Dorothea Lange (1895–1965)
What is Dorothea Lange’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 534 auction results for Dorothea Lange at 22 houses since 1993. Over the last 24 months the median price was $2,540 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,353–$4,909, n=68). The auction record is $609,600 for Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California (2023, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California, 1936 | Oversized gelatin silver print, the photographer's '1163 Euclid Avenue, Berkeley, California' stamp on the reverse, framed, 1936, probably printed in the 1940s | $609,600 | Sotheby's | May 2023 |
| 2 | 'white angel breadline' | — | $445,000 | Sotheby's | Oct 2007 |
| 3 | san francisco waterfront | — | $289,000 | Sotheby's | Apr 2008 |
| 4 | White Angel Bread Line, San Francisco, 1933, 1895 | Cartes-de-visite | $200,000 | Christie's | Oct 2017 |
| 5 | White Angel Breadline, 1957 | Cartes-de-visite | $200,000 | Phillips | Apr 2019 |
| 6 | White Angel Bread Line, San Francisco, 1933, 1950 | Cartes-de-visite | $175,000 | Christie's | Oct 2018 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California, 1936 | Cartes-de-visite | $337,500 | Phillips | Apr 2019 |
| 2 | Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California, 1936 | Pencil | $305,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2022 |
| 3 | Migratory Cotton Picker, Eloy, Arizona, 1940, 1940 | Cartes-de-visite | $200,000 | Christie's | Oct 2017 |
| 4 | Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California, 1936 | Gelatin silver print | $179,200 | Sotheby's | Apr 2026 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 458 | $5,648 |
| Works on paper | 5 | $4,250 |
| Other | 37 | $3,400 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 13 | $7,500 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 458 | $5,600 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 534 results from 22 houses · How we compute these figures
Dorothea Lange is an American artist with 830 auction lots recorded since 1993, median price $5,576. 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 Dorothea Lange sold in 2026 for $166,400, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Dorothea Lange record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Dorothea Lange on OpeningBid →What is a Dorothea Lange work worth?
Across 525 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Dorothea Lange work is $5,576.
The median Dorothea Lange photograph sells for $5,648 across 464 lots.
The median Dorothea Lange print sells for $2,794 across 9 lots.
The median Dorothea Lange work on paper sells for $18,150 across 6 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Dorothea Lange photographs typically sell for $3,122–$15,000 (the middle half of 427 sold 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 | 9 | $2,794 | $20,400 | — | 2026-10-15 |
| Works on Paper | 6 | $18,150 | $32,200 | — | 2011-10-07 |
| Photography | 604 | $5,648†‡ | $609,600 | 76.8% | 2026-10-22 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 27 | $134,500 | $609,600 | — | 2026-10-22 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 9 | $2,540–$8,190 | $2,794 | $20,400 |
Works on Paper
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 6 | $8,594–$19,936 | $18,150 | $32,200 |
Photography
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 427 | $3,122–$15,000†‡ | $5,715†‡ | $337,500 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 8 | $5,502–$21,875 | $14,128 | $609,600 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.
Notable results
| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Photography | 2023 | $609,600 |
| Photography | 2019 | $337,500 |
| Works on Paper | 1999 | $32,200 |
| Prints & Editions | 2006 | $20,400 |
| Works on Paper | 2002 | $20,315 |
| Prints & Editions | 2014 | $10,000 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Dorothea Lange worth?
Across 525 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Dorothea Lange work is $5,576. The median Dorothea Lange photograph sells for $5,648 across 464 lots. The median Dorothea Lange print sells for $2,794 across 9 lots. The median Dorothea Lange work on paper sells for $18,150 across 6 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Dorothea Lange photographs typically sell for $3,122–$15,000 (the middle half of 427 sold 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 Dorothea Lange photograph?
Based on 464 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Dorothea Lange photograph is $5,648. 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 Dorothea Lange's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Dorothea Lange photograph is $609,600.
What is the average price of a small Dorothea Lange photograph?
Based on 427 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Dorothea Lange photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $5,715, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. 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 Dorothea Lange's auction record?
Dorothea Lange's auction record is $609,600, set in 2023.
See the full Dorothea Lange record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Dorothea Lange on OpeningBid →