> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/utagawa-kunisada-ii · updated 2026-11-02

# KUNISADA UTAGAWA II (1823–1880)

## What is KUNISADA UTAGAWA II’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 46 auction results for KUNISADA UTAGAWA II at 24 houses since 2006. Over the last 24 months the median price was $173 including buyer’s premium (middle half $68–$262, n=6). The auction record is $94,865 for Hell Courtesan (Jigoku Dayu) (2015, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hell Courtesan (Jigoku Dayu), 1823 | Burlap | $94,865 | Christie's | Nov 2015 |
| 2 | Bath scene inside of Nakamanjiya, 1823 | Woodblock print | $8,190 | Christie's | Sep 2024 |
| 3 | On the Roof of the Horyukaku from the Book The Eight Dog Heroes of Satomi (Satomi hakkenden inu no soshi no uchi, Horyukaku-jo no zu), 19th century | Woodblock print | $8,014 | Sotheby's | Mar 2022 |
| 4 | On the Roof of the Horyukaku from the Book The Eight Dog Heroes of Satomi, 1854 | Woodblock print | $3,339 | Sotheby's | Mar 2022 |
| 5 | A bound album containing thirty-two triptychs of various kabuki scenes, 1823 | Colour | $2,870 | Christie's | Jul 2006 |
| 6 | Edo period (1615-1868), 1865-1870, 1823 | Four oban tate-e prints and an oban tate-e print triptych | $892 | Bonhams | Mar 2019 |
| 7 | Meiga hyakushu. Daimyô dôchû, 1864 | Iron | $747 | Kunsthaus Lempertz | Jun 2021 |
| 8 | (TOYOKUNI III, 1786-1865), UTAGAWA KUNISADA II (1823-1880), AND TOYOHARA KUNICHIKA (1835-1900) 15 Woodblock Prints Meiji era (1868-1912), 19th century (15), 1865 | Woodblock print | $638 | Bonhams | Dec 2024 |
| 9 | Après l'attaque nocturne, de la série Kanadehon Chûshingura (l'histoire des quarante-sept ronin) | Triptyque d'estampes ôban tate-e | $561 | De Baecque et Associés | Dec 2023 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Murasaki Shikibu Genji karuta (Murasaki Shikibu's Genji Cards) and Fuji sanjurokkei (36 Views of Mount Fuji), 1868 | Woodcuts | $3,564 | Bonhams | Nov 2022 |

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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 22 | $253 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 22 | $253 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 46 results from 24 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


KUNISADA UTAGAWA II is a Japanese artist with 70 auction lots recorded since 2004, median price $232. 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 KUNISADA UTAGAWA II sold in 2025 for $274, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a KUNISADA UTAGAWA II work worth?

Across 44 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a KUNISADA UTAGAWA II work is $232.

The median KUNISADA UTAGAWA II print sells for $232 across 29 lots.

The median KUNISADA UTAGAWA II work on paper sells for $382 across 3 lots.

The median KUNISADA UTAGAWA II painting sells for $94,865 across 1 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) KUNISADA UTAGAWA II prints typically sell for $104–$618 (the middle half of 22 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 | 36 | $232†‡ | $8,190 | 80.6% | 2026-09-17 |
| Paintings | 1 | $94,865 | $94,865 | — | 2015-11-11 |
| Works on Paper | 3 | $382 | $2,870 | — | 2021-09-08 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 3 | $8,190 | $94,865 | — | 2024-09-17 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

KUNISADA UTAGAWA II's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (36 lots) median $232 with 80.6% sell-through. Paintings (1 lots) median $94,865, record $94,865. A typical KUNISADA UTAGAWA II painting sells for around 409× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 3 lots) the median is $8,190.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 22 | $104–$618†‡ | $186†‡ | $8,190 |

† 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2015 | $94,865 |
| Prints & Editions | 2024 | $8,190 |
| Prints & Editions | 2022 | $8,014 |
| Works on Paper | 2006 | $2,870 |
| Works on Paper | 2021 | $382 |

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 KUNISADA UTAGAWA II worth?

Across 44 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a KUNISADA UTAGAWA II work is $232. The median KUNISADA UTAGAWA II print sells for $232 across 29 lots. The median KUNISADA UTAGAWA II work on paper sells for $382 across 3 lots. The median KUNISADA UTAGAWA II painting sells for $94,865 across 1 lots. Small (under 50 cm) KUNISADA UTAGAWA II prints typically sell for $104–$618 (the middle half of 22 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 KUNISADA UTAGAWA II print?

Based on 29 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a KUNISADA UTAGAWA II print is $232. 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 KUNISADA UTAGAWA II's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a KUNISADA UTAGAWA II print is $8,190.

### What is the average price of a small KUNISADA UTAGAWA II print?

Based on 22 sold lots, the median auction price of a small KUNISADA UTAGAWA II print (small (under 50 cm)) is $186, 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 KUNISADA UTAGAWA II's auction record?

KUNISADA UTAGAWA II's auction record is $94,865, set in 2015.

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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, “KUNISADA UTAGAWA II auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/utagawa-kunisada-ii (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.