Price databaseBrowseSell your artwork
Watchlist

Balthus

French · 1908–2001 · Painter, Draughtsman

Balthasar Klossowski, also known as Balthus, was a Polish-French modern artist. He is known for his erotically charged images of young girls, and the dreamlike quality of his… (Wikipedia)

Own a work by Balthus? Get a free auction estimate →

29lots offered2003–2026years recorded62%sold (16)$3.2kSign up free to seemedian price

Record prices

  1. Balthus, La Sieste, 1958, oil on canvasLa SiestePhillips · $1,058,500≈ £889,795≈ €1,017,397Sign up to see
  2. Balthus, Jeune Fille Lisant, circa 1955, graphite on paperJeune Fille LisantPhillips · $43,750≈ £30,291≈ €38,462Sign up to see
  3. Balthus, Nu assis (Mlle Dr. H. Müller), 1928, Rötel auf Papier, auf Karton aufgezogenNu assis (Mlle Dr. H. Müller)Grisebach · €9,760≈ $12,026≈ £7,857Sign up to see

Balthus’s highest prices recorded at auction, ranked in US dollars at each sale-date exchange rate and shown in the currency of the sale (with the buyer’s premium where the house publishes it).

ArtSell has recorded 26 auction results for Balthus between 2003 and 2026, of which 16 sold (62%). A further 3 lots were offered at auction without a published result. Recorded sale prices range from $450Sign up free to see to $1.1MSign up free to see. The highest price recorded is $1.1MSign up free to see for La Sieste at Phillips in November 2022. The most common medium is drawings (11 lots). Most results come from Phillips (6), Lempertz (3) and Pandolfini (2).

All filters
Longest side–Reset

27 results

Sign up free to see all prices. You’ve seen the free realized prices for this month. Artist, title, date, house, medium, size and estimates stay visible to everyone. Create a free account · Sign in
  1. Balthus, The Sonnets to Orpheus, 1997, Text by Rainer Maria Rilke Woodcuts in Color on Paper
    The Sonnets to Orpheus, 1997
    Woodcut / linocut · Paper
    H 17.75" W 14"
    DuMouchelles · · Lot 1052
    $450≈ £340≈ €392HammerSign up free to seeEst. $500–1,000View at DuMouchelles ↗
  2. Balthus, Portrait de Dora Maar, 1948/1949, Pencil on paper tablecloth from the restaurant "Le Catalan"
    Portrait de Dora Maar, 1948/1949
    Drawing · Paper
    21 x 25 cm
    Kornfeld · · Lot 215
    CHF 6,000≈ $7,502≈ £5,552≈ €6,420HammerSign up free to seeEst. CHF 8,000–View at Kornfeld ↗
  3. Balthus, Nu assis, 1966, Design, 1993 print
    Nu assis
    Print (other)
    23 x 15.8 cm, image; 37.9 x 28 cm, sheet size
    Kornfeld · · Lot 1029
    CHF 400≈ $503≈ £371≈ €429HammerSign up free to seeEst. CHF 600–View at Kornfeld ↗
  4. Balthus, Valérie, 1993, lithograph in colors on Chine on Arches
    Valérie, 1993After the artist
    Lithograph · Paper
    18⅜ h x 14 w in (47 x 36 cm)
    Toomey & Co. · · Lot 124
    $132≈ £102≈ €122Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $400–View at Toomey & Co. ↗
  5. Balthus, JUNE FILLE, 1994, print (other)
    JUNE FILLE, 1994
    Print (other)
    87.0 x 60.0 cm
    Capitolium Art · · Lot 4
    €819≈ $912≈ £682Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. €600–800View at Capitolium Art ↗
  6. Balthus, Twelve Lithographs for Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë, 1989, The complete set of twelve lithographs in colours, on wove paper, the full sheets tipped-in (as issued), with text by Emily Brontë, title page and justification, all contained in the original red cloth-covered boards and slipcase
    Twelve Lithographs for Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë, 1989
    Lithograph · Paper · ed. 58/170
    all. S. approx. 25 x 22 cm (9 7/8 x 8 5/8 in.) slipcase 39.5 x 30 x 5 cm (15 1/2 x 11 3/4 x 1 7/8 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 257
    £445≈ $591≈ €530Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £1,000–1,500View at Phillips ↗
  7. Balthus, Dessins (Drawings), 1994, The complete set of six lithographs in colours, on Arches paper, the full sheets loose (as issued), with the title page, text and colophon, all contained in the original fabric-covered portfolio with embossed signature
    Dessins (Drawings), 1994
    Lithograph · Paper · ed. EA
    all I. various all S. 75.9 x 56 cm (29 7/8 x 22 in.), three horizontal portfolio 77.8 x 58.5 x 2 cm (30 5/8 x 23 x 3/4 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 199
    £4,064≈ $5,189≈ €4,776Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £2,000–3,000View at Phillips ↗
  8. Balthus, La Sieste, 1958, oil on canvas
    La Sieste, 1958
    Oil · Canvas
    31 7/8 x 25 3/4 in. (81 x 65.4 cm)
    Phillips · · Lot 39
    $1,058,500≈ £889,795≈ €1,017,397Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $700,000–1,000,000View at Phillips ↗
  9. Balthus, Jeune fille à la fenêtre (from the Dessins portfolio), 1994, lithograph in colors
    Jeune fille à la fenêtre (from the Dessins portfolio), 1994
    Lithograph
    22 h x 29½ w in (56 x 75 cm)
    Wright · · Lot 575
    $750≈ £542≈ €635Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $500–View at Wright ↗
  10. Balthus, Untitled, pencil on graph paper
    Untitled
    Drawing · Paper
    6½ h x 8½ w in (17 x 22 cm)
    Rago Auctions · · Lot 106
    $2,250≈ £1,902≈ €2,078Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $3,000–View at Rago Auctions ↗
Also offered, result not published (3)

Lots by Balthus that were offered at auction where the house did not publish whether they sold. Not counted in any statistics.

Balthus works on paper (12)Balthus drawings (11)Balthus prints (8)Balthus lithographs (5)

Balthus: quick facts

What is the highest price paid for a work by Balthus at auction?

$1,058,500Sign up free to see, for La Sieste at Phillips (November 2022) — the highest price in ArtSell’s records.

What is a typical auction price for Balthus?

The median sale price is $3.2kSign up free to see across 16 priced sales. Prices vary by medium, size and date — see the price chart & statistics.

How many works by Balthus have sold at auction?

16 of 26 recorded lots sold between 2003 and 2026. 3 further lots were offered with no published result and are not counted.

Which auction houses sell Balthus?

Phillips, Lempertz and Pandolfini account for the most recorded results. Phillips · Lempertz · Pandolfini

About Balthus

Balthasar Klossowski, also known as Balthus, was a Polish-French modern artist. He is known for his erotically charged images of young girls, and the dreamlike quality of his imagery.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related artists — French, born 1883–1933

More French artists of the same period