Dorothea Rockburne (1932–2022)
What is Dorothea Rockburne’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 50 auction results for Dorothea Rockburne at 13 houses since 1998. Over the last 24 months the median price was $5,810 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,652–$33,653, n=10). The auction record is $121,600 for Golden Section Painting: Parallelogram and Diamond (2026, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Section Painting: Parallelogram and Diamond, 1974 | Diamond | $121,600 | Sotheby's | Feb 2026 |
| 2 | Black and White, 1987 | Oil paint | $119,700 | Christie's | Nov 2022 |
| 3 | Oxymoron, 1987 | Oil paint | $93,750 | Phillips | Nov 2019 |
| 4 | Arena VI, 1978 | Colored pencil, varnish and glue on vellum collage mounted on rag board | $88,200 | Christie's | May 2022 |
| 5 | INDICATION OF INSTALLATION, HARTFORD - 1973, 1973 | Signé | $55,739 | Artcurial | Jun 2021 |
| 6 | Drawing Which Makes Itself (B), 1973 | Graphite | $44,450 | Sotheby's | Nov 2025 |
| 7 | Discourse (Combination Series), 1978 | Vellum, colored pencil and varnish glue on ragboard | $39,400 | Christie's | Apr 2008 |
| 8 | Exsultate, 1985 | Oil, gold leaf and gesso on two joined shaped canvases | $38,000 | Christie's | Sep 2025 |
| 9 | Parallelogram with 2 White Triangles, 1974 | Gesso and blue plumb line on sized, glued and folded linen | $35,560 | Sotheby's | Oct 2023 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Locus, 1972 | Aquatints with folding and embossing on Strathmore paper | $42,500 | Swann Auction Galleries | Nov 2020 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 8 | $36,780 |
| Other | 6 | $32,300 |
| Works on paper | 17 | $8,750 |
| Prints | 15 | $1,419 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 11 | $35,560 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 8 | $4,620 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 27 | $3,680 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 50 results from 13 houses · How we compute these figures
Dorothea Rockburne is a Canadian artist with 54 auction lots recorded since 1989, median price $8,438. 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 Rockburne is recorded as sold in 2026 for $10,000; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Dorothea Rockburne record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Dorothea Rockburne on OpeningBid →What is a Dorothea Rockburne work worth?
Across 48 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Dorothea Rockburne work is $8,438.
The median Dorothea Rockburne work on paper sells for $10,000 across 21 lots.
The median Dorothea Rockburne print sells for $1,419 across 15 lots.
The median Dorothea Rockburne painting sells for $36,780 across 6 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 | 17 | $1,419 | $42,500 | 88.2% | 2026-04-21 |
| Paintings | 6 | $36,780 | $119,700 | — | 2025-09-30 |
| Works on Paper | 23 | $10,000‡ | $88,200 | 91.3% | 2026-10-16 |
| Photography | 1 | $6,930 | $6,930 | — | 2023-02-15 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 3 | $119,700 | $121,600 | — | 2026-02-27 |
‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Dorothea Rockburne's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (17 lots) median $1,419 with 88.2% sell-through. Paintings (6 lots) median $36,780, record $119,700. A typical Dorothea Rockburne painting sells for around 26× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 3 lots) the median is $119,700.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 15 | $1,273–$4,223 | $1,419 | $42,500 |
Paintings
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| large (over 120 cm) | 6 | $22,390–$79,812 | $36,780 | $119,700 |
Works on Paper
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 5 | $2,000–$5,040 | $4,200 | $5,040 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 11 | $5,590–$22,907‡ | $10,000‡ | $44,450 |
‡ 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2022 | $119,700 |
| Paintings | 2019 | $93,750 |
| Works on Paper | 2022 | $88,200 |
| Works on Paper | 2021 | $55,739 |
| Prints & Editions | 2020 | $42,500 |
| Prints & Editions | 2020 | $10,625 |
| Photography | 2023 | $6,930 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Dorothea Rockburne worth?
Across 48 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Dorothea Rockburne work is $8,438. The median Dorothea Rockburne work on paper sells for $10,000 across 21 lots. The median Dorothea Rockburne print sells for $1,419 across 15 lots. The median Dorothea Rockburne painting sells for $36,780 across 6 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 Rockburne work on paper?
Based on 21 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Dorothea Rockburne work on paper is $10,000. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Dorothea Rockburne's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Dorothea Rockburne work on paper is $88,200.
What is the average price of a Dorothea Rockburne print?
Based on 15 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Dorothea Rockburne print is $1,419.
What is Dorothea Rockburne's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Dorothea Rockburne print is $42,500.
What is the average price of a medium Dorothea Rockburne print?
Based on 15 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Dorothea Rockburne print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $1,419, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
What is the average price of a medium Dorothea Rockburne work on paper?
Based on 11 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Dorothea Rockburne work on paper (medium (50–120 cm)) is $10,000, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Dorothea Rockburne's auction record?
Dorothea Rockburne's auction record is $121,600, set in 2026.
See the full Dorothea Rockburne record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Dorothea Rockburne on OpeningBid →