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

# Sean Scully (b. 1946)

## What is Sean Scully’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 772 auction results for Sean Scully at 50 houses since 1998. Over the last 24 months the median price was $7,236 including buyer’s premium (middle half $3,708–$74,555, n=101). The auction record is $3,120,000 for 4.18.04 (2018, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4.18.04, 2004 | Paper | $3,120,000 | Christie's | Sep 2018 |
| 2 | Song, 1985 | Painting | $2,046,500 | Sotheby's | May 2022 |
| 3 | Red Bar, 2003 | Oil paint | $1,760,000 | Phillips | Nov 2019 |
| 4 | Grey Red, 2012 | Oil paint | $1,595,231 | Phillips | Mar 2018 |
| 5 | Landline Green Sea, 2014 | Oil paint | $1,592,749 | Phillips | Jun 2018 |
| 6 | Blue Yellow Figure, 2004 | Oil on canvas | $1,516,219 | Ketterer Kunst | Dec 2021 |
| 7 | Landline Red Veined, 2016 | Oil paint | $1,515,000 | Phillips | Nov 2018 |
| 8 | Landline Dark Blue, 2017 | Oil paint | $1,512,000 | Phillips | May 2025 |
| 9 | Wall of Light Green, 2013 | Oil on linen | $1,395,902 | Phillips | May 2017 |
| 10 | Landline Green Blue, 2015 | Oil paint | $1,378,559 | Sotheby's | Oct 2021 |


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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 152 | $585,937 |
| Works on paper | 118 | $51,785 |
| Other | 50 | $12,481 |
| Prints | 261 | $4,662 |
| Photographs | 9 | $4,410 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 140 | $618,461 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 253 | $8,212 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 150 | $4,927 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 772 results from 50 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Sean Scully is an American artist with 918 auction lots recorded since 1998, median price $7,500. 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 Sean Scully sold in 2026 for $678,229, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

**1 Sean Scully work is coming to auction** (as of 2026-11-02).

- [Sean Scully on OpeningBid](https://www.openingbid.art/artist/sean-scully?ref=kg:sean-scully) — follow free in the OpeningBid app for sale alerts.

## What is a Sean Scully work worth?

Across 770 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Sean Scully work is $7,500.

The median Sean Scully print sells for $3,970 across 373 lots.

The median Sean Scully painting sells for $535,426 across 144 lots.

The median Sean Scully work on paper sells for $48,160 across 122 lots.

Medium (50–120 cm) Sean Scully prints typically sell for $3,308–$6,550 (the middle half of 196 sold lots).

Small (under 50 cm) Sean Scully prints typically sell for $2,196–$4,684 (the middle half of 138 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 | 425 | $3,970†‡ | $257,112 | 87.8% | 2026-10-09 |
| Paintings | 153 | $535,426† | $1.8M | 94.1% | 2026-10-15 |
| Works on Paper | 135 | $48,160†‡ | $3.1M | 90.4% | 2026-06-25 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 16 | $1.1M | $1.6M | — | 2025-11-19 |
| Photography | 53 | $2,280† | $13,750 | 75.5% | 2025-11-24 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 176 | $558,471†‡ | $3.1M | — | 2026-10-15 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

Sean Scully's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (425 lots) median $3,970 with 87.8% sell-through. Paintings (153 lots) median $535,426, record $1,760,000. A typical Sean Scully painting sells for around 135× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 176 lots) the median is $558,471.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 138 | $2,196–$4,684†‡ | $3,461†‡ | $23,750 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 196 | $3,308–$6,550†‡ | $4,780†‡ | $257,112 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 21 | $3,914–$8,619† | $5,715† | $37,500 |

† 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) | 9 | $51,156–$247,275 | $136,080 | $279,400 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 42 | $84,786–$472,290† | $285,317† | $1.1M |
| large (over 120 cm) | 91 | $511,186–$956,965† | $717,770† | $1.8M |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

### Works on Paper

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 38 | $17,498–$35,490†‡ | $28,419†‡ | $79,335 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 67 | $38,234–$93,456†‡ | $56,250†‡ | $189,000 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 14 | $190,874–$512,914 | $302,866 | $3.1M |

† 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| large (over 120 cm) | 13 | $949,079–$1.5M | $1.3M | $1.6M |

### Photography

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 13 | $1,965–$9,867† | $2,313† | $11,999 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 12 | $2,568–$5,355† | $4,154† | $13,750 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 14 | $1,029–$1,772† | $1,302† | $10,445 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.

## Notable results

| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Works on Paper | 2018 | $3.1M |
| Works on Paper | 2022 | $2M |
| Paintings | 2019 | $1.8M |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2018 | $1.6M |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2018 | $1.6M |
| Paintings | 2021 | $1.5M |
| Prints & Editions | 2022 | $257,112 |
| Prints & Editions | 2022 | $47,812 |

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 Sean Scully worth?

Across 770 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Sean Scully work is $7,500. The median Sean Scully print sells for $3,970 across 373 lots. The median Sean Scully painting sells for $535,426 across 144 lots. The median Sean Scully work on paper sells for $48,160 across 122 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Sean Scully prints typically sell for $3,308–$6,550 (the middle half of 196 sold lots). Small (under 50 cm) Sean Scully prints typically sell for $2,196–$4,684 (the middle half of 138 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 Sean Scully print?

Based on 373 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Sean Scully print is $3,970. 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 Sean Scully's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Sean Scully print is $257,112.

### What is the average price of a Sean Scully painting?

Based on 144 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Sean Scully painting is $535,426. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is Sean Scully's most expensive painting?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Sean Scully painting is $1,760,000.

### What is the average price of a Sean Scully work on paper?

Based on 122 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Sean Scully work on paper is $48,160. 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 Sean Scully's most expensive work on paper?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Sean Scully work on paper is $3,120,000.

### What is the average price of a medium Sean Scully print?

Based on 196 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Sean Scully print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $4,780, 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 small Sean Scully print?

Based on 138 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Sean Scully print (small (under 50 cm)) is $3,461, 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 Sean Scully's auction record?

Sean Scully's auction record is $3,120,000, set in 2018.

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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, “Sean Scully auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/sean-scully (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.