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Ben Shahn, The Riveter (mural study, Bronx, New York central postal station)

Ben Shahn

American · 1898–1969 · Painter, Printmaker

Ben Shahn was an American artist. He is best known for his works of social realism, his left-wing political views, and his series of lectures published as The Shape of Content. (Wikipedia)

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138lots offered2002–2026years recorded86%sold (96)$988Sign up free to seemedian price

2 works by Ben Shahn with an auction history (offered more than once) →

Record prices

  1. Ben Shahn, Bather, tempera on canvas tacked over boardBatherBonhams · $21,250≈ £12,976≈ €15,634Sign up to see
  2. Ben Shahn, Alienation, 1943, oil on canvasAlienationBonhams · $19,200≈ £9,768≈ €12,188Sign up to see
  3. Ben Shahn, Cine metro rama Warner super vision D.D.D. vista vast confusion scopeCine metro rama Warner super vision D.D.D. vista vast confusion scopeCapitolium Art · €11,088≈ $13,235≈ £9,523Sign up to see

Ben Shahn’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 112 auction results for Ben Shahn between 2002 and 2026, of which 96 sold (86%). A further 26 lots were offered at auction without a published result. Recorded sale prices range from $65Sign up free to see to $21.3kSign up free to see. The highest price recorded is $21.3kSign up free to see for Bather at Bonhams in December 2013. The most common medium is lithographs (37 lots). Most results come from Rago Auctions (31), Bonhams (24) and DuMouchelles (15).

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  1. Worrisome Couple
    Drawing · Paper
    Cottone Auctions · · Lot 66
    $915≈ £682≈ €789Price realizedSign up free to seeView at Cottone Auctions ↗
  2. Ben Shahn, Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait (Study for the Fogg Art Museum Poster)
    Self-Portrait
    Print (other)
    19.375" h x 12" w
    Clarke Auction Gallery · · Lot 14
    $3,600≈ £2,682≈ €3,081HammerSign up free to seeEst. $3,000–4,000View at Clarke Auction Gallery ↗
  3. Ben Shahn, Martha Graham, 1963, Lithographic poster in colors on wove paper linen-backed
    Martha Graham, 1963
    Lithograph · Paper
    sheet 30 x 20 1/8in (76.2 x 51.1cm)
    Bonhams · · Lot 181
    $896≈ £668≈ €765Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $900–1,000View at Bonhams ↗
  4. Ben Shahn, Three works, c. 1965, lithograph; lithograph in colors
    Three works, c. 1965
    Lithograph
    26⅜ h x 20½ w in (67 x 52 cm)
    Rago Auctions · · Lot 279
    $953≈ £714≈ €818Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $300–View at Rago Auctions ↗
  5. Ben Shahn, The Sea Itself, 1968, lithograph on paper
    The Sea Itself, 1968
    Lithograph · Paper
    sheet size 57.5 x 45.0 cm (22 5/8 x 17 11/16 in).
    Bonhams · · Lot 239
    $640≈ £488≈ €554Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,000–2,000View at Bonhams ↗
  6. Ben Shahn, All That is Beautiful, Color screenprint with hand coloring in watercolor
    All That is Beautiful
    Screenprint
    26.50" h x 39" w
    Clarke Auction Gallery · · Lot 106
    $2,000≈ £1,506≈ €1,729HammerSign up free to seeEst. $1,000–1,500View at Clarke Auction Gallery ↗
  7. Ben Shahn, Pleiades, 1960, Screenprint in colors and gold leaf on Japanese paper
    Pleiades, 1960
    Screenprint · Paper
    Sight size: 18.50" h x 24.75" w
    Clarke Auction Gallery · · Lot 83
    $1,000≈ £753≈ €864HammerSign up free to seeEst. $600–900View at Clarke Auction Gallery ↗
  8. Ben Shahn, Three works, 1965-67, screenprint; lithograph; lithograph in colors
    Three works, 1965-67
    Screenprint
    22⅝ h x 17¾ w in (57 x 45 cm)
    Rago Auctions · · Lot 267
    $660≈ £491≈ €562Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $300–View at Rago Auctions ↗
  9. Ben Shahn, One Must Know the Animals (from the For the Sake of a Single Verse Rilke portfolio), 1968, lithograph on Richard de Bas handmade
    One Must Know the Animals (from the For the Sake of a Single Verse Rilke portfolio), 1968
    Lithograph
    18⅝ h x 15½ w in (47 x 39 cm)
    Rago Auctions · · Lot 268
    $528≈ £393≈ €450Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $100–View at Rago Auctions ↗
  10. Ben Shahn, Portfolio of Nine Works, each: lithograph one
    Portfolio of Nine Works
    Lithograph · ed. 283/300
    22 x 16 3/4 in. (55.9 x 42.5 cm.)
    Abell Auction Company · · Lot 366
    $1,408≈ £1,034≈ €1,191Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $600–800View at Abell Auction Company ↗
Also offered, result not published (26)

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

Ben Shahn paintings (6)Ben Shahn oil paintings (3)Ben Shahn tempera paintings (3)Ben Shahn works on paper (23)Ben Shahn watercolors (3)Ben Shahn drawings (15)Ben Shahn prints (64)Ben Shahn lithographs (37)Ben Shahn screenprints (16)Ben Shahn woodcuts & linocuts (3)Ben Shahn photographs (4)

Ben Shahn: quick facts

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

$21,250Sign up free to see, for Bather at Bonhams (December 2013) — the highest price in ArtSell’s records.

What is a typical auction price for Ben Shahn?

The median sale price is $988Sign up free to see across 96 priced sales. Prices vary by medium, size and date — see the price chart & statistics.

How many works by Ben Shahn have sold at auction?

96 of 112 recorded lots sold between 2002 and 2026. 26 further lots were offered with no published result and are not counted.

Which auction houses sell Ben Shahn?

Rago Auctions, Bonhams and DuMouchelles account for the most recorded results. Rago Auctions · Bonhams · DuMouchelles

About Ben Shahn

Ben Shahn was an American artist. He is best known for his works of social realism, his left-wing political views, and his series of lectures published as The Shape of Content.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

In museum collections

  • Ben Shahn, The Riveter (mural study, Bronx, New York central postal station)The Riveter (mural study, Bronx, New York central postal station), 1938
    Smithsonian American Art Museum · Public domain
  • Ben Shahn, The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti MuralThe Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti Mural, 1967
    Syracuse University Art Museum · Public domain

Biography and museum images →

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