# Knox Martin artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/knox-martin/
Profile generated: 2026-05-12T21:34:00.000Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Nationality: American
- Common media: painting (acrylic on linen), sculpture, mural

## About Knox Martin

Knox Martin (1923–2022) was an American painter, sculptor, and muralist born in Barranquilla, Colombia. Active across more than seven decades, Martin developed a distinctive approach to painting characterized by the interplay of surface, space, image, color, and pattern — what philosopher and critic Arthur C. Danto described as 'adventures in pictorial reason.' His work is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and his practice encompassed large-scale murals, sculptural works, and paintings in acrylic on linen. Martin also taught during his career, counting artists such as Fernando Dávila among his students. His long career bridged the post-war era and contemporary practice, and collectors encounter his work across painting, sculpture, and public mural commissions.

## Common works and media

Knox Martin's body of work includes acrylic paintings on linen, large-scale murals, and sculpture. His paintings often engage with figurative imagery and bold chromatic patterns, as seen in works such as 'SHE' (2012), an acrylic on linen measuring 80 by 65 inches. His mural commissions represent a significant portion of his public output. Collectors and appraisers may also encounter works on paper, prints, and smaller-scale paintings alongside his primary canvas and sculptural production.

## Market and appraisal context

Knox Martin's work appears at auction primarily within Post-War and Contemporary Art and American Art categories. Collectors should consider medium (painting, sculpture, or mural-scale work), provenance, exhibition history, date of execution, and condition as key appraisal factors. Works with institutional provenance or documented exhibition records tend to carry stronger market signals. Martin's recognition by critics such as Arthur C. Danto and his representation in MoMA's collection provide additional scholarly context. As with many artists whose careers spanned multiple decades and media, specific auction results, comparable lots, and specialist review are recommended for individual appraisals.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research from museum records, library authority files, and published sources with available auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots. For Knox Martin, identity data is grounded in records from the Museum of Modern Art, VIAF, RKD, the Library of Congress Name Authority File, Getty ULAN, and the artist's official website.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1777580
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knox_Martin
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/71298197/
- The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/28705
- RKD - Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/88138
- Knox Martin: http://www.knoxmartin.com
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr97027662