to Expressionist canvases from the mid-1940s to early 1950s, the period when he exhibited regularly at the Lefevre Gallery in London. Prints appear frequently at auction and typically realise lower prices than paintings. Key valuation factors include the work's period, medium, provenance (particularly Lefevre Gallery or institutional history), condition, and confirmed attribution. Collectors should note that his critical reputation declined after the 1950s, and auction results vary considerably across his output.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Appraisal caveats
- Colquhoun's reputation peaked in the mid-1940s to early 1950s and declined in his later years; auction results vary significantly by period and medium.
- No specific price records or auction estimates are cited here; comparable lots and realized prices should be consulted from auction databases for any appraisal.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Tate museum or university
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
- RKD — Netherlands Institute for Art History library authority
- VIAF library authority
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- Wikidata 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 Robert Colquhoun 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 Robert Colquhoun artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.