Market Watch Bridget Riley: Top 10 Most Investable Prints

Untitled (Oval Image), created in 1964, stands as an early example of Riley’s exploration of optical effects. Featuring a series of concentric ovals radiating from a central point, the black-and-white screen print exemplifies Riley’s precise geometric arrangements and dynamic sense of movement. Produced before her rise to international prominence, this work prefigures the artist’s breakthrough moment at MoMA’s The Responsive Eye exhibition in 1965. Characteristic of Riley’s early period, Untitled (Oval Image) reflects her initial focus on monochromatic compositions before she transitioned to colour experimentation in the late 1960s. At Phillips’ Evening & Day Editions sale in London on June 6, 2024, the print achieved a hammer price of £65,000 (£82,550 with fees), making it Riley's most expensive print to date.

RA (Inverted) features slender vertical lines in a spectrum of rotating colours, interspersed with meticulously positioned black and white lines, shaping the perception and interaction of the repeating colours within the composition. Black intensifies colour saturation and depth, enhancing vibrancy, while white accentuates brightness and clarity, offering a crisp visual impact. Riley's adept manipulation of colours and geometries creates striking optical illusions. Rarely seen in the market, this artwork reappeared in 2023 after its last auction in 2020, achieving £44,100 with fees, doubling its previous sale price, and making only its third public auction appearance.

Firebird is part of Riley's Stripes series, originating in 1971. Despite its vertical variations in warm and cool hues punctuated with evenly distributed white, this piece was intended to be experienced from a horizontal perspective, encouraging a left-to-right reading. While Firebird has made modest appearances in public auctions, typically once or twice a year, it's scarcity adds to its allure. In 2023, Firebird made two appearances, with the highest selling price attained at Cheffins in October, where the artwork fetched £33,000 including fees.

Untitled (Based on Blaze) (1964) exemplifies Riley’s early Op-Art explorations and her mastery of optical illusion. Composed of concentric circles made up of interlocking zig-zags, the screen print creates a striking sensation of movement, as if the composition is rotating in opposing directions. This dynamic visual effect, characteristic of Riley’s black-and-white works from the early 1960s, played a pivotal role in her rise to international prominence, particularly following her inclusion in MoMA’s The Responsive Eye exhibition in 1965. Inspired by natural sensations, the work echoes Riley’s own recollections of looking into the sun and seeing intense contrasts of black and white. Untitled (Based on Blaze) was auctioned online at Christie’s Prints and Multiples sale in March 2024, achieving a hammer price of £32,000 and a final price of £40,320.

New Day (Not in Tommasini & Gulbay) (1992) showcases Riley’s mastery of geometric abstraction and vibrant colour compositions. This screen print features an intricate arrangement of colourful shapes that appear to shift and pulse, a hallmark of Riley’s distinctive visual language. This artwork was sold at Forum Auctions in London on 12 December 2024, achieving a hammer price of £26,000.

Fragment 2 is part of Riley's esteemed Fragment series, a collection of seven works unveiled in 1965 within a limited edition of 75 prints. This series holds paramount importance in Riley's oeuvre, showcasing her early experimentation and mastery of monochromatic compositions, specifically crafted in crescent moon shapes to evoke mesmerising configurations and disorienting effects. Revered within the art market, the Fragment series stands as some of Riley's most coveted creations. Fragment 2 made two notable appearances in 2023, achieving its highest sale price of £30,366 including fees at Christie's, setting a record value for this print and affirming its enduring appeal among collectors and investors alike.

Untitled (Circular Movement), created in 1962, stands as one of Riley’s earliest explorations into optical illusion and geometric abstraction. Composed of black spots arranged in a circular formation, some appearing subtly distorted into ovals, the print exemplifies Riley’s belief that complexity lies beneath apparent simplicity. This work predates her rise to international acclaim but already demonstrates the visual dynamism that would define her career. Offered in Christie’s Prints and Multiples online sale in March 2024, the print achieved a hammer price of £24,000 (£30,240 with fees).

Another addition to Riley's Fragment series, Fragment 5 epitomises Riley's exploration of monochromatic themes within the art market. This artwork, featuring a distinctive single wave-like crescent moon formation, has made a modest number of appearances in public auctions over the past five years, although its overall presence surpasses that of the previous work, Fragment 2. Fragment 5 made its auction debut in February 2003 and had a single appearance on the market in 2023, commanding a selling price of £28,582 inclusive of fees ranking as one of Riley's most investable prints.

Featuring successive vertical stripes in bold hues of blue, orange, green, and red, Ra 2 (1981) is an exploration of rhythm and optical movement. Part of Riley’s Stripes collection, which she began in 1971, the work reflects her fascination with colour and its ability to evoke emotional responses. Influenced by artists such as Henri Matisse and Georges Seurat, Riley transitioned from black-and-white compositions to colour in the mid-1960s, using simplified linear patterns to intensify chromatic interactions. Ra 2 sold at Bonhams’ Prints & Multiples sale in London on 10 December 2024. The print achieved a hammer price of £22,000 (£28,160 including buyer’s premium).