Man Ray (1890–1976)
What is Man Ray’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 2,887 auction results for Man Ray at 112 houses since 1990. Over the last 24 months the median price was $2,071 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,029–$9,527, n=314). The auction record is $12,412,500 for Le Violon d'Ingres (2022, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Le Violon d'Ingres, 1890 | Unique gelatin silver print, flush-mounted on board | $12,412,500 | Christie's | May 2022 |
| 2 | BLACK WIDOW (NATIVITY), 1915 | Oil paint | $5,779,200 | Sotheby's | Oct 2020 |
| 3 | Noire et Blanche, 1890 | Cartes-de-visite | $4,020,000 | Christie's | Nov 2022 |
| 4 | Catherine Barometer, 1920 | Wood box assemblage with glass, metal brackets, felt, metal washboard, tube, wire, colored wood, gouache on black paper, paper stamp and steel wool | $3,252,500 | Christie's | Nov 2017 |
| 5 | Noire et Blanche, 1890 | Signé et daté au crayon 'MAN RAY 26' (image); cachet du photographe rue Campagne Première [Manford M2] (verso) | $3,127,017 | Christie's | Nov 2017 |
| 6 | Image à Deux Faces (Two-Faced Image) | Huile sur toile | $3,005,953 | Sotheby's | May 2012 |
| 7 | Noire et blanche, 1926 | Gelatin silver print | $2,877,588 | Sotheby's | Jun 2025 |
| 8 | Portrait of a Tearful Woman, 1936 | Hand-colored gelatin silver print, mounted on card | $2,167,500 | Christie's | May 2017 |
| 9 | LES BEAUX TEMPS | Huile sur toile | $2,007,389 | Sotheby's | Dec 2010 |
| 10 | Personnage (Femme assise), 1939 | Oil paint | $1,854,837 | Sotheby's | Oct 2024 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 108 | $68,826 |
| Works on paper | 167 | $14,744 |
| Other | 391 | $12,843 |
| Photographs | 769 | $10,664 |
| Sculpture | 219 | $3,415 |
| Prints | 659 | $1,440 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 1,581 | $7,139 |
| Large (over 120 cm) | 28 | $3,903 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 521 | $2,345 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 2,887 results from 112 houses · How we compute these figures
Man Ray is an American artist with 3,730 auction lots recorded since 1989, median price $3,697. 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 Man Ray sold in 2026 for $100,289, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
32 Man Ray works are coming to auction (as of 2026-11-02). Follow Man Ray free on OpeningBid for sale alerts.
See the full Man Ray record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Man Ray on OpeningBid →What is a Man Ray work worth?
Across 2,852 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Man Ray work is $3,697.
The median Man Ray photograph sells for $8,000 across 948 lots.
The median Man Ray print sells for $1,291 across 953 lots.
The median Man Ray sculpture sells for $5,112 across 232 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Man Ray photographs typically sell for $2,298–$23,203 (the middle half of 853 sold lots).
Medium (50–120 cm) Man Ray prints typically sell for $770–$3,055 (the middle half of 458 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 | 1,084 | $1,291†‡ | $375,875 | 87.9% | 2026-10-29 |
| Paintings | 112 | $66,519†‡ | $5.8M | 90.2% | 2026-10-22 |
| Works on Paper | 216 | $17,635†‡ | $798,042 | 92.6% | 2026-06-26 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 260 | $5,112†‡ | $3.3M | 89.2% | 2026-10-14 |
| Photography | 1,089 | $8,000†‡ | $12.4M | 87.1% | 2026-10-22 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 173 | $210,222‡ | $12.4M | — | 2026-10-23 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Man Ray's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (1,084 lots) median $1,291 with 87.9% sell-through. Paintings (112 lots) median $66,519, record $5,779,200. A typical Man Ray painting sells for around 52× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 173 lots) the median is $210,222.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 413 | $792–$2,375†‡ | $1,267†‡ | $375,875 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 458 | $770–$3,055†‡ | $1,445†‡ | $365,886 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 5 | $1,882–$3,120 | $2,750 | $15,000 |
† 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) | 57 | $22,692–$78,667†‡ | $44,381†‡ | $564,494 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 35 | $31,345–$477,000†‡ | $207,635†‡ | $2M |
| large (over 120 cm) | 9 | $199,058–$1.3M‡ | $441,000‡ | $5.8M |
† 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) | 157 | $6,250–$35,471†‡ | $17,574†‡ | $692,962 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 33 | $11,020–$41,051† | $21,886† | $798,042 |
† 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) | 171 | $1,656–$27,356†‡ | $4,370†‡ | $299,964 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 32 | $3,412–$53,568†‡ | $20,396†‡ | $508,000 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ 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) | 853 | $2,298–$23,203†‡ | $8,269†‡ | $12.4M |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 31 | $1,217–$35,991†‡ | $4,909†‡ | $294,494 |
† 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 | 2022 | $12.4M |
| Paintings | 2020 | $5.8M |
| Photography | 2022 | $4M |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2017 | $3.3M |
| Paintings | 2012 | $3M |
| Works on Paper | 2012 | $798,042 |
| Works on Paper | 2011 | $692,962 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2023 | $508,000 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Man Ray worth?
Across 2,852 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Man Ray work is $3,697. The median Man Ray photograph sells for $8,000 across 948 lots. The median Man Ray print sells for $1,291 across 953 lots. The median Man Ray sculpture sells for $5,112 across 232 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Man Ray photographs typically sell for $2,298–$23,203 (the middle half of 853 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Man Ray prints typically sell for $770–$3,055 (the middle half of 458 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 Man Ray photograph?
Based on 948 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Man Ray photograph is $8,000. 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 Man Ray's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Man Ray photograph is $12,412,500.
What is the average price of a Man Ray print?
Based on 953 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Man Ray print is $1,291. 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 Man Ray's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Man Ray print is $375,875.
What is the average price of a Man Ray sculpture?
Based on 232 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Man Ray sculpture is $5,112. 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 Man Ray's most expensive sculpture?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Man Ray sculpture is $3,252,500.
What is the average price of a small Man Ray photograph?
Based on 853 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Man Ray photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $8,269, 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 Man Ray print?
Based on 458 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Man Ray print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $1,445, 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 Man Ray's auction record?
Man Ray's auction record is $12,412,500, set in 2022.
See the full Man Ray record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
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