Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792)
What is Joshua Reynolds’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 145 auction results for Joshua Reynolds at 32 houses since 1995. Over the last 24 months the median price was $27,052 including buyer’s premium (middle half $18,561–$42,267, n=16). The auction record is $5,075,491 for Portrait of Lucy Long, Mrs George Hardinge (d. 1820) (2016, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portrait of Lucy Long, Mrs George Hardinge (d. 1820), 1723 | Oil paint | $5,075,491 | Christie's | Jun 2016 |
| 2 | The Archers: Double Portrait of Colonel John Dyke Acland and Thomas Townshend, Viscount Sydney, full-length, in a wooded landscape, 1723 | : Double Portrait of Colonel John Dyke Acland and Thomas Townshend, Viscount Sydney, full-length, in a wooded landscape | $2,489,148 | Christie's | Jun 2000 |
| 3 | Portrait of Miss Jacobs | Three-quarter length, seated and looking down to her left; wearing a blue gown, pearls in her upswept hair and a single strand pearl necklace, and holding a bouquet of flowers in her lap oil on canvas | $1,440,000 | Sotheby's | Jan 2007 |
| 4 | Portrait of Miss Frances Harris | Full-length, wearing a white dress with sash, standing in a landscape with a dog seated at her right, her right hand resting on the dog's head oil on canvas | $656,000 | Sotheby's | Jan 2007 |
| 5 | Portrait of Nancy (née Parsons) Horton (circa 1735–1814 or 1815), Later Viscountess Maynard | Oil on canvas | $571,500 | Sotheby's | Feb 2024 |
| 6 | Portrait of Edwin, 2nd Baron Sandys (1726-1797), half-length, in a pink and green velvet waistcoat and jacket, 1723 | Oil paint | $447,906 | Christie's | Nov 2023 |
| 7 | Portrait of Mrs Trecothick, full-length, in 'Turkish' masquerade dress, beside an urn of flowers, in a landscape, 1723 | Oil paint | $241,281 | Christie's | Nov 2004 |
| 8 | Self-portrait of the artist, half-length, looking over his right shoulder, in a brown coat and a white shirt, 1723 | Oil paint | $219,949 | Christie's | Jun 2002 |
| 9 | portrait of a Naval Officer | Oil on canvas, held in a William Kent frame | $184,992 | Sotheby's | Jun 2008 |
| 10 | Portrait of Charles Blair | Bust-length, wearing a red jacket and vest, with lace jabot oil on canvas | $182,500 | Sotheby's | Jun 2008 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 30 | $50,967 |
| Paintings | 64 | $19,795 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 17 | $34,338 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 58 | $22,448 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 11 | $652 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 145 results from 32 houses · How we compute these figures
Joshua Reynolds is a British (modern) artist with 188 auction lots recorded since 1995, median price $10,403. 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 Joshua Reynolds sold in 2026 for $21,184, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Joshua Reynolds record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Joshua Reynolds on OpeningBid →What is a Joshua Reynolds work worth?
Across 131 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Joshua Reynolds work is $10,403.
The median Joshua Reynolds painting sells for $13,953 across 85 lots.
The median Joshua Reynolds work on paper sells for $352 across 9 lots.
The median Joshua Reynolds print sells for $414 across 9 lots.
Medium (50–120 cm) Joshua Reynolds paintings typically sell for $2,271–$48,480 (the middle half of 60 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 | 14 | $414†‡ | $652 | 64.3% | 2025-06-12 |
| Paintings | 104 | $13,953†‡ | $5.1M | 81.7% | 2026-09-10 |
| Works on Paper | 14 | $352†‡ | $145,269 | 64.3% | 2024-10-09 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 1 | $47,880 | $47,880 | — | 2023-01-27 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 19 | $182,500 | $5.1M | — | 2024-07-03 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Joshua Reynolds's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (14 lots) median $414 with 64.3% sell-through. Paintings (104 lots) median $13,953, record $5,075,491. A typical Joshua Reynolds painting sells for around 34× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 19 lots) the median is $182,500.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 5 | $119–$532‡ | $414‡ | $652 |
‡ 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) | 10 | $393–$2,207†‡ | $1,021†‡ | $14,102 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 60 | $2,271–$48,480†‡ | $15,476†‡ | $571,500 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 11 | $15,872–$154,904 | $59,099 | $5.1M |
† 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) | 9 | $272–$13,978†‡ | $352†‡ | $145,269 |
† 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 | 2016 | $5.1M |
| Paintings | 2024 | $571,500 |
| Works on Paper | 2017 | $145,269 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2023 | $47,880 |
| Works on Paper | 2016 | $14,974 |
| Prints & Editions | 2009 | $652 |
| Prints & Editions | 2016 | $532‡ |
‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Joshua Reynolds worth?
Across 131 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Joshua Reynolds work is $10,403. The median Joshua Reynolds painting sells for $13,953 across 85 lots. The median Joshua Reynolds work on paper sells for $352 across 9 lots. The median Joshua Reynolds print sells for $414 across 9 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Joshua Reynolds paintings typically sell for $2,271–$48,480 (the middle half of 60 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 Joshua Reynolds painting?
Based on 85 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Joshua Reynolds painting is $13,953. 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 Joshua Reynolds's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Joshua Reynolds painting is $5,075,491.
What is the average price of a Joshua Reynolds work on paper?
Based on 9 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Joshua Reynolds work on paper is $352. 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 Joshua Reynolds's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Joshua Reynolds work on paper is $145,269.
What is the average price of a Joshua Reynolds print?
Based on 9 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Joshua Reynolds print is $414. 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 Joshua Reynolds's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Joshua Reynolds print is $652.
What is the average price of a medium Joshua Reynolds painting?
Based on 60 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Joshua Reynolds painting (medium (50–120 cm)) is $15,476, 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 large Joshua Reynolds painting?
Based on 11 sold lots, the median auction price of a large Joshua Reynolds painting (large (over 120 cm)) is $59,099, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
What is Joshua Reynolds's auction record?
Joshua Reynolds's auction record is $5,075,491, set in 2016.
See the full Joshua Reynolds record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Joshua Reynolds on OpeningBid →