Max Ernst (1891–1976)
Max Ernst is a German-French artist with 790 auction lots recorded since 1990, median price $1,265. 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 Max Ernst sold in 2026 for $51,081, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Max Ernst record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Max Ernst on OpeningBid →What is a Max Ernst work worth?
Across 494 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Max Ernst work is $1,265.
The median Max Ernst print sells for $1,080 across 350 lots.
The median Max Ernst photograph sells for $376 across 21 lots.
The median Max Ernst painting sells for $105,946 across 33 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Max Ernst prints typically sell for $689–$2,170 (the middle half of 223 sold lots).
Medium (50–120 cm) Max Ernst prints typically sell for $423–$1,661 (the middle half of 66 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 | 550 | $1,080†‡ | $275,050 | 63.6% | 2026-08-20 |
| Paintings | 38 | $105,946†‡ | $552,033 | 86.8% | 2026-05-19 |
| Works on Paper | 35 | $3,837†‡ | $412,823 | 74.3% | 2026-05-31 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 28 | $22,760†‡ | $819,065 | 89.3% | 2026-05-19 |
| Photography | 45 | $376†‡ | $6,000 | 46.7% | 2026-04-23 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 26 | $154,032 | $819,065 | — | 2024-10-30 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Max Ernst's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (550 lots) median $1,080 with 63.6% sell-through. Paintings (38 lots) median $105,946, record $552,033. A typical Max Ernst painting sells for around 98× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 26 lots) the median is $154,032.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 223 | $689–$2,170†‡ | $1,130†‡ | $85,436 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 66 | $423–$1,661†‡ | $707†‡ | $11,538 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 6 | $1,006–$3,264†‡ | $2,176†‡ | $24,028 |
† 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) | 27 | $53,665–$150,434†‡ | $105,946†‡ | $380,887 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 6 | $26,043–$380,639‡ | $100,980‡ | $552,033 |
† 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) | 15 | $2,764–$26,439†‡ | $4,625†‡ | $59,375 |
† 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) | 18 | $9,915–$23,296†‡ | $22,503†‡ | $322,438 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 6 | $47,479–$119,237 | $90,527 | $819,065 |
† 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) | 17 | $229–$700†‡ | $376†‡ | $2,880 |
† 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sculpture & Installation | 2006 | $819,065 |
| Paintings | 2004 | $552,033 |
| Paintings | 2008 | $471,518 |
| Works on Paper | 2008 | $412,823 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2007 | $322,438 |
| Prints & Editions | 2016 | $275,050 |
| Prints & Editions | 2006 | $85,436 |
| Works on Paper | 2006 | $59,375 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Max Ernst worth?
Across 494 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Max Ernst work is $1,265. The median Max Ernst print sells for $1,080 across 350 lots. The median Max Ernst photograph sells for $376 across 21 lots. The median Max Ernst painting sells for $105,946 across 33 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Max Ernst prints typically sell for $689–$2,170 (the middle half of 223 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Max Ernst prints typically sell for $423–$1,661 (the middle half of 66 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 Max Ernst print?
Based on 350 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Max Ernst print is $1,080. 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 Max Ernst's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Max Ernst print is $275,050.
What is the average price of a Max Ernst photograph?
Based on 21 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Max Ernst photograph is $376. 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 Max Ernst's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Max Ernst photograph is $6,000.
What is the average price of a Max Ernst painting?
Based on 33 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Max Ernst painting is $105,946. 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 Max Ernst's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Max Ernst painting is $552,033.
What is the average price of a small Max Ernst print?
Based on 223 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Max Ernst print (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,130, 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 Max Ernst print?
Based on 66 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Max Ernst print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $707, 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 Max Ernst's auction record?
Max Ernst's auction record is $819,065, set in 2006.
See the full Max Ernst record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Max Ernst on OpeningBid →