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

# Wifredo Lam (1902–1982)

## What is Wifredo Lam’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 891 auction results for Wifredo Lam at 76 houses since 1993. Over the last 24 months the median price was $6,790 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,140–$59,635, n=99). The auction record is $7,370,000 for Ídolo (Oyá/Divinité de l'air et de la mort) (2023, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ídolo (Oyá/Divinité de l'air et de la mort), 1944 | Charcoal | $7,370,000 | Sotheby's | Apr 2023 |
| 2 | A Trois centimètres de la Terre | Oil on canvas | $5,248,169 | Sotheby's | Dec 2017 |
| 3 | Peinture, nous t'attendons | Huile sur papier marouflé sur toile | $3,889,123 | Sotheby's | Dec 2012 |
| 4 | Présages | Oil on canvas | $2,629,000 | Phillips | May 2015 |
| 5 | Je suis, 1949 | Oil paint | $2,574,877 | Christie's | Jun 2019 |
| 6 | Femme Cheval, 1950 | Oil paint | $2,415,000 | Christie's | Jul 2020 |
| 7 | Les Abalochas dansent pour Dhambala, dieu de l'unité | Oil on canvas | $2,154,500 | Sotheby's | Nov 2010 |
| 8 | Chant de la forêt, 1946 | Oil paint | $2,053,251 | Christie's | Feb 2016 |
| 9 | Femme cheval, 1950 | Oil paint | $1,805,000 | Christie's | Nov 2015 |
| 10 | L'ARBRE AUX MIROIRS | Huile sur toile | $1,558,712 | Sotheby's | Dec 2011 |


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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 192 | $120,779 |
| Works on paper | 155 | $31,500 |
| Sculpture | 46 | $6,302 |
| Other | 83 | $4,596 |
| Prints | 201 | $711 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 33 | $827,500 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 345 | $21,250 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 227 | $6,728 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 891 results from 76 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Wifredo Lam is a Cuban artist with 1,187 auction lots recorded since 1993, median price $7,311. 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 Wifredo Lam sold in 2026 for a hammer price of $9,496 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

**5 Wifredo Lam works are coming to auction** (as of 2026-11-02).

- [Wifredo Lam on OpeningBid](https://www.openingbid.art/artist/wifredo-lam?ref=kg:wifredo-lam) — follow free in the OpeningBid app for sale alerts.

## What is a Wifredo Lam work worth?

Across 879 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Wifredo Lam work is $7,311.

The median Wifredo Lam print sells for $496 across 326 lots.

The median Wifredo Lam work on paper sells for $30,000 across 199 lots.

The median Wifredo Lam painting sells for $127,963 across 190 lots.

Medium (50–120 cm) Wifredo Lam prints typically sell for $342–$1,375 (the middle half of 203 sold lots).

Medium (50–120 cm) Wifredo Lam work on papers typically sell for $25,612–$134,500 (the middle half of 113 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 | 396 | $496†‡ | $102,000 | 82.3% | 2026-07-09 |
| Paintings | 214 | $127,963†‡ | $7.4M | 88.8% | 2025-12-17 |
| Works on Paper | 234 | $30,000†‡ | $1M | 85% | 2026-07-18 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 35 | $6,203†‡ | $175,000 | 85.7% | 2026-05-14 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 160 | $252,000†‡ | $7.4M | — | 2026-05-19 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

Wifredo Lam's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (396 lots) median $496 with 82.3% sell-through. Paintings (214 lots) median $127,963, record $7,370,000. A typical Wifredo Lam painting sells for around 258× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 160 lots) the median is $252,000.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 100 | $278–$868†‡ | $456†‡ | $22,116 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 203 | $342–$1,375†‡ | $530†‡ | $102,000 |

† 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) | 62 | $37,800–$68,750† | $47,500† | $196,850 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 87 | $100,000–$314,650†‡ | $167,500†‡ | $2.6M |
| large (over 120 cm) | 28 | $651,161–$1.9M | $900,366 | $7.4M |

† 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) | 57 | $4,800–$20,700†‡ | $10,659†‡ | $207,095 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 113 | $25,612–$134,500†‡ | $45,795†‡ | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 24 | $3,308–$8,230‡ | $6,032‡ | $175,000 |

‡ 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 | 2023 | $7.4M |
| Paintings | 2017 | $5.2M |
| Works on Paper | 2013 | $1M |
| Works on Paper | 2026 | $762,000 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2018 | $175,000 |
| Prints & Editions | 2019 | $102,000 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2019 | $32,500 |
| Prints & Editions | 2021 | $22,116 |

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 Wifredo Lam worth?

Across 879 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Wifredo Lam work is $7,311. The median Wifredo Lam print sells for $496 across 326 lots. The median Wifredo Lam work on paper sells for $30,000 across 199 lots. The median Wifredo Lam painting sells for $127,963 across 190 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Wifredo Lam prints typically sell for $342–$1,375 (the middle half of 203 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Wifredo Lam work on papers typically sell for $25,612–$134,500 (the middle half of 113 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 Wifredo Lam print?

Based on 326 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Wifredo Lam print is $496. 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 Wifredo Lam's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Wifredo Lam print is $102,000.

### What is the average price of a Wifredo Lam work on paper?

Based on 199 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Wifredo Lam work on paper is $30,000. 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 Wifredo Lam's most expensive work on paper?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Wifredo Lam work on paper is $1,046,859.

### What is the average price of a Wifredo Lam painting?

Based on 190 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Wifredo Lam painting is $127,963. 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 Wifredo Lam's most expensive painting?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Wifredo Lam painting is $7,370,000.

### What is the average price of a medium Wifredo Lam print?

Based on 203 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Wifredo Lam print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $530, 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 Wifredo Lam work on paper?

Based on 113 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Wifredo Lam work on paper (medium (50–120 cm)) is $45,795, 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 Wifredo Lam's auction record?

Wifredo Lam's auction record is $7,370,000, set in 2023.

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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, “Wifredo Lam auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/wifredo-lam (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.