Josef Albers' Auction Record Jumps 17% With $3.55m Sale

3 min read · 21 May 2026

Homage to the Square: Golden. Image courtesy of Christie's

Josef Albers, Homage to the Square: Golden (1958) sold for $3.55m, more than five times the low estimate at Christie's in New York on May 21.

The oil on masonite work measuring 48 by 48 inches is one of the first four the artist produced in that format. It was purchased by fellow artist and collector Lillian Florsheim in 1959 and inherited by her granddaughter, Lisa Goldberg.

The sale beat Albers' previous auction record by $524,000, a 17% rise.

Homage To The Square: Temperate (1957). Sold for $3.03m in 2017. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Homage to the Square: White Nimbus (1964). Sold for $2.21m in 2012. Image courtesy of Christie's

Homage to the Square: Distant Alarm (1966). Sold for $1.99m in 2012. Image courtesy of Christie's

Homage to the square: joy (1964). Sold for $1.5m in 2007. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Homage to the square autumn climax (1963). Sold for $1.14m in 2006. Image courtesy of Christie's

Homage to the square stucco setting (1959). Sold for $912,000 in 2006. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Study For Homage To The Square: Signal (1966). Sold for $821,400 in 2005. Image courtesy of Christie's

Study for Homage to the Square: Despite Mist (1967). Sold for $665,000 in 1996. Image courtesy of Christie's

Study For Homage To The Square: Apparition (1959). Sold for $198,000 in 1989. Image courtesy of Christie's

Homage to the Square Arrival (1963). Sold for $150,000 in 1988. Image courtesy of Christie's

Homage to the Square Contrasting Blues (1958). Sold for $82,500 in 1987. Image courtesy of Christie's

Study For Homage To The Square: "Nowhere" (1964). Sold for $65,600 in 1973. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Homage To The Square: Temperate (1957). Sold for $3.03m in 2017. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

The previous record was set by Homage To The Square: Temperate (1957), which sold for $3.03m at Sotheby's on October 05, 2017. The work had not been traded before.

Sale Date	Title	Price	Record Increase	Venue	City
May 21, 2026	Homage to the Square: Golden	$3.55m	17 %	Christie's	New York
October 05, 2017	Homage To The Square: Temperate	$3.03m	37 %	Sotheby's	London
November 15, 2012	Homage to the Square: White Nimbus	$2.21m	11 %	Christie's	New York
May 08, 2012	Homage to the Square: Distant Alarm	$1.99m	33 %	Christie's	New York
November 14, 2007	Homage to the square: joy	$1.5m	32 %	Sotheby's	New York
November 15, 2006	Homage to the square autumn climax	$1.14m	24 %	Christie's	New York
November 14, 2006	Homage to the square stucco setting	$912,000	11 %	Sotheby's	New York
November 09, 2005	Study For Homage To The Square: Signal	$821,400	24 %	Christie's	New York
November 20, 1996	Study for Homage to the Square: Despite Mist	$665,000	133 %	Christie's	New York
November 06, 1990	Study for homage to the square - starblue	$286,000	44 %	Sotheby's	New York
November 08, 1989	Study For Homage To The Square: Apparition	$198,000	32 %	Christie's	New York
November 09, 1988	Homage to the Square Arrival	$150,000	82 %	Christie's	New York
May 05, 1987	Homage to the Square Contrasting Blues	$82,500	26 %	Christie's	New York
July 05, 1973	Study For Homage To The Square: "Nowhere"	$65,600	64 %	Sotheby's	London
October 26, 1972	Hommage to the square	$40,000	-	Sotheby's	New York

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Josef Albers

Lillian Florsheim

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