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John Olsen

Australian · 1928–2023 · Painter, Printmaker

John Henry Olsen AO OBE was an Australian artist and winner of the 2005 Archibald Prize. Olsen's primary subject of work was landscape. (Wikipedia)

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489auction results2009–2026years recorded83%sold (407)$2.9kSign up free to seemedian price

12 works by John Olsen with an auction history (offered more than once) →

5 works by John Olsen coming up at auction · bid with the house ↓

Record prices

  1. John Olsen, Seafood Paella 2007, 2007, oil on plywoodSeafood Paella 2007Smith & Singer · A$1,037,000≈ $741,030≈ £567,317≈ €657,116Sign up to see
  2. John Olsen, People Who Live in Victoria Street 1960, 1960, oil on composition boardPeople Who Live in Victoria Street 1960Smith & Singer · A$775,000≈ $566,851≈ £426,877≈ €477,629Sign up to see
  3. John Olsen, Fleurieu Peninsula 1983, 1983, oil on composition board (diptych)Fleurieu Peninsula 1983Smith & Singer · A$613,636≈ $405,208≈ £313,677≈ €373,533Sign up to see

John Olsen’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

5 in forthcoming sales · bid with the house

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

ArtSell has recorded 489 auction results for John Olsen between 2009 and 2026, of which 407 sold (83%). Recorded sale prices range from $54Sign up free to see to $741kSign up free to see. The highest price recorded is $741kSign up free to see for Seafood Paella 2007 at Smith & Singer in April 2019. The most common medium is etchings (120 lots). Most results come from Menzies (179), Leonard Joel (178) and Smith & Singer (78).

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  1. John Olsen, Bird at the Window, 1953-54, oil on canvas
    Bird at the Window, 1953-54
    Oil · Canvas
    59.5 x 74cm
    Leonard Joel · · Lot 22
    A$20,000≈ $13,964≈ £10,541≈ €12,392Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. A$20,000–30,000View at Leonard Joel ↗
  2. John Olsen, Rudy Komon at 70, 1978, etching, ed. 29/50
    Rudy Komon at 70, 1978
    Etching · ed. etching, ed. 29/50
    28.5 x 16.5cm (49.5 x 35cm framed)
    Leonard Joel · · Lot 30
    A$150≈ $108≈ £80≈ €93Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. A$200–300View at Leonard Joel ↗
  3. John Olsen, (Leaping Frog) 2004-05, 2004-05, bronze
    (Leaping Frog) 2004-05, 2004-05
    Sculpture · ed. 11/14
    51.0 x 22.0 x 13.5 cm
    Menzies · · Lot 35
    A$56,455≈ $40,591≈ £29,886≈ €34,857Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. A$30,000–40,000View at Menzies ↗
  4. John Olsen, Wattle and the Chasing Bird Landscape 2009, 2009, oil on canvas
    Wattle and the Chasing Bird Landscape 2009, 2009
    Oil · Canvas
    148.0 x 168.0 cm; 158.0 x 176.0 cm (framed)
    Menzies · · Lot 39
    A$233,182≈ $167,658≈ £123,441≈ €143,974Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. A$160,000–220,000View at Menzies ↗
  5. John Olsen, Bird in a Landscape 1990, 1990, oil on canvas
    Bird in a Landscape 1990, 1990
    Oil · Canvas
    137 x 152 cm
    Smith & Singer · · Lot 27
    A$245,455≈ $175,581≈ £128,801≈ €150,559Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. A$200,000–300,000View at Smith & Singer ↗
  6. John Olsen, Lucio's, 2003, Etching & Aquatint 27/60
    Lucio's, 2003
    Etching · ed. 27/60
    43x59.5cm (plate)
    Davidson Auctions · · Lot 1058
    A$550≈ $385≈ £289≈ €338HammerSign up free to seeEst. A$600–1,000View at Davidson Auctions ↗
  7. John Olsen, Running Giraffes, Mixed Media on Paper
    Running Giraffes
    Mixed media · Paper
    58x60.5cm
    Davidson Auctions · · Lot 7
    A$17,000≈ $11,879≈ £8,916≈ €10,431HammerSign up free to seeEst. A$18,000–25,000View at Davidson Auctions ↗
  8. John Olsen, Brett Whiteley about to Pounce, 1979, lithograph, ed. 46/100
    Brett Whiteley about to Pounce, 1979
    Lithograph · ed. lithograph, ed. 46/100
    66 x 50.5cm (sheet)
    Leonard Joel · · Lot 44
    A$4,200≈ $2,946≈ £2,226≈ €2,569Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. A$1,200–1,800View at Leonard Joel ↗
  9. John Olsen, Old Pond, watercolour, ink and pastel on paper
    Old Pond
    Watercolor · Paper
    66.0 x 79.0 cm; 101.0 x 112.5 cm (framed)
    Menzies · · Lot 14
    A$49,091≈ $35,625≈ £26,154≈ €30,268Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. A$20,000–30,000View at Menzies ↗
  10. John Olsen, Spoonbill c1983, c1983, watercolour, ink and pastel on paper
    Spoonbill c1983, c1983
    Watercolor · Paper
    75.0 x 54.5 cm; 103.5 x 81.5 cm (framed)
    Menzies · · Lot 65
    A$34,364≈ $24,938≈ £18,308≈ €21,187Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. A$12,000–18,000View at Menzies ↗

John Olsen paintings (83)John Olsen oil paintings (80)John Olsen works on paper (170)John Olsen watercolors (90)John Olsen gouaches (15)John Olsen pastels (22)John Olsen drawings (22)John Olsen prints (198)John Olsen etchings (120)John Olsen lithographs (63)John Olsen photographs (10)John Olsen sculpture (22)

John Olsen: quick facts

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

$741,030Sign up free to see, for Seafood Paella 2007 at Smith & Singer (April 2019) — the highest price in ArtSell’s records.

What is a typical auction price for John Olsen?

The median sale price is $2.9kSign up free to see across 407 priced sales. Prices vary by medium, size and date — see the price chart & statistics.

How many works by John Olsen have sold at auction?

407 of 489 recorded lots sold between 2009 and 2026.

Which auction houses sell John Olsen?

Menzies, Leonard Joel and Smith & Singer account for the most recorded results. Menzies · Leonard Joel · Smith & Singer

About John Olsen

John Henry Olsen AO OBE was an Australian artist and winner of the 2005 Archibald Prize. Olsen's primary subject of work was landscape.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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