Agnes Martin Value: Top Prices Paid at Auction

Grey Stone II (1961) achieved Martin's current auction record when it sold at Sotheby's New York in November 2023. This early masterpiece, one of only five Martin paintings embellished with gold leaf, represents a crucial transitional period in Martin's career as she moved towards her mature abstract style; as such, it achieved almost exactly double its high estimate. It is a rare early example of both her “grid” painting style and her love of cornflower blue. The work was created shortly after Martinestablished her studio in a former sailmaking loft in lower Manhattan, where she developed her unique approach to geometry and materiality. The delicate balance between structure and luminosity in this particular painting marks a significant departure from her earlier, more representational works. Instead, it exemplifies Martin's calm and measured approach to making art, which stood in direct contrast with many of her contemporaries, such as Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg.

Untitled No.44 (1974) almost doubled its high estimate when it sold at Sotheby's New York in November 2021, at what transpired to be a momentous auction evening for Martin’s work. The work dates from a particularly productive period following her return to painting after a seven-year hiatus - Martin had left New York abruptly in 1967 to travel in a campervan down to Cuba, New Mexico. Untitled No.44 is just one example of Martin’s subsequent exploration of horizontal bands, which occupied her work between 1974 and 2004. The painting’s popularity and success in 2021 are due to its being a symbol of Martin’s new beginning and evidence of her undiminished technical mastery.

Selling at Sotheby's New York in May 2022 as part of the prestigious Macklowe Collection, Early Morning Happiness (2001) represents one of Martin's last major works. Created when she was 89, just three years before her death, the painting demonstrates her unwavering commitment to precision and subtle variation, even in her final years. The colour palette of cornflower blue and pale yellow shows the influence of her New Mexico surroundings, contrasting with the more monochromatic work of her New York years. The piece achieved more than double its high estimate, reflecting both its exceptional provenance and the market's growing interest in later works that show the culmination of her contemplative artistic philosophy.

Orange Grove (1965) achieved this significant result at Christie's New York in May 2016 a year that was pivotal for Martin’s market. The sale was a new record, exceeding the previous record, set in 2015 by Happy Valley (1967), by almost £3million. It was created during one of Martin’s most accomplished periods, during her time in her New York studio. Her “grid” painting style, with its captivating balance of mechanical perfection and human imperfection, was at its most developed. As the title suggests, Orange Grove is an example of Martin’s distinct ability to explore the raw emotive power of specific colours, even within strict geometric parameters.

This 1980 canvas sold at Sotheby's New York in May 2017, continuing the surge in Martin’s market since 2016. The work is one of Martin’s more colourful paintings, with a rare combination of green, blue, and red horizontal bands that feel almost bleached by the sun of New Mexico. By this time, Martin’s process had become more intuitive, with many of her near-perfect lines drawn without a ruler. 1980 was a prominent year for Martin, with a solo exhibition at Pace Gallery, New York, and an international spotlight at the Venice Biennale. Martin also turned down the chance of an exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art because she did not want a printed exhibition catalogue, fearing that critical interpretation would diminish her artworks’ effect.

Another significant 2016 moment was the sale of Untitled No.6 (1983) at Christie's New York in November - an example of Martin’s work at its most distilled. The painting features her signature pale palette and geometric precision, with horizontal bands in textured graphite that create a subtle rhythm across the canvas. Martin would often begin a new painting by sitting alone in her studio and clearing her mind, waiting for inspiration to strike, before precisely planning each line using mathematical equations. Despite Martin’s embrace of her isolated life in New Mexico, the work demonstrates her ability to concentrate human emotion and experience into abstract forms - reflecting the Taoist belief of nothingness as a source of potential.

This late work from c.1999/2000 sold at Christie's New York in November 2022 as part of the landmark Paul G. Allen Collection. The painting demonstrates the subtle geometric divisions and pale palette that had become her hallmark, combining Martin’s usually mutually exclusive use of graphite and acrylic paint into one work. Its prestigious provenance, previously obtained directly from the artist in 2000 by David and Renze Nesbit, contributed significantly to its strong performance. The piece exemplifies Martin's belief that art should evoke emotional states rather than represent physical reality.

Another significant piece from the Macklowe Collection, Untitled No.11 (1985) achieved this result at Sotheby's New York in May 2022. It had remained in the Macklowe Collection since its original purchase from Pace Gallery in 1986, making it a relatively unknown work by Martin. Its apparent simplicity of composition, like all Martin’s work, embodies her pursuit of beauty and perfection that exist in the mind rather than the eye. In this way, Martin’s work captured the essence of her interpretation of Zen Buddhist teachings - that “simplicity is never simple,” that transcendence to a higher state of consciousness is possible through the universal beauty of art, and that mindfulness is key to creativity.

This 1981 canvas achieved its impressive result at Sotheby's New York in May 2019 as part of the distinguished Blema & H. Arnold Steinberg Collection. The 1980s were a time of renewed focus for Martin, and works such as this demonstrate her dedication to exploring subtle variations on career-long artistic themes. It therefore incorporates pale acrylic paint, coloured pencil, and graphite. Its strong provenance, including exhibition at the Guggenheim New York in 2017, contributed to its success.

The final place on this list is also taken by the earliest auction result. Happy Valley (1967) sold at Christie’s New York in November 2015. This piece is a return to Martin’s characteristically subtle works from the 1960s, with a grid design so fine and delicate that it is barely visible at a distance. In this sense, its subtlety is the perfect culmination of her years of grid paintings before her seven-year hiatus. The work's title reflects Martin's interest in conveying states of happiness, beauty, and peace through abstract means, a pursuit that would define her entire career.