> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/nobuyoshi-araki · updated 2026-11-02

# Nobuyoshi Araki (b. 1940)

## What is Nobuyoshi Araki’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 887 auction results for Nobuyoshi Araki at 60 houses since 2001. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,730 including buyer’s premium (middle half $735–$3,810, n=99). The auction record is $191,000 for From Close to Range (2014, Phillips). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

**Top auction records: paintings, drawings & sculpture**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | From Close to Range, 1991 | Gelatin silver print diptych, printed 2008 | $191,000 | Phillips | Apr 2014 |
| 2 | 77 Works | Twenty-nine digital chromogenic prints, twenty-seven gelatin silver prints, eight Polaroids, eight colour copy prints, three digital chromogenic prints with acrylic, one dye destruction print and one chromogenic print | $171,380 | Phillips | May 2013 |
| 3 | 101 works for Robert Frank (Private Diary) | 101 gelatin silver prints, each framed | $100,000 | Phillips | Oct 2013 |
| 4 | For Robert Frank, 1992, 1992 | Cartes-de-visite | $100,000 | Christie's | Sep 2014 |
| 5 | Untitled from Colourscapes | Dye destruction print, Diasec mounted, printed later | $60,000 | Phillips | Oct 2013 |
| 6 | Untitled from Colourscapes, 1991 | Dye destruction print, Diasec mounted, printed later | $60,000 | Phillips | Apr 2014 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tokyo Comedy, 1997 | Gelatin silver print mounted on aluminium | $103,137 | Christie's | Oct 2021 |
| 2 | Tokyo Comedy, 1997 | Gelatin silver print, printed later and flush-mounted | $80,162 | Phillips | Oct 2019 |
| 3 | Tokyo Comedy, 1997 | Gelatin silver print, mounted, printed later | $67,406 | Phillips | Nov 2021 |
| 4 | Untitled from Colourscapes, 1991 | Chromogenic print, printed later, flush-mounted | $57,038 | Phillips | May 2017 |

**Median price by medium (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)**

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 427 | $3,560 |
| Other | 151 | $1,790 |
| Works on paper | 14 | $1,719 |

**Median price by size (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)**

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 55 | $13,304 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 178 | $5,991 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 303 | $1,514 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 887 results from 60 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Nobuyoshi Araki is a Japanese artist with 1,351 auction lots recorded since 2001, median price $2,724. 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 Nobuyoshi Araki sold in 2026 for $18,060, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

**2 Nobuyoshi Araki works are coming to auction** (as of 2026-11-02).

- [Nobuyoshi Araki on OpeningBid](https://www.openingbid.art/artist/nobuyoshi-araki?ref=kg:nobuyoshi-araki) — follow free in the OpeningBid app for sale alerts.

## What is a Nobuyoshi Araki work worth?

Across 885 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Nobuyoshi Araki work is $2,724.

The median Nobuyoshi Araki photograph sells for $2,705 across 738 lots.

The median Nobuyoshi Araki print sells for $3,044 across 47 lots.

The median Nobuyoshi Araki work on paper sells for $2,197 across 17 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) Nobuyoshi Araki photographs typically sell for $870–$2,892 (the middle half of 390 sold lots).

Medium (50–120 cm) Nobuyoshi Araki photographs typically sell for $3,042–$9,138 (the middle half of 209 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 | 66 | $3,044†‡ | $60,000 | 71.2% | 2026-09-12 |
| Paintings | 1 | $3,556 | $3,556 | — | 2025-11-04 |
| Works on Paper | 24 | $2,197‡ | $10,918 | 70.8% | 2025-03-18 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 8 | $8,469 | $15,943 | — | 2025-12-11 |
| Photography | 943 | $2,705†‡ | $191,000 | 78.3% | 2026-10-08 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 43 | $40,000‡ | $191,000 | — | 2026-04-16 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

Nobuyoshi Araki's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (66 lots) median $3,044 with 71.2% sell-through. Paintings (1 lots) median $3,556, record $3,556. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 43 lots) the median is $40,000.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 22 | $1,243–$3,008†‡ | $1,865†‡ | $4,560† |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 12 | $2,740–$12,257† | $4,027† | $39,390 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 7 | $11,186–$14,938‡ | $12,607‡ | $60,000 |

† 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) | 10 | $778–$4,383‡ | $1,647‡ | $8,825 |

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

### Sculpture & Installation

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 6 | $3,914–$8,605 | $6,211 | $12,588 |

### Photography

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 390 | $870–$2,892†‡ | $1,537†‡ | $100,000 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 209 | $3,042–$9,138†‡ | $5,411†‡ | $171,380 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 59 | $8,554–$25,980‡ | $11,805‡ | $191,000 |

† 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 | 2014 | $191,000 |
| Photography | 2013 | $171,380 |
| Prints & Editions | 2013 | $60,000 |
| Prints & Editions | 2017 | $39,390 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2013 | $15,943 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2020 | $13,935 |
| Works on Paper | 2008 | $10,918 |
| Works on Paper | 2025 | $10,080 |

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 Nobuyoshi Araki worth?

Across 885 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Nobuyoshi Araki work is $2,724. The median Nobuyoshi Araki photograph sells for $2,705 across 738 lots. The median Nobuyoshi Araki print sells for $3,044 across 47 lots. The median Nobuyoshi Araki work on paper sells for $2,197 across 17 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Nobuyoshi Araki photographs typically sell for $870–$2,892 (the middle half of 390 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Nobuyoshi Araki photographs typically sell for $3,042–$9,138 (the middle half of 209 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 Nobuyoshi Araki photograph?

Based on 738 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Nobuyoshi Araki photograph is $2,705. 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 Nobuyoshi Araki's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Nobuyoshi Araki photograph is $191,000.

### What is the average price of a Nobuyoshi Araki print?

Based on 47 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Nobuyoshi Araki print is $3,044. 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 Nobuyoshi Araki's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Nobuyoshi Araki print is $60,000.

### What is the average price of a Nobuyoshi Araki work on paper?

Based on 17 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Nobuyoshi Araki work on paper is $2,197. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is Nobuyoshi Araki's most expensive work on paper?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Nobuyoshi Araki work on paper is $10,918.

### What is the average price of a small Nobuyoshi Araki photograph?

Based on 390 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Nobuyoshi Araki photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,537, 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 Nobuyoshi Araki photograph?

Based on 209 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Nobuyoshi Araki photograph (medium (50–120 cm)) is $5,411, 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 Nobuyoshi Araki's auction record?

Nobuyoshi Araki's auction record is $191,000, set in 2014.

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Data last updated 2026-11-02. OpeningBid tracks 15,390,829 auction lots from 577 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Nobuyoshi Araki auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/nobuyoshi-araki (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.