> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/max-ernst · updated 2026-11-02 # 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. ## 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. The full sale history is in the OpeningBid app (free sign-up). ## 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. --- Data last updated 2026-11-02. OpeningBid tracks 15,390,829 auction lots from 577 auction houses, refreshed nightly. Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Max Ernst auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/max-ernst (updated 2026-11-02). Historical auction data, not investment advice. Prices are premium-inclusive USD where the buyer's premium is recorded. Figures marked † are hammer prices (buyer's premium not included); ‡ marks a price whose basis is not yet verified. Non-USD results are converted at the sale month's rate.