Karel Appel (1921–2006)
Karel Appel is a Dutch artist with 508 auction lots recorded since 1992, median price $1,392. 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 Karel Appel sold in 2026 for a hammer price of $1,625 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Karel Appel record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Karel Appel on OpeningBid →What is a Karel Appel work worth?
Across 420 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Karel Appel work is $1,392.
The median Karel Appel print sells for $637 across 314 lots.
The median Karel Appel painting sells for $41,359 across 81 lots.
The median Karel Appel work on paper sells for $9,450 across 58 lots.
Medium (50–120 cm) Karel Appel prints typically sell for $391–$985 (the middle half of 270 sold lots).
Medium (50–120 cm) Karel Appel paintings typically sell for $19,562–$61,346 (the middle half of 50 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 | 371 | $637†‡ | $15,340 | 84.6% | 2026-10-24 |
| Paintings | 90 | $41,359†‡ | $564,282 | 90% | 2026-04-15 |
| Works on Paper | 61 | $9,450†‡ | $129,803 | 95.1% | 2024-06-13 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 4 | $15,633† | $58,698 | — | 2024-05-27 |
| Photography | 4 | $3,202 | $5,550 | — | 2004-05-26 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 26 | $113,775 | $564,282 | — | 2026-04-15 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Karel Appel's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (371 lots) median $637 with 84.6% sell-through. Paintings (90 lots) median $41,359, record $564,282. A typical Karel Appel painting sells for around 65× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 26 lots) the median is $113,775.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 18 | $497–$1,637†‡ | $709†‡ | $3,539 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 270 | $391–$985†‡ | $601†‡ | $15,340 |
† 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) | 50 | $19,562–$61,346†‡ | $34,250†‡ | $172,779 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 22 | $59,205–$222,496‡ | $103,136‡ | $564,282 |
† 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) | 14 | $2,219–$11,835†‡ | $3,814†‡ | $18,689 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 32 | $6,456–$29,691†‡ | $15,817†‡ | $59,312 |
† 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 | 2015 | $564,282 |
| Paintings | 2026 | $447,433 |
| Works on Paper | 2006 | $129,803 |
| Works on Paper | 2015 | $107,587 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2006 | $58,698 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2006 | $25,156 |
| Prints & Editions | 2006 | $15,340 |
| Prints & Editions | 2006 | $14,160 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Karel Appel worth?
Across 420 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Karel Appel work is $1,392. The median Karel Appel print sells for $637 across 314 lots. The median Karel Appel painting sells for $41,359 across 81 lots. The median Karel Appel work on paper sells for $9,450 across 58 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Karel Appel prints typically sell for $391–$985 (the middle half of 270 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Karel Appel paintings typically sell for $19,562–$61,346 (the middle half of 50 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 Karel Appel print?
Based on 314 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Karel Appel print is $637. 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 Karel Appel's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Karel Appel print is $15,340.
What is the average price of a Karel Appel painting?
Based on 81 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Karel Appel painting is $41,359. 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 Karel Appel's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Karel Appel painting is $564,282.
What is the average price of a Karel Appel work on paper?
Based on 58 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Karel Appel work on paper is $9,450. 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 Karel Appel's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Karel Appel work on paper is $129,803.
What is the average price of a medium Karel Appel print?
Based on 270 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Karel Appel print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $601, 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 medium Karel Appel painting?
Based on 50 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Karel Appel painting (medium (50–120 cm)) is $34,250, 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 Karel Appel's auction record?
Karel Appel's auction record is $564,282, set in 2015.
See the full Karel Appel record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Karel Appel on OpeningBid →