Shozo Shimamoto Auction Prices and Value Guide
Shozo Shimamoto auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 193 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Shozo Shimamoto auction prices: quick answer
Shozo Shimamoto auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Shozo Shimamoto
- Source records
- 193
- Market update
- 2026-02-16
Shozo Shimamoto market snapshot
Shozo Shimamoto shows solid auction liquidity with 134 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $118,750. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 14 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2025-12-12.
Realized price distribution
- Under $1,000 (4.9% · 4 sales)
- $1,000 to $10,000 (9.9% · 8 sales)
- $10,000+ (85.2% · 69 sales)
- Median sale (last 12 months)
- $15,000
- Sales recorded (last 12 months)
- 14
- Median shift vs prior year
- 0.0%
- Latest recorded sale
- 2025-12-12
Artist context
About Shozo Shimamoto
Shozo Shimamoto (1928–2013) was a Japanese performance and multimedia artist best known as a founding member of the Gutai Art Association, the pioneering post-war avant-garde group formed in 1954 under the leadership of Jirō Yoshihara. Born and based in Osaka, Shimamoto studied with Yoshihara from 1947 and became one of Gutai's most inventive practitioners. His signature techniques included smashing paint-filled bottles onto canvases, piercing layered sheets of newspaper, and composing sound and film works. He was instrumental in pushing Gutai toward performance-based practice at a time when Yoshihara was shifting focus toward painting. Collectors encounter Shimamoto's work across major museum and auction contexts, where his early Gutai-era pieces are regarded as significant contributions to post-war international art.
Gutai Art AssociationJapanese post-war avant-gardePainting (thrown paint, bottle-smash technique)Performance artInstallation artSound artAbstract composition
Common works and media
Shimamoto produced acrylic and oil paintings created by throwing or smashing bottles of paint onto canvas, mixed-media works incorporating punctured or layered newspaper, performance art documentation, installation pieces, sound art compositions, and experimental film. Large-scale abstract canvases with bold color splashes are his most frequently encountered works at auction. Prints and works on paper from later periods also appear in the secondary market.
Market and appraisal context
Shimamoto's auction profile is anchored by his role as a Gutai founding member. Large-scale thrown-paint canvases and early Gutai-period works command the strongest interest at major auction houses. Provenance tracing to Gutai exhibitions, the Yoshihara circle, or institutional collections can significantly affect appraisal. Later works, prints, and performance documentation appear at more accessible price levels. Condition assessment is important for works on fragile supports such as punctured newspaper. Collectors should verify attribution through published Gutai scholarship, as multiple members explored similar experimental approaches.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Appraisal caveats
- No specific auction price data was available in the collected source pack; valuation ranges cannot be given without consulting auction records
- Attribution should reference published Gutai scholarship, as the group had many members working in similar experimental modes
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Wikidata library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- VIAF library authority
- Tate museum or university
- RKD (Netherlands Institute for Art History) 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 Shozo Shimamoto 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 Shozo Shimamoto artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.