# Edo Murtic artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/edo-murtic/
Profile generated: 2026-06-01T18:10:45.000Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Nationality: Croatian, Yugoslav
- Movements: Lyrical abstraction, Abstract expressionism
- Common media: oil painting, gouache, printmaking / engraving, graphic design, ceramics, mosaics, murals, theatrical set design

## About Edo Murtic

Edo Murtić (1921–2005) was a Croatian painter and printmaker recognized as one of the leading figures of post-war abstraction in Yugoslavia and Croatia. Active across more than five decades, Murtić worked in a wide range of media, including oil painting, gouache, engraving and printmaking, graphic design, ceramics, mosaics, murals, and theatrical set design. He is best known for his expressive, gestural approach associated with lyrical abstraction and abstract expressionism. After co-founding the artists' group March (Mart) in 1956, Murtić gained international visibility and in 1958 appeared in three major post-war exhibitions: the Venice Biennale, the Carnegie Prize in Pittsburgh, and Documenta in Kassel. His work is held in museums, galleries, and private collections in Europe and North America, and his reputation continues to be reinforced by museum retrospectives. Collectors most often encounter Murtić through his paintings, prints, and works on paper from the 1950s onward.

## Common works and media

Common Murtić works include large-scale oil paintings, gouaches, and works on paper reflecting his abstract expressionist vocabulary, alongside original prints (engravings, lithographs, and other graphic editions), ceramic pieces, mosaic designs, murals, and theatrical set studies. Prints and graphic works are the category most frequently seen at auction, followed by post-war and late-career paintings. Collectors may also encounter exhibition posters and portfolio sheets tied to his international biennial and museum exhibitions.

## Market and appraisal context

Murtić's market presence is concentrated in 20th-century European modern and contemporary art sales, with prints, gouaches, and oils appearing most regularly at auction. Appraisals typically depend on the specific medium, the date of execution, edition details for prints, signature and plate characteristics, provenance, condition, and any documented exhibition or museum history. Works tied to his best-known post-war abstract period tend to draw the strongest collector attention, while later paintings, ceramics, and graphics also circulate. Because auction results can vary meaningfully between Croatian, European, and North American salerooms, comparable public sale records should be reviewed for each individual work. Appraisily considers Murtić a well-documented secondary-market artist but recommends caution with attribution for unsigned prints and works on paper.

## Appraisily data basis

This Appraisily artist page combines artist-identity research from museum, library-authority, and encyclopedia sources with auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. Identity claims are grounded in public authority files including Wikidata, Getty ULAN, VIAF, RKD, Tate, and the Library of Congress name authority file.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q636311
- VIAF / OCLC: https://viaf.org/viaf/52105479/
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500093922
- RKD - Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/58588
- Tate: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/edo-murtic-1684
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edo_Murti%C4%87
- The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/4187
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n90657901