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Ellsworth Kelly, Red Yellow Blue White and Black

Ellsworth Kelly

American · 1923–2015

Ellsworth Kelly was an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker associated with hard-edge painting, Color field painting and minimalism. His works demonstrate unassuming… (Wikipedia)

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576lots offered2003–2026years recorded93%sold (527)$6.9kSign up free to seemedian price

9 works by Ellsworth Kelly with an auction history (offered more than once) →

2 works by Ellsworth Kelly coming up at auction · bid with the house ↓

Record prices

  1. Ellsworth Kelly, Dark Blue Relief, 2008, oil on canvas, on 2 joined panelsDark Blue ReliefPhillips · $3,105,000≈ £2,381,683≈ €2,790,008Sign up to see
  2. Ellsworth Kelly, Black Diagonal Relief, 2006, oil on canvas, 2 joined panelsBlack Diagonal ReliefPhillips · $1,143,000≈ £864,664≈ €1,028,618Sign up to see
  3. Ellsworth Kelly, Leaves, 1969, ink on paperLeavesPhillips · $198,000≈ £150,536≈ €168,382Sign up to see

Ellsworth Kelly’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).

Coming up at auction

2 in forthcoming sales · bid with the house

Listed from the auction houses’ own websites; estimates are the houses’ own, not results.

ArtSell has recorded 567 auction results for Ellsworth Kelly between 2003 and 2026, of which 527 sold (93%). A further 9 lots were offered at auction without a published result. Recorded sale prices range from $438Sign up free to see to $3.1MSign up free to see. The highest price recorded is $3.1MSign up free to see for Dark Blue Relief at Phillips in May 2017. The most common medium is lithographs (394 lots). Most results come from Phillips (189), Rago Auctions (117) and Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) (109).

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  1. Ellsworth Kelly, Colored Paper Image XIX (Brown Blue Black Green Violet), 1976, colored and pressed paper pulp
    Colored Paper Image XIX (Brown Blue Black Green Violet), 1976
    colored and pressed paper pulp · Paper
    29 h x 29 w in (74 x 74 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 138
    $20,480≈ £15,148≈ €17,631Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $12,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  2. Ellsworth Kelly, Colored Paper Image II (Dark Green Curves), 1976, colored and pressed paper pulp
    Colored Paper Image II (Dark Green Curves), 1976
    colored and pressed paper pulp · Paper
    40½ h x 29 w in (103 x 74 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 139
    $30,720≈ £22,722≈ €26,446Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $20,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  3. Ellsworth Kelly, Colored Paper Image XV (Dark Gray and Blue), 1976, colored and pressed paper pulp
    Colored Paper Image XV (Dark Gray and Blue), 1976
    colored and pressed paper pulp · Paper
    29 h x 29 w in (74 x 74 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 140
    $10,240≈ £7,574≈ €8,815Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $10,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  4. Ellsworth Kelly, Calla Lily 2, 1984, lithograph on BFK Rives
    Calla Lily 2, 1984
    Lithograph · Paper
    31 h x 16 w in (79 x 41 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 141
    $18,560≈ £13,728≈ €15,978Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $8,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  5. Ellsworth Kelly, Four works from Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé), 1992, lithograph on Vélin BFK Rives
    Four works from Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé), 1992
    Lithograph · Paper
    17 h x 12½ w in (43 x 32 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 144
    $1,536≈ £1,136≈ €1,322Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,500–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  6. Ellsworth Kelly, Red Curve (For Joel), 1993, lithograph in colors on Arches 88
    Red Curve (For Joel), 1993
    Lithograph · Paper
    22 h x 16 w in (56 x 41 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 147
    $8,320≈ £6,154≈ €7,163Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $6,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  7. Ellsworth Kelly, Untitled, from Prints for Phoenix House (A. 84), 1972, Lithograph in colours, on BFK Rives paper, with full margins
    Untitled, from Prints for Phoenix House (A. 84), 1972
    Lithograph · Paper · ed. 106/125
    I. 55 x 36 cm (21 5/8 x 14 1/8 in.) S. 87.2 x 68.5 cm (34 3/8 x 26 7/8 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 361
    £2,580≈ $3,482≈ €2,998Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £2,000–3,000View at Phillips ↗
  8. Ellsworth Kelly, Two works from Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé), 1992, lithograph
    Two works from Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé), 1992
    Lithograph
    16⅝ h x 12⅛ w in (42 x 31 cm)
    Rago Auctions · · Lot 218
    $896≈ £662≈ €775Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $700–View at Rago Auctions ↗
  9. Ellsworth Kelly, Ten Lithographs sample portfolio, 1970, offset lithograph in colors
    Ten Lithographs sample portfolio, 1970After the artist
    Lithograph
    9⅜ h x 6⅜ w in (24 x 16 cm)
    Rago Auctions · · Lot 219
    $1,536≈ £1,135≈ €1,328Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,500–View at Rago Auctions ↗
  10. Ellsworth Kelly, Oak VII, from Oak Leaves (Axsom 265, Gemini 1567), 1992, Lithograph on Koller HMP paper
    Oak VII, from Oak Leaves (Axsom 265, Gemini 1567), 1992
    Lithograph · Paper · ed. 19/30
    14 1/2 x 24 1/4in (36.8 x 61.6cm)
    Bonhams · · Lot 32
    $7,040≈ £5,258≈ €6,135Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $3,000–5,000View at Bonhams ↗
Also offered, result not published (9)

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

Ellsworth Kelly paintings (6)Ellsworth Kelly oil paintings (4)Ellsworth Kelly works on paper (44)Ellsworth Kelly drawings (19)Ellsworth Kelly prints (488)Ellsworth Kelly etchings (8)Ellsworth Kelly aquatints (5)Ellsworth Kelly lithographs (394)Ellsworth Kelly screenprints (71)

Ellsworth Kelly: quick facts

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

$3,105,000Sign up free to see, for Dark Blue Relief at Phillips (May 2017) — the highest price in ArtSell’s records.

What is a typical auction price for Ellsworth Kelly?

The median sale price is $6.9kSign up free to see across 527 priced sales. Prices vary by medium, size and date — see the price chart & statistics.

How many works by Ellsworth Kelly have sold at auction?

527 of 567 recorded lots sold between 2003 and 2026. 9 further lots were offered with no published result and are not counted.

Which auction houses sell Ellsworth Kelly?

Phillips, Rago Auctions and Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) account for the most recorded results. Phillips · Rago Auctions · Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA)

Ellsworth Kelly signature

271 catalogued lots by Ellsworth Kelly record a signature line. The most common placement is lower right (70% of lots that state a placement). Most often: signed.

Placement

  • lower right19
  • on the reverse6
  • in the margin2

Form

  • signed239
  • signed in pencil19
  • initialled10
  • signed and dated3
  • Signed and dated "Aug 30 '60 Kelly" on the reverse — Untitled, Phillips, May 14, 2025
  • Signed "Kelly" lower right — Seven Oranges, Phillips, May 14, 2025
  • Signed and dated "Kelly 76" lower right; titled and dated "BLACK CURVE, RADIUS 12 FEET 1976" on the reverse — Black Curve, Radius 12 Feet, Phillips, May 14, 2025

Ellsworth Kelly signature: all forms and examples →

About Ellsworth Kelly

Ellsworth Kelly was an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker associated with hard-edge painting, Color field painting and minimalism. His works demonstrate unassuming techniques emphasizing line, color and form, similar to the work of John McLaughlin and Kenneth Noland. Kelly often employed bright colors. He lived and worked in Spencertown, New York.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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