William Dobell
Australian · 1899–1970 · Painter, Sculptor
Sir William Dobell was an Australian portrait and landscape artist of the 20th century. Dobell won the Archibald Prize, Australia's premier award for portrait artists on three… (Wikipedia)
Own a work by William Dobell? Get a free auction estimate →
1 work by William Dobell coming up at auction · bid with the house ↓
Record prices
The Dead Landlord (1936)Smith & Singer · A$1,220,000≈ $825,428≈ £672,282≈ €743,361Sign up to see
Woman in Restaurant (1934)Smith & Singer · A$939,400≈ $671,286≈ £513,923≈ €595,270Sign up to see
Helena Rubinstein (1963)Smith & Singer · A$883,636≈ $570,953≈ £434,383≈ €494,288Sign up to see
William Dobell’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
1 in forthcoming sales · bid with the house
Listed from the auction houses’ own websites; estimates are the houses’ own, not results.
Price trend
By medium
| Medium | Offered | Sold | Sell-through | Average | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 96 | 80 | 83% | $68kSign up | $23.1kSign up | $825kSign up |
| Oil | 96 | 80 | 83% | $68kSign up | $23.1kSign up | $825kSign up |
| Works on paper | 74 | 60 | 81% | $2.7kSign up | $886Sign up | $26.4kSign up |
| Watercolor | 7 | 6 | 86% | $5.5kSign up | $3.9kSign up | $14.6kSign up |
| Gouache | 21 | 17 | 81% | $2.9kSign up | $1.2kSign up | $15.8kSign up |
| Pastel | 6 | 3 | 50% | $2kSign up | $565Sign up | $5.2kSign up |
| Drawing | 38 | 32 | 84% | $1.5kSign up | $756Sign up | $13kSign up |
| Prints & multiples | 1 | 0 | 0% | —Sign up | —Sign up | — |
| Etching | 1 | 0 | 0% | —Sign up | —Sign up | — |
| Other | 2 | 1 | 50% | $422Sign up | $422Sign up | $422Sign up |
Medium classes are derived from the medium text as published by each house; “Other” includes lots whose medium wasn’t stated.
By year
| Year | Offered | Sold | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11 | 11 | $10.5kSign up |
| 2025 | 32 | 25 | $1.3kSign up |
| 2024 | 18 | 15 | $649Sign up |
| 2023 | 7 | 5 | $1.3kSign up |
| 2022 | 13 | 9 | $14.6kSign up |
| 2021 | 10 | 9 | $3.9kSign up |
| 2020 | 9 | 7 | $18.3kSign up |
| 2019 | 12 | 10 | $63.6kSign up |
| 2018 | 4 | 2 | $32.4kSign up |
| 2017 | 11 | 8 | $40kSign up |
| 2016 | 13 | 13 | $20.6kSign up |
| 2015 | 4 | 2 | $11.8kSign up |
| 2014 | 4 | 3 | $7kSign up |
| 2013 | 7 | 7 | $17.1kSign up |
| 2012 | 5 | 5 | $6.4kSign up |
| 2011 | 2 | 2 | $6kSign up |
| 2010 | 3 | 2 | $18.2kSign up |
| 2009 | 8 | 6 | $1.3kSign up |