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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

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.

Lot images as published by each auction house (489 lots with an image). Images from houses that reserve their photographs are shown as small thumbnails linking to the house’s site.

John Olsen, Bird at the Window, 1953-54, oil on canvas
Bird at the Window, 1953-54
Leonard Joel · Oct 6, 2026
A$20,000Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Rudy Komon at 70, 1978, etching, ed. 29/50
Rudy Komon at 70, 1978
Leonard Joel · Sep 8, 2026
A$150Sign up free to see
John Olsen, (Leaping Frog) 2004-05, 2004-05, bronze
(Leaping Frog) 2004-05, 2004-05
Menzies · Aug 27, 2026
A$56,455Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Wattle and the Chasing Bird Landscape 2009, 2009, oil on canvas
Wattle and the Chasing Bird Landscape 2009, 2009
Menzies · Aug 27, 2026
A$233,182Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Bird in a Landscape 1990, 1990, oil on canvas
Bird in a Landscape 1990, 1990
Smith & Singer · Aug 25, 2026
A$245,455Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Lucio's, 2003, Etching & Aquatint 27/60
Lucio's, 2003
Davidson Auctions · Jul 27, 2026
A$550Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Running Giraffes, Mixed Media on Paper
Running Giraffes
Davidson Auctions · Jul 26, 2026
A$17,000Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Brett Whiteley about to Pounce, 1979, lithograph, ed. 46/100
Brett Whiteley about to Pounce, 1979
Leonard Joel · Jun 19, 2026
A$4,200Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Old Pond, watercolour, ink and pastel on paper
Old Pond
Menzies · May 7, 2026
A$49,091Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Spoonbill c1983, c1983, watercolour, ink and pastel on paper
Spoonbill c1983, c1983
Menzies · May 7, 2026
A$34,364Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Initiation 1957, 1957, oil on canvas
Initiation 1957, 1957
Menzies · May 7, 2026
A$22,091Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Night Train 1980, 1980, oil on canvas
Night Train 1980, 1980
Smith & Singer · Apr 28, 2026
A$147,273Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Tropical Lily Pond, 2007, archival pigment print, ed. 3/250
Tropical Lily Pond, 2007
Leonard Joel · Apr 22, 2026
A$4,800Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Life Drawn towards the Void, 1975, etching, ed. A/P
Life Drawn towards the Void, 1975
Leonard Joel · Apr 22, 2026
A$800Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Angophora Valley, 1975, etching, ed. 9/10
Angophora Valley, 1975
Leonard Joel · Apr 22, 2026
A$1,100Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Sticking Their Necks Out, 1992, lithograph, ed. A/P
Sticking Their Necks Out, 1992
Leonard Joel · Apr 22, 2026
A$2,000Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Frog Climbing, 2008, Colour Etching with Aquatint 12/40
Frog Climbing, 2008
Davidson Auctions · Mar 22, 2026
A$2,500Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Anticipation, 2010, Archival Pigment Print AP3
Anticipation, 2010
Davidson Auctions · Mar 22, 2026
A$2,750Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Landscape with Lake Rydal, 2001, watercolour, pastel and synthetic polymer paint on paper
Landscape with Lake Rydal, 2001
Leonard Joel · Mar 17, 2026
A$50,000Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Brolga Displaying, 1973, watercolour and gouache on paper
Brolga Displaying, 1973
Leonard Joel · Mar 17, 2026
A$8,500Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Sacred Monkies & Sphinx, 1979, lithograph, ed. 3/60
Sacred Monkies & Sphinx, 1979
Leonard Joel · Mar 3, 2026
A$800Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Echidna; and Crow, 1978, two etchings, each ed. 9/50
Echidna; and Crow, 1978
Leonard Joel · Mar 3, 2026
A$2,000Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Untitled, 1961, watercolour on paper
Untitled, 1961
Leonard Joel · Mar 3, 2026
A$7,500Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Brolgas Dancing, 1970, watercolour on paper
Brolgas Dancing, 1970
Leonard Joel · Mar 3, 2026
A$2,200Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Pond in Rain, watercolour on card
Pond in Rain
Leonard Joel · Mar 3, 2026
A$13,000Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Spring, Archival Pigment Print A/P
Spring
Davidson Auctions · Nov 29, 2025
A$2,500Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Leaping Cat 2021, 2021, watercolour and pastel on paper
Leaping Cat 2021, 2021
Menzies · Nov 19, 2025
A$24,545Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Lake Eyre: The Edge of the Void 2021, 2021, gouache, watercolour and pastel on paper
Lake Eyre: The Edge of the Void 2021, 2021
Menzies · Nov 19, 2025
A$29,455Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Untitled, 1975, ink and watercolour on paper
Untitled, 1975
Leonard Joel · Oct 21, 2025
A$6,000Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Arriving at the Lily Pond, 1977, Pen & Ink
Arriving at the Lily Pond, 1977
Davidson Auctions · Oct 12, 2025
A$1,500Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Tree Frogs and Banana Leaf (also known as Kimberley Tree Frogs) 2010, 2010, watercolour and pastel on paper
Tree Frogs and Banana Leaf (also known as Kimberley Tree Frogs) 2010, 2010
Menzies · Aug 20, 2025
A$122,727Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Frogs - Morning 2019, 2019, watercolour and pastel on paper
Frogs - Morning 2019, 2019
Menzies · Aug 20, 2025
A$73,636Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Memory of the Wild Colonial Boy (also known as Horse and Horse by Water) 1954, 1954, oil on canvas
Memory of the Wild Colonial Boy (also known as Horse and Horse by Water) 1954, 1954
Menzies · Aug 20, 2025
A$54,000Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Burning Trees, Pilbara 1983, 1983, oil on canvas
Burning Trees, Pilbara 1983, 1983
Menzies · Aug 20, 2025
A$110,455Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Frog at Kakadu, 1988, Printer: Neil Leveson, Victorian Print Workshop
Frog at Kakadu, 1988
Davidson Auctions · Aug 17, 2025
A$3,750Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Untitled (Leaping Frog), 2004-2005, bronze, ed. 1/14
Untitled (Leaping Frog), 2004-2005
Leonard Joel · Jun 24, 2025
A$23,000Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Lake Alexandrina, 1975, watercolour on paper
Lake Alexandrina, 1975
Leonard Joel · May 5, 2025
A$9,000Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Frog Jumping, 1975, etching A/P
Frog Jumping, 1975
Leonard Joel · Apr 16, 2025
A$2,800Sign up free to see
John Olsen, The Leap, 1975, etching, ed. 49/50
The Leap, 1975
Leonard Joel · Apr 16, 2025
A$900Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Coopers Creek Enters the Void, 1975, etching, ed. 49/50
Coopers Creek Enters the Void, 1975
Leonard Joel · Apr 16, 2025
A$1,000Sign up free to see
John Olsen, The Edge of the World - Lake Eyre 2012, 2012, watercolour, gouache and pastel on paper
The Edge of the World - Lake Eyre 2012, 2012
Menzies · Apr 9, 2025
A$92,045Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Frutta Mista del Mare 1991, 1991, watercolour, ink and pastel on paper
Frutta Mista del Mare 1991, 1991
Menzies · Apr 9, 2025
A$85,909Sign up free to see
John Olsen, (Cave Painting) (Wild Australia Series) (1971), 1971, gouache on paper
(Cave Painting) (Wild Australia Series) (1971), 1971
Smith & Singer · Apr 8, 2025
A$6,136Sign up free to see
John Olsen, A Field of Wattles 1981, 1981, oil on canvas
A Field of Wattles 1981, 1981
Smith & Singer · Apr 8, 2025
A$460,227Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Landscape, oil on composition board
Landscape
Smith & Singer · Apr 8, 2025
A$69,955Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Honeyeaters and Grevilleas, 2000, Oil on Canvas
Honeyeaters and Grevilleas, 2000
Davidson Auctions · Mar 22, 2025
A$80,000Sign up free to see
John Olsen, The Woman, 1990, Printer: Max Miller Workshop, East Kangaloon, NSW
The Woman, 1990
Davidson Auctions · Mar 22, 2025
A$550Sign up free to see
John Olsen, Frogs & Banana Leaf II, watercolour and pastel on paper
Frogs & Banana Leaf II
Leonard Joel · Mar 18, 2025
A$28,000Sign up free to see

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