William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905)
What is William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 91 auction results for William-Adolphe Bouguereau at 21 houses since 1997. Over the last 24 months the median price was $374 including buyer’s premium (middle half $144–$2,224, n=5). The auction record is $3,615,000 for Chansons de printemps (2019, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chansons de printemps, 1825 | Oil paint | $3,615,000 | Christie's | Oct 2019 |
| 2 | LE DÉJEUNER DU MATIN | Oil on canvas | $2,057,000 | Sotheby's | Apr 2008 |
| 3 | Récolte de noisettes, 1883 | Oil paint | $1,812,500 | Christie's | Oct 2018 |
| 4 | La première discorde (Cain and Abel) | Oil on canvas | $1,721,000 | Sotheby's | Apr 2008 |
| 5 | La petite maraudeuse | Oil on canvas | $1,594,500 | Sotheby's | Oct 2008 |
| 6 | Berceuse (Le coucher), 1825 | Oil paint | $1,452,500 | Christie's | Oct 2017 |
| 7 | La perle, 1825 | Oil paint | $965,000 | Christie's | Apr 2016 |
| 8 | Le lever, 1825 | Oil paint | $912,500 | Christie's | Oct 2018 |
| 9 | Sur le rocher, 1825 | Oil paint | $912,500 | Christie's | Oct 2017 |
| 10 | La Liseuse | Oil on canvas | $892,200 | Sotheby's | Apr 2008 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 44 | $531,000 |
| Other | 19 | $9,560 |
| Works on paper | 11 | $7,500 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 13 | $590,057 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 25 | $265,000 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 23 | $9,560 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 91 results from 21 houses · How we compute these figures
William-Adolphe Bouguereau is a French artist with 98 auction lots recorded since 1997, median price $27,600. 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 William-Adolphe Bouguereau is recorded as sold in 2025 for $136,996; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full William-Adolphe Bouguereau record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View William-Adolphe Bouguereau on OpeningBid →What is a William-Adolphe Bouguereau work worth?
Across 86 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a William-Adolphe Bouguereau work is $27,600.
The median William-Adolphe Bouguereau painting sells for $207,750 across 50 lots.
The median William-Adolphe Bouguereau work on paper sells for $7,528 across 16 lots.
The median William-Adolphe Bouguereau photograph sells for $30 across 2 lots.
Medium (50–120 cm) William-Adolphe Bouguereau paintings typically sell for $880–$595,500 (the middle half of 27 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 | 2 | $353† | $600† | — | 2026-02-18 |
| Paintings | 55 | $207,750†‡ | $3.6M | 90.9% | 2026-06-02 |
| Works on Paper | 16 | $7,528† | $32,500 | — | 2025-11-04 |
| Photography | 2 | $30† | $30† | — | 2018-11-13 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 39 | $590,057‡ | $3.6M | — | 2025-06-11 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
William-Adolphe Bouguereau's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (2 lots) median $353. Paintings (55 lots) median $207,750, record $3,615,000. A typical William-Adolphe Bouguereau painting sells for around 588× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 39 lots) the median is $590,057.
Price by size
Paintings
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 8 | $8,895–$22,711 | $16,438 | $80,500 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 27 | $880–$595,500†‡ | $242,500†‡ | $1.5M |
| large (over 120 cm) | 14 | $332,242–$907,625‡ | $626,278‡ | $3.6M |
† 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) | 14 | $5,543–$11,733† | $7,528† | $32,500 |
† 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2019 | $3.6M |
| Paintings | 2010 | $2.8M |
| Works on Paper | 2019 | $32,500 |
| Works on Paper | 2018 | $21,455 |
| Prints & Editions | 2021 | $600† |
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $106 |
| Photography | 2018 | $30† |
| Photography | 2018 | $30† |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a William-Adolphe Bouguereau worth?
Across 86 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a William-Adolphe Bouguereau work is $27,600. The median William-Adolphe Bouguereau painting sells for $207,750 across 50 lots. The median William-Adolphe Bouguereau work on paper sells for $7,528 across 16 lots. The median William-Adolphe Bouguereau photograph sells for $30 across 2 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) William-Adolphe Bouguereau paintings typically sell for $880–$595,500 (the middle half of 27 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 William-Adolphe Bouguereau painting?
Based on 50 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a William-Adolphe Bouguereau painting is $207,750. 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 William-Adolphe Bouguereau's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a William-Adolphe Bouguereau painting is $3,615,000.
What is the average price of a William-Adolphe Bouguereau work on paper?
Based on 16 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a William-Adolphe Bouguereau work on paper is $7,528. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is William-Adolphe Bouguereau's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a William-Adolphe Bouguereau work on paper is $32,500.
What is the average price of a medium William-Adolphe Bouguereau painting?
Based on 27 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium William-Adolphe Bouguereau painting (medium (50–120 cm)) is $242,500, 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 large William-Adolphe Bouguereau painting?
Based on 14 sold lots, the median auction price of a large William-Adolphe Bouguereau painting (large (over 120 cm)) is $626,278, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is William-Adolphe Bouguereau's auction record?
William-Adolphe Bouguereau's auction record is $3,615,000, set in 2019.
See the full William-Adolphe Bouguereau record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View William-Adolphe Bouguereau on OpeningBid →