Ellsworth Kelly: career timeline
American · 1923–2015 · Works grouped by the decade they were made (the cataloged date, or a date in the signature or title), not by sale date. 519 of 576 lots (90% of works) have a usable creation date; the others are listed at the end by the decade they were sold. Each work is shown once, even when it sold more than once.
| Decade made | Works | Sold | Median sold price | Main medium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 1 | 0 | — | Drawing |
| 1950s | 4 | 3 | $980Sign up | Lithograph |
| 1960s | 140 | 129 | $6.9kSign up | Lithograph |
| 1970s | 170 | 163 | $6.7kSign up | Lithograph |
| 1980s | 68 | 62 | $7.8kSign up | Lithograph |
| 1990s | 69 | 68 | $4.4kSign up | Lithograph |
| 2000s | 48 | 46 | $8.2kSign up | Lithograph |
| 2010s | 10 | 10 | $6.1kSign up | Lithograph |
Where does mine fit?
Enter what you know about a work by Ellsworth Kelly to see the closest recorded works from the same period, with their auction results. These are past records only, not a valuation: condition, authenticity, provenance and the market all change what a work brings. For an auction estimate of your work, get a free auction estimate.
1940s 1 work
- Sold
- 0 of 1
- Median
- —
- Average
- —
- Typical size
- 10.5 × 8 in (27 × 20 cm)
- Mediums
- Drawing (1)
- Subjects
- —
1949 MarianneUnsold
1950s 4 works
1960s 140 works
- Sold
- 129 of 140
- Median
- $6.9kSign up
- Average
- $12.3kSign up
- Typical size
- 22.5 × 18 in (58 × 46 cm)
- Mediums
- Lithograph (115), Screenprint (11), Drawing (7)
- Subjects
- Flowers & still life (2), Figures & portraits (1)
1960 Sweet Pea with HandUnsold
1960 UntitledUnsold
c. 1960 Orange and Blue Over Yellow$60.5kSign up
1960 Wild Grape$126kSign up
1960 Untitled$52.5kSign up
1963 Blue on Blue$6.3kSign up
1964 Red Blue (from the X + X (Ten Works by Ten Painters) portfolio)$3.3kSign up
c. 1964 Light Blue with Orange (from Suite of Twenty-Seven Color Lithographs)$7kSign up
c. 1964 Blue and Green over Orange (from the Suite of Twenty-Seven Color Lithographs)$8.3kSign up
c. 1964 Light Blue with Orange (Bleu clair avec orange), from Suite of Twenty-Seven Color Lithographs (A. 14)$9kSign up
c. 1964 Orange with Blue$9.5kSign up
c. 1964 Bleu foncé et rouge (Dark Blue and Red) (from the Suite of Twenty-Seven Color Lithographs)$7.6kSign up
Show 12 more (1960s)
c. 1964 Rouge-orange sur bleu (from the Suite of Twenty-Seven Color Lithographs)$10.2kSign up
1964 Pal$3.3kSign up
1964 Found in the Sand$6kSign up
c. 1964 Cyclamen I, from Suite of Plant Lithographs (A. 36)$12.7kSign up
c. 1964 Yellow with Dark Blue, from Suite of Twenty-Seven Color Lithographs (A. 15)$5.1kSign up
c. 1964 Black (from the Noir Series 1)$6.9kSign up
c. 1964 Blue and Orange (Bleu et Orange), from Suite of Twenty-Seven Color Lithographs (A. 8)$8.9kSign up
1964 Red Blue (from the Ten Works x Ten Painters portfolio)$4.4kSign up
c. 1964 Light Blue with Orange (Bleu clair avec orange), from Suite of Twenty-Seven Color Lithographs (A. 14)$11.4kSign up
1964 Red Blue (from the Ten Works x Ten Painters portfolio)$8.2kSign up
c. 1964 Blue and Yellow and Red-Orange$25.2kSign up
1964 Green with Red$15.1kSign up
…and 116 more works from this group in the full results list.
1970s 170 works
- Sold
- 163 of 170
- Median
- $6.7kSign up
- Average
- $9.3kSign up
- Typical size
- 26 × 28 in (66 × 71 cm)
- Mediums
- Lithograph (94), Screenprint (49), Other (18)
- Subjects
- Figures & portraits (1)
1970 Untitled$4.2kSign up
c. 1970 Black Curve$1.5kSign up
c. 1970 Black/Brown$5.1kSign up
c. 1970 Black/Brown$4.8kSign up
c. 1970 Blue, Yellow, Red$5.1kSign up
1970 Yellow/Orange$4.8kSign up
1970 Black/White/BlackUnsold
c. 1970 Blue, Yellow, Red$6.3kSign up
1970 LeafUnsold
c. 1970 Blue, Yellow, Red$6.3kSign up
1970 Red-Orange Over Black$4.8kSign up
c. 1970 Blue, Yellow, Red$6kSign up
Show 12 more (1970s)
1970 Black/White/Black$5.3kSign up
1970 Black/White/Black$6.3kSign up
1970 Black White Black, (A. 63, G. 232)$6.8kSign up
1970 Series of Ten Lithographs$51.2kSign up
c. 1970 Blue, Yellow, Red$6.3kSign up
c. 1970 Blue, Yellow, Red$7.6kSign up
c. 1970 Blue, Yellow, Red$6.3kSign up
c. 1970 Blue, Yellow, Red$6.3kSign up
c. 1970 Blue, Yellow, Red$6kSign up
c. 1970 Blue, Yellow, Red$6.3kSign up
1970 Blue/Black (G. 236, A. 67)$10.1kSign up
1970 Yellow Orange from the Series of Ten Lithographs$7.2kSign up
…and 146 more works from this group in the full results list.
1980s 68 works
- Sold
- 62 of 68
- Median
- $7.8kSign up
- Average
- $15.4kSign up
- Typical size
- 30 × 29 in (77 × 74 cm)
- Mediums
- Lithograph (45), Drawing (6), Etching (6)
- Subjects
- Figures & portraits (4), Flowers & still life (3), Beach scenes (1)
1980 Lily$119kSign up
1980 Amden, from Series of Seven Lithographs$3kSign up
c. 1981 Concorde II (State) (from The Concorde series)$4.1kSign up
c. 1981 Square with Black (State) (from The Concorde series)$3.3kSign up
c. 1981 Concorde I, from The Concorde Series (G. 995, A. 196)$10.7kSign up
c. 1981 Concorde III (State), from Concorde Series (G. 1004, A. 198a)$4.8kSign up
1981 St. Martin Tropical Plant, from Eight Lithographs to Benefit the Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts, Inc. (G. 957, A. 192)$9.4kSign up
c. 1981 Concorde V from the Concorde series$5.9kSign up
1981 Craig JohnsonUnsold
c. 1981 Diagonal with Black$3.3kSign up
1982 Gray Panel, from Painted Wall Sculptures (G. 983)$87.7kSign up · sold 2×
1982 Concorde IV (State) (from The Concorde Series)$4.4kSign up
Show 12 more (1980s)
1982 Dark Red-Violet PanelUnsold
1982 Diagonal with Black (State) (from the Concorde series)$6kSign up
1982 Concorde III (State) (from the Concorde Series)$5.6kSign up
1982 Concorde I (State) (from the Concorde Series)$5.3kSign up
c. 1983 Orient Beach$5.3kSign up
1983 Calla Lily III, from Series of Plant and Flower Lithographs (G. 1206, A. 211)$17.8kSign up
c. 1983 Dracena II (G. 1208, A. 213)$21.6kSign up
1983 Untitled, from Eight by Eight to Celebrate the Temporary Contemporary (G. 1149, A. 201)$12.9kSign up
1983 Untitled (from the Eight by Eight to Celebrate the Temporary Contemporary portfolio)$32.8kSign up
1983 Untitled (from the Eight by Eight to Celebrate the Temporary Contemporary portfolio)$8.8kSign up
c. 1983 Cul de Sac$6.8kSign up · sold 2×
1983 Untitled, from Eight by Eight to Celebrate the Temporary Contemporary$15kSign up
…and 44 more works from this group in the full results list.
1990s 69 works
- Sold
- 68 of 69
- Median
- $4.4kSign up
- Average
- $6kSign up
- Typical size
- 17 × 13 in (43 × 32 cm)
- Mediums
- Lithograph (62), Screenprint (7)
- Subjects
- Flowers & still life (1)
1990 Back Curve$2.4kSign up
1990 EK/Green; and Jack/Gray (G. 1429 & 1431, A. 250 & 252)$1.3kSign up
1990 Red Yellow Blue$3.9kSign up
1990 Portikus$2.5kSign up
c. 1990 Blue/Yellow/Red$5.2kSign up
1991 Blue/Yellow/Red (from Mémoire de la Liberté)$3.1kSign up
1992 Four works from Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé)$1.5kSign up
1992 Two works from Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé)$896Sign up
1992 Oak VII, from Oak Leaves (Axsom 265, Gemini 1567)$7kSign up
1992 Four works from Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé)$2.6kSign up
1992 Four works from Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé)$3.1kSign up
1992 Four works from Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé)$2kSign up
Show 12 more (1990s)
1992 One work from Un coup de des jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stephane Mallarme)$1.8kSign up
1992 Four works from Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé)$1.8kSign up
1992 Four plates, from Un Coup de Dés Jamais N'Abolira Le Hasard (4 works)Unsold
1992 Five works from Un coup de des jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stephane Mallarme)$4.8kSign up
1992 Four works from the Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé) portfolio$1.7kSign up
1992 Four works from the Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé) portfolio$1.5kSign up
1992 Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé)$1.9kSign up
1992 Four plates, from Un Coup de Dés Jamais N'Abolira Le Hasard (4 works)$1.7kSign up
1992 Four works from the Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé) portfolio$2kSign up
1992 Four works from the Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé) portfolio$3.4kSign up
1992 Five works from Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé)$4.4kSign up
1992 Four works from Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard (by Stéphane Mallarmé)$2.5kSign up
…and 45 more works from this group in the full results list.
2000s 48 works
- Sold
- 46 of 48
- Median
- $8.2kSign up
- Average
- $103kSign up
- Typical size
- 25 × 25.5 in (63 × 64 cm)
- Mediums
- Lithograph (45), Oil (2), Print (other) (1)
- Subjects
- Rivers & marshes (5), Flowers & still life (1)
2000 Blue Curve (Black State), from Third Curve Series$2.5kSign up
2000 Green Curve$13.8kSign up
2000 Two Blacks and White$5kSign up
2000 Blue/Yellow/Red$5kSign up
2000 Red/Yellow/Blue$4.4kSign up
2001 Black (Axsom 294, Gemini 1884)$5.9kSign up
2001 Diptych: Dark Blue/Dark Green (G. 1889, A. 298)$6.1kSign up
2001 Green (G. 1888, A. 299)$18.9kSign up
2001 Orange (G. 1890, A. 300)$21.4kSign up
2001 Blue/Black/Red/Green$40kSign up
2001 Blue/Black/Red/Green (G. 1883, A. 293)$42.8kSign up
2001 Black (Texture)$7kSign up
Show 12 more (2000s)
2001 Blue/Black/Red/Green$46.9kSign up
2001 Dark Blue$10kSign up
2001 Black (Texture)$2.5kSign up
2001 Blue Black Red Green$18.1kSign up
2001 Blue/Black/Red/Green$20kSign up
2001 Purple$18.8kSign up
2001 Diptych: Dark Blue/Dark GreenUnsold
2001 Dark Blue$5.5kSign up
c. 2002 The Seine (from the States of the River series)$8.2kSign up
2002 Green Curve (G. 1929, A. 303)$9.5kSign up
c. 2002 The Yangtze (from the States of the River series)$7.5kSign up
c. 2002 The Seine (from States of the River)$16.3kSign up
…and 24 more works from this group in the full results list.
2010s 10 works
- Sold
- 10 of 10
- Median
- $6.1kSign up
- Average
- $7.2kSign up
- Typical size
- 14 × 10 in (36 × 25 cm)
- Mediums
- Lithograph (10)
- Subjects
- —
2011 Color Squares 3$9.5kSign up
2011 Dartmouth$14.4kSign up
2011 Die Welt$2.1kSign up
2011 Two Curves$6.3kSign up
2012 Untitled (For Obama) (from the Artists for Obama II portfolio)$4kSign up
2012 Small Blue Curve$5.9kSign up
2012 Untitled (for Obama), from Artists for Obama II$3.8kSign up · sold 2×
2012 Cahiers d'Art Limited Edition Revue (Issue No. 1)$1.2kSign up
2013 Yellow Curves$6.8kSign up
2013 Red Curves; Blue Curves; Green Curves; and Yellow Curves$17.8kSign up
Creation date not recorded
57 works have no cataloged or signed date. They are grouped here by the decade they were last sold, which says nothing about when they were made.
Undated, sold in the 2000s 1 work
- Sold
- 1 of 1
- Median
- $4.4kSign up
- Average
- $4.4kSign up
- Typical size
- 27.5 × 25 in (70 × 64 cm)
- Mediums
- Lithograph (1)
- Subjects
- —
sold 2006 Wild Grape Leaf$4.4kSign up
Undated, sold in the 2010s 34 works
- Sold
- 33 of 34
- Median
- $7.5kSign up
- Average
- $10.3kSign up
- Typical size
- 18 × 17.5 in (45 × 45 cm)
- Mediums
- Other (25), Lithograph (4), Print (other) (2)
- Subjects
- Flowers & still life (1)
sold 2012 Blue with Yellow (Untitled)$2kSign up
sold 2013 Jack/Gray$2.5kSign up
sold 2013 Floral studyUnsold
sold 2014 Fontevrault (Third Curve series)$2.8kSign up
sold 2014 Blue/Yellow/Red$1.5kSign up
sold 2016 Green Curve$5kSign up
Show 6 more (2010s)
sold 2016 Leaves$12.5kSign up
sold 2016 Pears II$12.5kSign up
sold 2017 Un Coup De Des (By Stéphane Mallarmé)$4.1kSign up
sold 2017 Black$5.9kSign up
sold 2017 Woodland Plant$20kSign up
sold 2017 Grape Leaves III$28.8kSign up
…and 22 more works from this group in the full results list.
Undated, sold in the 2020s 22 works
- Sold
- 10 of 22
- Median
- $8.2kSign up
- Average
- $10.3kSign up
- Typical size
- 29 × 30 in (74 × 76 cm)
- Mediums
- Lithograph (14), Screenprint (4), Print (other) (1)
- Subjects
- Beach scenes (1)
sold 2020 Untitled$11.3kSign up
sold 2021 Blue, Yellow, Red$8.8kSign up
sold 2021 Red Blue from Ten Works x Ten Painters$5.7kSign up
sold 2022 PURPLE, FROM THE FOURTH CURVE SERIES$15.3kSign up
sold 2022 MarigotUnsold
sold 2022 MarigotUnsold
Medians and averages count sold works only (each work's most recent sale), in US dollars at the sale-date rate. Works cataloged as “attributed to”, “circle of” or similar are left out. All Ellsworth Kelly auction results →