Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988)
Jean-Michel Basquiat is an American artist with 312 auction lots recorded since 1998, median price $2,278. 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 Jean-Michel Basquiat sold in 2026 for a hammer price of $13,000 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Jean-Michel Basquiat record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Jean-Michel Basquiat on OpeningBid →What is a Jean-Michel Basquiat work worth?
Across 253 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Jean-Michel Basquiat work is $2,278.
The median Jean-Michel Basquiat print sells for $228 across 116 lots.
The median Jean-Michel Basquiat work on paper sells for $156,830 across 57 lots.
The median Jean-Michel Basquiat painting sells for $488,601 across 29 lots.
Medium (50–120 cm) Jean-Michel Basquiat prints typically sell for $140–$792 (the middle half of 73 sold lots).
Medium (50–120 cm) Jean-Michel Basquiat work on papers typically sell for $93,336–$473,017 (the middle half of 28 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 | 123 | $228†‡ | $447,082 | 94.3% | 2026-06-30 |
| Paintings | 30 | $488,601†‡ | $20.9M | 96.7% | 2026-06-03 |
| Works on Paper | 59 | $156,830‡ | $8.1M | 96.6% | 2026-04-15 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 6 | $898 | $1,303 | — | 2023-12-01 |
| Photography | 3 | $1,875 | $1,912 | — | 2014-05-20 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 62 | $479,426‡ | $20.9M | — | 2026-05-20 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Jean-Michel Basquiat's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (123 lots) median $228 with 94.3% sell-through. Paintings (30 lots) median $488,601, record $20,927,887. A typical Jean-Michel Basquiat painting sells for around 2,144× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 62 lots) the median is $479,426.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 19 | $136–$217†‡ | $139†‡ | $2,204 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 73 | $140–$792‡ | $180‡ | $84,508 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 11 | $54,715–$151,252 | $79,859 | $447,082 |
† 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 10 | $204,244–$2.5M† | $483,734† | $15.2M |
| large (over 120 cm) | 14 | $308,105–$3M†‡ | $997,271†‡ | $20.9M |
† 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) | 16 | $18,446–$118,813‡ | $54,590‡ | $860,000 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 28 | $93,336–$473,017 | $249,281 | $1.4M |
| large (over 120 cm) | 6 | $1.4M–$5.9M | $2.6M | $8.1M |
‡ 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 | 2021 | $20.9M |
| Paintings | 2020 | $15.2M |
| Works on Paper | 2020 | $8.1M |
| Works on Paper | 2020 | $6.9M |
| Prints & Editions | 2011 | $447,082 |
| Prints & Editions | 2007 | $358,575 |
| Photography | 2008 | $1,912 |
| Photography | 2012 | $1,875 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Jean-Michel Basquiat worth?
Across 253 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Jean-Michel Basquiat work is $2,278. The median Jean-Michel Basquiat print sells for $228 across 116 lots. The median Jean-Michel Basquiat work on paper sells for $156,830 across 57 lots. The median Jean-Michel Basquiat painting sells for $488,601 across 29 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Jean-Michel Basquiat prints typically sell for $140–$792 (the middle half of 73 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Jean-Michel Basquiat work on papers typically sell for $93,336–$473,017 (the middle half of 28 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 Jean-Michel Basquiat print?
Based on 116 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Jean-Michel Basquiat print is $228. 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 Jean-Michel Basquiat's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Jean-Michel Basquiat print is $447,082.
What is the average price of a Jean-Michel Basquiat work on paper?
Based on 57 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Jean-Michel Basquiat work on paper is $156,830. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Jean-Michel Basquiat's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Jean-Michel Basquiat work on paper is $8,134,650.
What is the average price of a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting?
Based on 29 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting is $488,601. 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 Jean-Michel Basquiat's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting is $20,927,887.
What is the average price of a medium Jean-Michel Basquiat print?
Based on 73 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Jean-Michel Basquiat print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $180, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is the average price of a medium Jean-Michel Basquiat work on paper?
Based on 28 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Jean-Michel Basquiat work on paper (medium (50–120 cm)) is $249,281, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
What is Jean-Michel Basquiat's auction record?
Jean-Michel Basquiat's auction record is $20,927,887, set in 2021.
See the full Jean-Michel Basquiat record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Jean-Michel Basquiat on OpeningBid →