Giorgio Morandi Artwork valuations, appraisals and auction estimates

Morandi Giorgio (Bologna, 1890 - 1964)

Giorgio Morandi enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in 1907, where he developed his own independent style. The artist was inspired by Cèzanne, Rousseau, Picasso, Derain and also had a strong interest in the art of the past, such as the paintings of Giotto, Masaccio, Paolo Uccello. Read the full biography

Guide to Giorgio Morandi price quotations

Giorgio Morandi's still lifes have become some of the most sought-after examples of 20th-century art, achieving high prices at auctions. Morandi created thousands of paintings, drawings and prints depicting simple arrangements of bottles, vases and bowls in muted tones. The simplicity and repetition in his works belies their depth and motivation and complexity.

Morandi's auction prices have risen steadily in recent decades, reflecting the artist's status as a master of minimalism before that term existed. His works demonstrate great subtlety of color and form, conveying a meditative and thoughtful mood. Even Morandi's simplest still life seems to contain infinite layers of meaning and associations.

His oil on canvas paintings from the 1920s and 1930s usually sell for between $1 million and $4 million. For his most iconic works of the 1940s and 1950s, figures in excess of 5 million euros were achieved. For example, "Still Life" from 1942 sold for 5.4 million euros in 2015.

Morandi's drawings tend to sell for lower prices, reflecting their status as studies and sketches rather than finished works. However, prices have already reached figures between 30,000 and 200,000 for the most beautiful and complete examples. Overall, Morandi's auction prices reflect the rarity of his output, the mastery of his technique, and the timelessness of his vision, qualities that will likely ensure that his works remain highly sought after for generations to come.

The print market also enjoys good demand and works belonging to this category usually sell for between 3,000 and 30,000 euros

Giorgio Morandi Biography

Morandi Giorgio (Bologna, 1890 - 1964)

Giorgio Morandi enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in 1907, where he developed his own independent style. The artist was inspired by Cèzanne, Rousseau, Picasso, Derain and also had a strong interest in the art of the past, such as the paintings of Giotto, Masaccio, Paolo Uccello. He soon came into contact with the Futurist group, with whom Morandi exhibited at the Sprovieri Gallery in Rome. He became one of the best interpreters of metaphysical painting, following the example of De Chirico and starting from the 1920s his works became more plastic, from the representation of still lifes to common objects. He participated in numerous editions of the Venice Biennale and the Rome Quadrennial.