Balthus (1908–2001)
Balthus is a French artist with 65 auction lots recorded since 1991, median price $1,690. Some sold prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium; they are marked on this page. Some sold prices are not yet verified as premium-inclusive or hammer, and are marked on this page.
A work by Balthus sold in 2026 for $34,375, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Balthus record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Balthus on OpeningBid →What is a Balthus work worth?
Across 49 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Balthus work is $1,690.
The median Balthus print sells for $1,470 across 22 lots.
The median Balthus work on paper sells for $29,860 across 11 lots.
The median Balthus painting sells for $736,484 across 2 lots.
Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.
Price breakdown by category
| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 27 | $1,470†‡ | $3,910 | 81.5% | 2025-03-07 |
| Paintings | 2 | $736,484 | $1.4M | — | 2006-11-09 |
| Works on Paper | 11 | $29,860†‡ | $151,774 | — | 2026-04-17 |
| Photography | 2 | $697† | $775† | — | 2014-12-05 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 3 | $151,774 | $1.4M | — | 2006-11-09 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Balthus's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (27 lots) median $1,470 with 81.5% sell-through. Paintings (2 lots) median $736,484, record $1,415,856. A typical Balthus painting sells for around 501× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 3 lots) the median is $151,774.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 9 | $1,100–$2,223†‡ | $1,400†‡ | $2,445 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 6 | $635–$1,660 | $1,261 | $1,900 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Works on Paper
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 9 | $15,777–$61,818† | $34,375† | $151,774 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.
Notable results
| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2006 | $1.4M |
| Works on Paper | 2004 | $151,774 |
| Works on Paper | 1999 | $65,173 |
| Paintings | 2000 | $57,112 |
| Prints & Editions | 1999 | $3,910 |
| Prints & Editions | 2004 | $3,400 |
| Photography | 2014 | $775† |
| Photography | 2014 | $619† |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Balthus worth?
Across 49 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Balthus work is $1,690. The median Balthus print sells for $1,470 across 22 lots. The median Balthus work on paper sells for $29,860 across 11 lots. The median Balthus painting sells for $736,484 across 2 lots. Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.
What is the average price of a Balthus print?
Based on 22 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Balthus print is $1,470. Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.
What is Balthus's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Balthus print is $3,910.
What is the average price of a Balthus work on paper?
Based on 11 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Balthus work on paper is $29,860. Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.
What is Balthus's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Balthus work on paper is $151,774.
What is Balthus's auction record?
Balthus's auction record is $1,415,856, set in 2006.
See the full Balthus record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Balthus on OpeningBid →