Antony Gormley Value: Top Prices Paid at Auction

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.