> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/gerhard-richter · updated 2026-11-02

# Gerhard Richter (b. 1936)

## What is Gerhard Richter’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 3,300 auction results for Gerhard Richter at 69 houses since 1994. Over the last 24 months the median price was $20,913 including buyer’s premium (middle half $6,842–$79,038, n=312). The auction record is $38,175,000 for Abstraktes Bild (2022, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

**Top auction records: paintings, drawings & sculpture**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abstraktes Bild, 1994 | Oil paint | $38,175,000 | Christie's | May 2022 |
| 2 | Abstraktes Bild (636), 1987 | Oil paint | $34,800,000 | Phillips | Nov 2023 |
| 3 | A B, Still, 2009 | Oil on canvas | $33,987,500 | Sotheby's | Nov 2016 |
| 4 | Abstraktes Bild, 1997 | Oil paint | $31,932,000 | Sotheby's | Nov 2023 |
| 5 | Abstraktes Bild (648-3), 1987 | Oil paint | $31,525,000 | Christie's | Nov 2014 |
| 6 | Seestück [Seascape] | Oil paint | $30,198,500 | Sotheby's | Nov 2021 |
| 7 | Abstraktes Bild (712), 1990 | Oil paint | $29,285,000 | Christie's | May 2014 |
| 8 | Abstraktes Bild, 1986 | Oil on canvas, in two parts | $29,165,270 | Sotheby's | Mar 2023 |
| 9 | Abstraktes Bild, 1988 | Oil paint | $27,185,000 | Christie's | Nov 2021 |
| 10 | Abstraktes Bild, 1992 | Oil paint | $23,244,000 | Sotheby's | May 2021 |


**Median price by medium (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)**

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 728 | $543,957 |
| Works on paper | 141 | $56,259 |
| Other | 522 | $21,250 |
| Photographs | 354 | $18,825 |
| Prints | 572 | $10,148 |

**Median price by size (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)**

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 343 | $456,593 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 840 | $34,352 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 1,008 | $26,744 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 3,300 results from 69 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Gerhard Richter is a German artist with 3,937 auction lots recorded since 1994, median price $19,677. 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 Gerhard Richter is recorded as sold in 2026 for $76,630; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

**23 Gerhard Richter works are coming to auction** (as of 2026-11-02).

- [Gerhard Richter on OpeningBid](https://www.openingbid.art/artist/gerhard-richter?ref=kg:gerhard-richter) — follow free in the OpeningBid app for sale alerts.

## What is a Gerhard Richter work worth?

Across 3,260 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Gerhard Richter work is $19,677.

The median Gerhard Richter print sells for $6,140 across 1,199 lots.

The median Gerhard Richter painting sells for $542,904 across 692 lots.

The median Gerhard Richter photograph sells for $18,164 across 508 lots.

Medium (50–120 cm) Gerhard Richter prints typically sell for $2,860–$21,588 (the middle half of 757 sold lots).

Small (under 50 cm) Gerhard Richter prints typically sell for $2,736–$9,193 (the middle half of 376 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 | 1,388 | $6,140†‡ | $2.2M | 86.4% | 2026-10-22 |
| Paintings | 749 | $542,904†‡ | $38.2M | 92.4% | 2026-10-25 |
| Works on Paper | 178 | $69,918†‡ | $12.7M | 89.3% | 2026-10-15 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 261 | $17,453‡ | $3.8M | 97.7% | 2026-10-25 |
| Photography | 580 | $18,164†‡ | $5.9M | 87.6% | 2026-10-09 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 770 | $604,800†‡ | $38.2M | — | 2026-10-15 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

Gerhard Richter's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (1,388 lots) median $6,140 with 86.4% sell-through. Paintings (749 lots) median $542,904, record $38,175,000. A typical Gerhard Richter painting sells for around 88× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 770 lots) the median is $604,800.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 376 | $2,736–$9,193†‡ | $4,952†‡ | $296,272 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 757 | $2,860–$21,588†‡ | $8,084†‡ | $2.2M |
| large (over 120 cm) | 37 | $8,818–$89,877†‡ | $36,316†‡ | $1.5M |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

### Paintings

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 248 | $61,817–$342,060†‡ | $112,415†‡ | $8.2M |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 278 | $294,091–$2.4M†‡ | $822,486†‡ | $16.5M |
| large (over 120 cm) | 151 | $1.6M–$12.4M‡ | $4.3M‡ | $38.2M |

† 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) | 126 | $18,106–$145,613†‡ | $69,918†‡ | $1M |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 21 | $19,405–$104,337 | $47,800 | $1.3M |
| large (over 120 cm) | 8 | $161,982–$2.2M | $616,000 | $12.7M |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

### Sculpture & Installation

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 74 | $4,419–$15,966‡ | $8,138‡ | $3.8M |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 114 | $16,004–$38,968 | $23,795 | $946,549 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 67 | $12,786–$38,200 | $16,405 | $1.1M |

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

### Photography

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 226 | $5,941–$53,387†‡ | $21,057†‡ | $240,000 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 191 | $9,023–$32,707†‡ | $18,750†‡ | $5.9M |
| large (over 120 cm) | 84 | $12,075–$26,848†‡ | $16,171†‡ | $634,571 |

† 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2022 | $38.2M |
| Paintings | 2023 | $34.8M |
| Works on Paper | 2016 | $12.7M |
| Photography | 2016 | $5.9M |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2019 | $3.8M |
| Photography | 2016 | $3.5M |
| Works on Paper | 2021 | $3.1M |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2010 | $2.3M |

The highest recorded result in each medium. The full sale history is in the OpeningBid app (free sign-up).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is a Gerhard Richter worth?

Across 3,260 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Gerhard Richter work is $19,677. The median Gerhard Richter print sells for $6,140 across 1,199 lots. The median Gerhard Richter painting sells for $542,904 across 692 lots. The median Gerhard Richter photograph sells for $18,164 across 508 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Gerhard Richter prints typically sell for $2,860–$21,588 (the middle half of 757 sold lots). Small (under 50 cm) Gerhard Richter prints typically sell for $2,736–$9,193 (the middle half of 376 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 Gerhard Richter print?

Based on 1,199 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Gerhard Richter print is $6,140. 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 Gerhard Richter's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Gerhard Richter print is $2,190,898.

### What is the average price of a Gerhard Richter painting?

Based on 692 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Gerhard Richter painting is $542,904. 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 Gerhard Richter's most expensive painting?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Gerhard Richter painting is $38,175,000.

### What is the average price of a Gerhard Richter photograph?

Based on 508 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Gerhard Richter photograph is $18,164. 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 Gerhard Richter's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Gerhard Richter photograph is $5,862,500.

### What is the average price of a medium Gerhard Richter print?

Based on 757 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Gerhard Richter print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $8,084, 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 the average price of a small Gerhard Richter print?

Based on 376 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Gerhard Richter print (small (under 50 cm)) is $4,952, 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 Gerhard Richter's auction record?

Gerhard Richter's auction record is $38,175,000, set in 2022.

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Data last updated 2026-11-02. OpeningBid tracks 15,390,829 auction lots from 577 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Gerhard Richter auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/gerhard-richter (updated 2026-11-02).

Historical auction data, not investment advice. Prices are premium-inclusive USD where the buyer's premium is recorded. Figures marked † are hammer prices (buyer's premium not included); ‡ marks a price whose basis is not yet verified. Non-USD results are converted at the sale month's rate.