Sidney Robert Nolan Auction Prices and Value Guide
Sidney Robert Nolan auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 7,140 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Sidney Robert Nolan auction prices: quick answer
Sidney Robert Nolan auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Sidney Robert Nolan
- Source records
- 7,140
- Market update
- 2026-02-16
Artist context
About Sidney Robert Nolan
Sir Sidney Robert Nolan (1917–1992) was one of the most significant Australian artists of the twentieth century, recognised internationally for a body of work that spans painting, printmaking, illustration, and theatrical set design. Born in Melbourne and educated at Prahran Technical College and the National Gallery School, Nolan emerged in the late 1930s as part of the Angry Penguins group centred on the Heide circle near Melbourne. He is best known for his iconic Ned Kelly series, whose stylised helmet motif has become a defining image of Australian art. Nolan relocated to Britain in the 1950s and maintained studios in London and at The Rodd in Herefordshire, now the home of the Sidney Nolan Trust. Over a career spanning nearly six decades, he produced major series on the Burke and Wills expedition, Gallipoli, and Leda and the Swan, among many literary and historical subjects. His work is held by the Museum of Modern Art, Tate, the National Gallery of Australia, and numerous other public collections worldwide.
ModernismAngry Penguins (Heide Circle)painting (oil, acrylic, enamel, Ripolin on board)printmaking (screenprint, lithograph, etching)illustration and stage/set designdrawingAustralian history and legend (Ned Kelly, Burke and Wills, Gallipoli)landscapeabstractionmythological and literary themes
Common works and media
Collectors and appraisers most frequently encounter Nolan's work in oil or enamel on board and canvas, screenprints and lithographs (often from published editions tied to his major series), works on paper in ink, gouache, or mixed media, and stage-set designs and related studies. Common subjects include the Australian outlaw Ned Kelly, desert and outback landscapes, the Burke and Wills expedition, First World War and Gallipoli imagery, and classical or literary themes such as Leda and the Swan. Later works produced in Britain include landscape subjects from the English countryside and Mediterranean travels.
Market and appraisal context
Sidney Nolan's auction market is deep, liquid, and growing. Appraisily tracks 4,601 lots dating from July 2001 through April 2026, of which 3,463 carry a realised price. Liquidity is strong and accelerating: 627 priced lots appeared in the most recent 12-month window versus 560 in the prior period. The market is anchored in Australia through houses such as Smith & Singer, Leonard Joel, Menzies, Deutscher and Hackett, Lawsons, Shapiro Auctioneers, Theodore Bruce, Gibson's, and Kim's Auction, with Bonhams and GFL Fine Art providing international reach. Price dispersion is extremely wide — realised prices range from AUD 4 for a reproduction print to AUD 2,700,000 for the 1955 oil-and-enamel painting Ned Kelly and Horse sold at Smith & Singer in April 2026. The interquartile spread (AUD 800–4,418) reflects a market dominated by prints and works on paper, while the upper tail is driven by major series paintings. Ned Kelly subjects command the strongest premiums; Leda and the Swan and Queensland landscape paintings from the 1940s–1960s also reach five-figure and six-figure territory. Prints and editioned works (screenprints, photolithographs, etchings) cluster between AUD 800 and AUD 3,400 and represent the most accessible segment.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Painting (oil, acrylic, enamel, Ripolin on board, synthetic polymer on composition board)
- Printmaking (screenprint, lithograph, photolithograph, etching)
- Works on paper (ink, gouache, mixed media, monotype, transfer print)
- Illustration and magazine/stage-set design studies
Value drivers
- Series and subject: Ned Kelly subjects carry the highest premiums; Burke and Wills, Leda and the Swan, and Gallipoli themes are next strongest; generic landscapes and later works are more modest.
- Medium: Original oil or enamel paintings on board or canvas command the top tier; synthetic polymer paintings follow; prints and works on paper are substantially lower.
- Period: Works from the 1940s–1950s, especially the first Kelly series, are most sought after. Later works from the 1970s–1990s trade at lower levels unless they revisit major series.
- Scale: Larger paintings (over 100 cm on a side) typically achieve higher prices than small works on paper, though exceptionally rare small works can exceed expectations.
- Edition details: For prints, the edition size and individual number affect value. Nolan editions range from 60 to 76; lower numbers and complete series sets tend to attract stronger bidding.
- Provenance: Estate of Lady Nolan provenance with a certificate of authenticity, or documented gallery history through major Australian or UK dealers, adds measurably to buyer confidence and price.
Appraisal caveats
- Nolan's output was extremely prolific across six decades and many media; attribution and dating should be confirmed against catalogues or expert review.
- With over 7,000 auction records tracked, realized prices span a very wide range depending on medium, period, and subject; individual work appraisal requires comparable-lot analysis.
- The Getty ULAN authority record was unavailable at research time and could not be cross-referenced.
- Nolan was extremely prolific over six decades across many media; attribution and dating should be confirmed against expert review or estate records, not assumed from signature alone.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Library of Congress library authority
- RKD – Netherlands Institute for Art History library authority
- Tate museum or university
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
- Sidney Nolan Trust artist official site
- 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 Sidney Robert Nolan 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 Sidney Robert Nolan artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.