antony gormley value

Antony Gormley Value: Top Prices Paid at Auction

Antony Gormley

written by Sheena Carrington

A photograph showing the back view of a sculpture representing the human figure. The figure stands firmly with its feet grounded while being supported by an imposing wingspan. The knees are slightly bent, adding to the sense of balance and stability. The sculpture is captured from behind, highlighting its dynamic form and captured in a pristine gallery space. The gallery features large glass windows that offer a glimpse of the surrounding trees outside, creating a harmonious connection between the artwork and nature.

Image © Gormley / Lehmbruck: Calling on the Body, Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg, Germany © Antony Gormley

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Antony Gormley

40 works

Antony Gormley's sculptures command significant sales prices, reaffirming his status as a highly sought-after contemporary artist. His overall art market demonstrates a compelling pattern of sustained upward momentum, marked by a notable absence of significant deviations. This enduring strength can be attributed to remarkable six-figure sales and prestigious exhibitions centred around his sculptural practice and hosted by renowned institutions and galleries, such as the Royal Academy of Arts in London and his representing gallery, White Cube. Notably, A Case For An Angel I (1989) established an auction record surpassing £5 million in 2017.

While Gormley's sculptures have gained widespread recognition, there is an emerging trend in his print market, which is increasingly gaining traction and circulating within the secondary market. Gormley's prints possess the same essence and thematic elements in his sculptures, allowing collectors to engage with Gormley's artistic vision through a different medium.

The following list presents Antony Gormley's most notable and highest-selling works.

£5.3M for A Case for an Angel I

(£5,296,250)

A life-sized standing sculpture of a figure flanked by an 8.5-metre wingspan. The figure has no defining features other than the human form and stands on the ground with its knees slightly bent. The sculpture is captured in a photograph within an empty gallery space, emphasising its presence and allowing viewers to appreciate its form and proportions.

Image © Christie's / A Case for an Angel I © Antony Gormley 1989

Antony Gormley's A Case For An Angel I (1989) embodies his recurring themes of flight, anatomy, and technology. This monumental sculpture, featuring an impressive 8.5-metre wingspan, is meticulously crafted from a lead sheet plaster cast moulded around the artist's body, showcasing Gormley's innovative approach to sculpture. The life-size figure, anchored by the weight of the material, invites viewers to explore its multifaceted symbolic interpretations, suggesting the potential to transcend earthly limitations and invoking the transformative awakening of the human spirit. A Case For An Angel I stands as Gormley's inaugural angelic sculpture within his extensive oeuvre and holds significance as his auction record, achieving £5.3 million at Christie's in October 2017.

£3.4M for Angel of the North (Life-Size Maquette)

(£3,401,250)

A life-sized sculpture of a human figure, standing upright with slightly bent knees, devoid of any distinct features other than the representation of the human form. The figure is grounded and balanced by a wingspan measuring 54 metres, adding a sense of stability and presence to the sculpture. The artwork is photographed in an empty gallery space, highlighting its monumental scale and minimalist aesthetic.

Image © Christie's / Angel of the North (Life-Size Maquette) © Antony Gormley 1996

Antony Gormley's Angel Of The North (Life-size Maquette) (1996) is a colossal sculpture, standing 20 metres tall and featuring a wingspan of 54 metres, meticulously crafted from 200 tonnes of steel. This iconic artwork serves as both a human-scaled study and a symbol representing the North of England. While rooted in Gormley's Catholic background, the angel motif transcends its ecclesiastical origins through the use of industrial materials, signifying the intricate relationship between humanity and machinery. It draws inspiration from Renaissance inquiries that sought to comprehend the human body through mathematical and geometric interpretations while reflecting humanity's connection to technological advancement. Two notable sales of this sculpture achieved £3.4 million at Christie’s in 2011 and £2.3 million at Sotheby’s in 2008, demonstrating an increase in value. Additionally, a smaller bronze version created in 1997 has also performed well in the market, realising £2.8 million at Sotheby's 2018 and over £1 million, also at Sotheby's, in 2014 demonstrating a remarkable 185% increase between these two sales.

£1.8M for Building 6-10

($18,120,000 (HKD))

Five freestanding sculptures depicting the essence of the human form, void of specific defining characteristics. Each sculpture is crafted using different materials, ranging from sparsely interwoven elements to more densely filled volumes, creating varying degrees of texture and composition. The sculptures are photographed in an empty gallery space, showcasing their unique forms and materiality.

Image © Sotheby's / Building 6-10 © Antony Gormley 2015

Comprising five life-size cast iron elements, Building 6-10 (2015) delves into the depths of the human condition through a series of stacked horizontal layers. They serve as symbolic representations of both the construction of the human skeleton and towering architectural structures, intertwining the metaphorical relationship between the human body and grandeur. The individual structures of Building 6-10 carefully integrate materials sourced from Gormley's studio and London, contributing to their overall structural composition. This artwork encapsulates the fundamental essence of architecture while embodying the innate qualities of strength and vulnerability within the human form.

Building 6-10 realised £1.7 million at Sotheby's Hong Kong in September 2018, securing its position among Gormley's highest-selling works.

£1.3M for Aggregate

( £1,258,500)

A life-sized human sculpture created using interlocking steel blocks, depicting a figure with feet positioned apart and arms crossed in front of the chest. The sculpture embodies the essence of the human form, devoid of distinctive features. The use of tessellating steel blocks adds an intriguing texture and structure to the sculpture's composition.

Image © Christie's / Aggregate © Antony Gormley 2004

Aggregate (2004) offers a distinctive portrayal of the human form, albeit with a subtle variation in pose compared to Antony Gormley's previous works. This life-size sculpture captures a figure positioned resolutely, with feet firmly planted and arms crossed beneath the chest. Crafted from steel blocks and showcasing Gormley's signature approach of omitting specific features, the artwork emanates a commanding presence, baring the vulnerability and inner essence concealed within its steel structure. Signifying both human existence and architectural elements, this piece embodies meticulous precision and reflects the influence of architectural fundamentals.

Aggregate achieved a sale price of £1.2 million at Christie's in October 2014, solidifying its position as Gormley's sixth highest-selling work.

£1.0M for Stand III

($1,411,500 (USD))

A towering life-sized sculpture of the human figure, crafted from carefully stacked cast iron plates, creating a sense of balance and harmony within the artwork. The sculpture is depicted on an outdoor patio, with the surrounding environment adding to its aesthetic appeal.

Image © Sotheby's / Stand III © Antony Gormley 2008

Stand III (2008) is a remarkable cast-iron sculpture, commanding attention with its towering height surpassing ten feet. Within this masterpiece, Antony Gormley's artistic brilliance comes to the forefront as he, once again, delves into the conceptual relationship between human anatomy and architecture. With utmost precision and an acute sense of balance, Gormley expertly orchestrates the interaction between various masses and the spaces they enclose. The absence of discernible features allows the sculpture's magnificence to reside in its sheer presence, emanating a heroic aura. Yet, instead of assuming a god-like identity, these sculptures invite personal interpretation and engagement, existing tangibly in the same earthly realm as ourselves.

Stand III achieved a remarkable price of over £1 million at Sotheby's in April 2021, securing its position within Gormley's top-selling works.

£995,292 for Cast VII

($9,813,000 (HKD))

A life-sized sculpture of a human figure, constructed from interlocking steel beams carefully positioned to create voids, showcasing the balance and precision of the artwork. The sculpture captures the essence of the human form, standing upright with feet together and arms at the sides, devoid of specific features. The photograph captures the sculpture in an empty white gallery space.

Image © Sotheby's / Cast (VII) © Antony Gormley 2009

Cast VII (2009) speaks to Antony Gormley's global appeal and demonstrates his continuous exploration of the human figure. With this work, Gormley utilises interlocking steel beams resulting in a pixelated composition between material masses and the human form, highlighting the transformative potential residing within the body itself. This work sold for £995,292 (fees included) at Sotheby's Hong Kong in April 2022.

£972,750 for Turn V

(£972,750)

A life-sized sculpture of the human figure, devoid of any defining characteristics, capturing the essence of the human form. The sculpture is constructed using stacked iron blocks and is photographed in a white, empty gallery space.

Image © Sotheby's / Turn V © Antony Gormley 2013

Turn V (2013) departs slightly from Antony Gormley's other life-size sculptures as it is placed on a plinth ultimately enhancing the overall balance. Reminiscent of his ongoing Blockworks series, this sculpture delves into the same exploratory realm where Gormley seeks to define the intersections between anatomy, volume, and architecture. It is at these junctures that Gormley's artistic ingenuity comes to the fore, as he consistently explores avenues to navigate and harmonise these components.

Turn V comes alive by stacking iron blocks, showcasing Gormley's effort to fill empty spaces with material and explore how industrial objects can take on this role, contrasting with the human figure. These sculptures were created by moulding poses taken from Gormley's own body, then combining digital technology with physical craftsmanship, a process that connects progress with human essence. Turn V realised £972,750 (fees included) at Sotheby's in March 2022.

£958,800 for 2 x 2 Carrara Marble

(£958,800)

Two freestanding life-sized marble sculptures are captured in an unoccupied gallery, positioned on a concrete floor. The sculptures, crafted from marble, aim to portray the essence of the human form without any distinctive features. The marble material lends a textured surface to the figures, which are arranged in a staggered manner beside each other.

Antony Gormley's 2 x 2 (2010) reflects an ambitious artistic exploration inspired by the marble hills of Tuscany encountered in Italy in 1979. Responding to the traditional workshops dedicated to crafting funerary monuments in the 19th and 20th centuries, this artwork incorporates digital mathematical techniques, utilising coordinates and axis routers to achieve its intricate texture. The chosen material resonates with the ethereal hues of bones and marble, symbolising the very essence of matter itself.

In these captivating sculptures, Gormley's universal muse, the human form, stands with feet joined and hands clasped above the chest while the subtly turned heads convey awareness. The figures are suggestively perceived as both ghostly and timeless, focusing on the profound connection between the corporeal and the earthly realm. 2 x 2 realised £958,800 (fees included) at Sotheby's in October 2020.

£942,000 for Gut VI

( £ 942,000)

A life-sized sculpture of the human form, depicted in a crouched position with bent knees and both arms wrapped around its torso. The sculpture is constructed using tessellating and stacked iron cubes.

Standing at a height of 160 centimetres, Gut VI (2009) is crafted from iron. This artwork diverges slightly from the poses commonly observed in Antony Gormley's other sculptures, with both arms folded in front of the gut, aligning with its title. Constructed using smaller interlocking blocks intentionally spaced apart, Gut VI embodies a diverse array of organic human forms and expressions, prompting a responsive and emotive connection. A recent addition to Gormley's roster of sought-after pieces, Gut VI attests to his enduring and contemporary appeal, achieving a successful sale of £942,000 (fees included) at Christie's in February 2023.