Selling Women: Collectors Still Pay More for Male Artists

by Corinna Kirsch on March 3, 2015 · 5 comments The Art Market

Georgia O'Keeffe, "White Barn No. 1," 1932.  Sold at Sotheby's in 2014 for $3.189 million.

Georgia O’Keeffe, “White Barn No. 1,” 1932. Sold at Sotheby’s in 2014 for $3.189 million.

Out of the top artists selling at art auction last year, how many do you think were women? According to the Artprice report “The Art Market in 2014,” just three of the top 100 slots by auction revenue were held by women.

40. Georgia O’Keeffe (Top hammer price: $39.5 million)

63. Yayoi Kusama (Top hammer price: $6.2 million)

92. Joan Mitchell (Top hammer price: $10.5 million)

Now you know.

Top 100 Artists by Total Auction Revenue in 2014

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More from the “Selling Women” series:

Selling Women: A Very Unpopular Choice at Phillips’ “Under the Influence”

{ 5 comments }

yarlo konit March 3, 2015 at 11:49 pm

this seems like it would be a great way to launder money

Corinna Kirsch March 4, 2015 at 9:32 am
Avery K. Singer March 5, 2015 at 8:56 am

This isn’t a counter argument — but I always wonder at what rate male artists get resold/flipped compared to female artists. Are collectors more likely to hold onto their work by female artists? Why? Would be sort of interesting to find out…

Corinna Kirsch March 5, 2015 at 9:05 am

Agreed. I don’t have that answer off the top of my head. But I have been meaning to speak with female collectors…

Avery K. Singer March 5, 2015 at 9:19 am

I think the psychology behind collecting is actually a lot more complex than it seems…

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