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

# William Orpen (1878–1931)

## What is William Orpen’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 325 auction results for William Orpen at 25 houses since 1995. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,489 including buyer’s premium (middle half $979–$8,765, n=45). The auction record is $956,140 for The Thinker on the Butte de Warlencourt (2024, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Thinker on the Butte de Warlencourt, 1918 | Oil paint | $956,140 | Christie's | Nov 2024 |
| 2 | Mrs. Evelyn St George, 1906 | Oil paint | $873,971 | Sotheby's | Nov 2024 |
| 3 | The Poet, 1915 | Oil paint | $637,427 | Christie's | Nov 2024 |
| 4 | Changing Billets, Picardy, 1918 | Oil paint | $557,748 | Christie's | Nov 2024 |
| 5 | Myself and Cupid, 1910 | Oil paint | $444,410 | Sotheby's | Jun 2021 |
| 6 | AFTER THE BALL | Oil on canvas | $444,346 | deVeres Art Auctions | Nov 2021 |
| 7 | Portrait of Lady Evelyn Herbert, 1915 | Oil paint | $432,103 | Christie's | Jul 2021 |
| 8 | The Swinton Family, 1901 | Oil on canvas | $219,068 | Sotheby's | Nov 2021 |
| 9 | The Window: Night, 1907 | Oil on canvas | $178,893 | Sotheby's | Sep 2020 |
| 10 | Portrait of Yvonne Aupicq as a Nun (Sister X), 1950 | Oil on canvas | $166,938 | James Adam Salesrooms | Mar 2023 |


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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 31 | $61,170 |
| Works on paper | 78 | $2,996 |
| Other | 63 | $1,415 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 6 | $64,617 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 35 | $44,180 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 126 | $1,890 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 325 results from 25 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


William Orpen is a British (modern) artist with 438 auction lots recorded since 1995, median price $1,890. 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 Orpen sold in 2026 for a hammer price of $3,493 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a William Orpen work worth?

Across 309 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a William Orpen work is $1,890.

The median William Orpen work on paper sells for $1,970 across 160 lots.

The median William Orpen painting sells for $49,771 across 42 lots.

The median William Orpen print sells for $425 across 15 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) William Orpen work on papers typically sell for $1,115–$5,291 (the middle half of 149 sold lots).

Medium (50–120 cm) William Orpen paintings typically sell for $11,174–$154,946 (the middle half of 33 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 | 18 | $425†‡ | $5,036† | 83.3% | 2026-03-25 |
| Paintings | 60 | $49,771†‡ | $956,140 | 70% | 2026-03-09 |
| Works on Paper | 212 | $1,970†‡ | $111,670 | 75.5% | 2026-03-31 |
| Photography | 9 | $785†‡ | $1,892 | 77.8% | 2025-01-27 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 17 | $214,742† | $956,140 | — | 2024-11-19 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

William Orpen's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (18 lots) median $425 with 83.3% sell-through. Paintings (60 lots) median $49,771, record $956,140. A typical William Orpen painting sells for around 117× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 17 lots) the median is $214,742.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 12 | $46–$840†‡ | $370†‡ | $5,036† |

† 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 33 | $11,174–$154,946† | $44,180† | $956,140 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 6 | $58,040–$113,586‡ | $64,617‡ | $444,346 |

† 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) | 149 | $1,115–$5,291†‡ | $1,890†‡ | $66,567 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 10 | $2,556–$21,106† | $7,282† | $111,670 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

### Photography

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 5 | $785–$1,607†‡ | $958†‡ | $1,892 |

† 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 | 2024 | $956,140 |
| Paintings | 2024 | $873,971 |
| Works on Paper | 2017 | $111,670 |
| Works on Paper | 2007 | $66,567 |
| Prints & Editions | 2025 | $5,036† |
| Photography | 2020 | $1,892 |
| Photography | 2022 | $1,607 |
| Prints & Editions | 2017 | $1,301† |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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 William Orpen worth?

Across 309 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a William Orpen work is $1,890. The median William Orpen work on paper sells for $1,970 across 160 lots. The median William Orpen painting sells for $49,771 across 42 lots. The median William Orpen print sells for $425 across 15 lots. Small (under 50 cm) William Orpen work on papers typically sell for $1,115–$5,291 (the middle half of 149 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) William Orpen paintings typically sell for $11,174–$154,946 (the middle half of 33 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 Orpen work on paper?

Based on 160 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a William Orpen work on paper is $1,970. 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 William Orpen's most expensive work on paper?

The highest price recorded at auction for a William Orpen work on paper is $111,670.

### What is the average price of a William Orpen painting?

Based on 42 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a William Orpen painting is $49,771. 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 Orpen's most expensive painting?

The highest price recorded at auction for a William Orpen painting is $956,140.

### What is the average price of a William Orpen print?

Based on 15 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a William Orpen print is $425. 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 Orpen's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a William Orpen print is $5,036. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $5,036 (buyer's premium not included).

### What is the average price of a small William Orpen work on paper?

Based on 149 sold lots, the median auction price of a small William Orpen work on paper (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,890, 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 William Orpen painting?

Based on 33 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium William Orpen painting (medium (50–120 cm)) is $44,180, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is William Orpen's auction record?

William Orpen's auction record is $956,140, set in 2024.

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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, “William Orpen auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/william-orpen (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.