The Penguin collection represents an exploration of the relationship between text, colour and their effect on the audience, while simultaneously formulating poignant social critique. First seen at an ICA Group show in 1996, Miller’s Penguin Prints, the now-iconic book jacket paintings, were what propelled him to art-world acclaim.
With £171421 in the past 12 months, Harland Miller's Penguin prints series is one of the most actively traded in the market. Prices have varied significantly – from £650 to £40000 – driven by fluctuations in factors like condition, provenance, and market timing. Over the past 12 months, the average selling price was £14285, with an average annual growth rate of 23.74% across the series.
| Artwork | Auction Date | Auction House | Return to Seller | Hammer Price | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() I'll Never Forget What I Can't Remember Harland Miller Signed Print | 24 Sept 2025 | Sotheby's London | £6,375 | £7,500 | £10,000 |
![]() Love Saves The Day Harland Miller Signed Print | 18 Sept 2025 | Phillips London | £13,600 | £16,000 | £22,000 |
![]() Health And Safety Is Killing Bondage Harland Miller Signed Print | 5 Jun 2025 | Phillips London | £6,375 | £7,500 | £10,000 |
![]() On Me Not In Me Harland Miller Signed Print | 21 May 2025 | Forum Auctions London | £4,250 | £5,000 | £6,500 |
![]() You Can Rely On Me I'll Always Let You Down Harland Miller Signed Print | 11 Dec 2024 | Tate Ward Auctions | £5,100 | £6,000 | £8,000 |
![]() Heroin, It's What Your Right Arm's For Harland Miller Signed Print | 17 Oct 2024 | Chiswick Auctions | £1,573 | £1,850 | £2,500 |
![]() Love Conquers Nothing Harland Miller Signed Print | 18 Sept 2024 | Sotheby's Online | £2,295 | £2,700 | £3,600 |
![]() Tonight We Make History (small) Harland Miller Signed Print | 15 May 2024 | Tate Ward Auctions | £11,900 | £14,000 | £19,000 |
Join Our Network of Collectors. Buy, Sell and Track Demand
First seen at an ICA Group show in 1996, Miller’s Penguin Prints, the now-iconic book jacket paintings, were what propelled him to art-world acclaim. The founder of White Cube gallery Jay Jopling, who visited the exhibition, saw great potential in the Penguin works and arranged a studio visit with Miller. He has been represented by White Cube ever since and is now amongst the gallery’s most sought-after artists.
Harland Miller’s prints and paintings based on dust jackets came from his stumbling upon a box of Penguin Books outside a second-hand English bookstore in Paris in 1992. Their dusty, old and damp smell apparently reminded him of Northern England and his hometown of Yorkshire. This is when he experienced a “Eureka!” moment:
‘I realised that the design of those classics would throw all the focus on to the title of the book, which is exactly what I wanted to do.(…) People are so used to the format already with the text in the middle that you could really say whatever you wanted.’