Gisèle Freund (1912–2000)
What is Gisèle Freund’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 150 auction results for Gisèle Freund at 16 houses since 2004. Over the last 24 months the median price was $909 including buyer’s premium (middle half $620–$1,739, n=19). The auction record is $20,619 for James Joyce, Paris, 1939 (2019, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Joyce, Paris, 1939, 1939 | Cachet du photographe sur l'image | $20,619 | Sotheby's | Nov 2019 |
| 2 | Album de référence de Gisèle Freund (portraits, natures mortes, reportages), 1938-1976. Schiaparelli, haute couture | 157 épreuves chromogéniques (c. 1970-1980) et une planche-contact, contrecollées sur cartons | $10,948 | Ader | Nov 2023 |
| 3 | Diego Rivera in front of his fresco "The Creation of the World" Mexico City, 1952, circa 1980 | Gelatin silver print | $9,085 | Ader | Nov 2020 |
| 4 | Autoportrait. Double exposition avec Horst, 1933 | Épreuve argentique d’époque | $6,872 | Ader | Jun 2023 |
| 5 | Colette, 1975 | Signé et daté à l'encre, timbre sec du photographe (sous l'image dans la marge) ; cachet de copyright du photographe (au verso) | $6,718 | Christie's | Nov 2013 |
| 6 | Simone de Beauvoir, Paris, 1935 | Cartes-de-visite | $4,411 | Kunsthaus Lempertz | Dec 2025 |
| 7 | Au Pays des Visages, 1977 | Photograph | $4,385 | Sotheby's | Mar 2021 |
| 8 | James Joyce et le taxi rue de l’Odéon à Paris, 1938, circa 1970 | Quatre (4) épreuves argentiques (c. 1970) contrecollées sur cartons | $3,612 | Ader | Jun 2019 |
| 9 | Frida Kahlo in her garden, Coyoacán, Mexico City, 1951 | Cartes-de-visite | $2,793 | Kunsthaus Lempertz | Dec 2025 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portrait of Virginia Woolf, 1939 | Chromogenic print | $4,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | May 2024 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 116 | $937 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 117 | $936 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 150 results from 16 houses · How we compute these figures
Gisèle Freund is a German artist with 250 auction lots recorded since 2004, median price $936. 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 Gisèle Freund sold in 2025 for $1,764, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Gisèle Freund record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Gisèle Freund on OpeningBid →What is a Gisèle Freund work worth?
Across 150 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Gisèle Freund work is $936.
The median Gisèle Freund photograph sells for $937 across 146 lots.
The median Gisèle Freund print sells for $625 across 2 lots.
The median Gisèle Freund work on paper sells for $1,284 across 1 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Gisèle Freund photographs typically sell for $572–$1,414 (the middle half of 120 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 | 2 | $625 | $865 | — | 2026-06-30 |
| Works on Paper | 1 | $1,284 | $1,284 | — | 2015-06-29 |
| Photography | 177 | $937†‡ | $20,619 | 82.5% | 2026-06-30 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 7 | $6,872 | $20,619 | — | 2025-12-03 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Price by size
Photography
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 120 | $572–$1,414†‡ | $965†‡ | $20,619 |
† 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 | 2019 | $20,619 |
| Photography | 2023 | $10,948 |
| Works on Paper | 2015 | $1,284 |
| Prints & Editions | 2018 | $865 |
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $385 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Gisèle Freund worth?
Across 150 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Gisèle Freund work is $936. The median Gisèle Freund photograph sells for $937 across 146 lots. The median Gisèle Freund print sells for $625 across 2 lots. The median Gisèle Freund work on paper sells for $1,284 across 1 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Gisèle Freund photographs typically sell for $572–$1,414 (the middle half of 120 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 Gisèle Freund photograph?
Based on 146 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Gisèle Freund photograph is $937. 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 Gisèle Freund's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Gisèle Freund photograph is $20,619.
What is the average price of a small Gisèle Freund photograph?
Based on 120 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Gisèle Freund photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $965, 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 Gisèle Freund's auction record?
Gisèle Freund's auction record is $20,619, set in 2019.
See the full Gisèle Freund record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Gisèle Freund on OpeningBid →