Robert Henri Auction Prices and Value Guide
Robert Henri auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 678 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Robert Henri auction prices: quick answer
Robert Henri auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Robert Henri
- Source records
- 678
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Robert Henri
Robert Henri (1865–1929) was an American painter and influential teacher who became a leading figure of the Ashcan School. Born Robert Henry Cozad in Cincinnati, Ohio, he adopted the surname Henri after his family changed their name following a turbulent episode involving his father. Henri studied in Philadelphia and Paris before settling in New York City, where he built a dual reputation as a prolific portraitist and a charismatic educator. He championed a realistic, urban-centered approach to painting that captured everyday life with energy and directness, helping define the Ashcan movement alongside artists such as George Bellows and John Sloan. Henri's teaching at the Art Students League and his own school shaped a generation of American modernists. His portraits, particularly of children and expressive figures, remain among his most recognized works, and his book "The Art Spirit" (1923) continued to influence artists long after his death.
Ashcan SchoolOil on canvasWorks on paperPortraitsUrban and everyday life scenes
Common works and media
Henri worked primarily in oil on canvas, producing portraits, figure studies, and scenes of urban everyday life. His subjects frequently included children, sailors, dancers, and working-class figures rendered with bold brushwork and rich, dark palettes. He also created landscapes, drawings, and preparatory works on paper. Prints and reproductions of his paintings are widely available. Collectors may encounter oil portraits ranging from intimate studies to large-scale compositions, as well as sketches and drawings connected to his teaching practice.
Market and appraisal context
Robert Henri's auction market is deep and liquid, with 335 recorded lots spanning 1992 to May 2026 and 250 priced results. His work appears regularly at major houses including Christie's, Sotheby's, and Bonhams, as well as respected regional specialists such as Freeman's | Hindman, Swann Auction Galleries, Neal Auction Company, and Rago Arts and Auction Center. The price distribution is wide: the median realized price is $3,000, the 25th percentile sits at $700, and the 75th percentile reaches $18,750, while the top of the market has exceeded $3.5 million. This dispersion reflects the broad range of media and scale Henri produced—intimate ink drawings and small oils on paper trade in the hundreds to low thousands, while full-scale oil portraits of named sitters from his mature period routinely realize five and six figures. Recent 12-month activity (14 priced lots, up from 9 the prior year) indicates steady and slightly increasing liquidity. Notable recent results include Edna Smith, Pink, No. 1 (1918) at Bonhams for $310,000 in November 2025, Blanche (1918) at Bonhams for $70,000 in November 2024, and Spanish Gypsy (Dolores) at Freeman's for $45,000 in June 2024. Works on paper—graphite drawings, ink studies, and wash sketches—typically trade between $500 and $2,500. Attributed works carry a discount, as seen with an attributed oil at Millea Bros that realized $9,500 versus comparable signed works in the $30,000–$70,000 range.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Oil on canvas
- Works on paper
- Portraits
- Urban and everyday life scenes
- Landscapes
Value drivers
- Medium: oil portraits and figure paintings are most commonly encountered at auction
- Subject matter: portraits of identifiable sitters and urban scenes tend to attract stronger interest
- Provenance and exhibition history can materially affect value
- Attribution is generally well-established due to extensive museum holdings and scholarship
- Medium: oil on canvas portraits and figure paintings are the premium category; works on paper (graphite, ink, wash) trade at a fraction of oil prices
- Scale: large-scale oil portraits (30+ inches) from Henri's mature period command the highest prices; small studies and sketches trade in the hundreds to low thousands
Appraisal caveats
- Prices vary widely depending on scale, subject, quality, and provenance. No single price range is representative.
- Prints and reproductions circulate widely and are not equivalent to original works.
- The price range of recorded Henri lots ($30–$3,600,000) is extremely wide; no single estimate or average is meaningful without considering the specific work's medium, scale, subject, and provenance.
- Some lots in the data set lack a recorded price (did not sell or price not reported), which means the actual sell-through rate and price distribution may differ from the priced-lot statistics.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Wikidata library authority
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- VIAF library authority
- Library of Congress 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 Robert Henri 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 Henri artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.