--- title: "Karel Appel - Artwork & Collectibles | Curiosa.com" description: "Dutch painter, sculptor, and poet (1921–2006), co-founder of the avant-garde CoBrA movement. Appel's expressionistic, colorful works drew inspiration from ." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://curiosa.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Artists", "item": "https://curiosa.com/artists" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Karel Appel" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much is a Karel Appel painting worth?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Prices for original oil paintings typically range from $50,000 to over $1,000,000 depending on the year. Works produced between 1948 and 1953, the peak CoBrA period, command the highest premiums, such as the 2022 sale of 'Le Chat' for approximately $900,000 at Christie’s." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I authenticate a Karel Appel work?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Authentication is handled by the Karel Appel Foundation in Amsterdam, which maintains the official catalogue raisonné. Collectors should look for the characteristic thick impasto applied with palette knives and verify the provenance, as he frequently used mixed media including found wood and unconventional pigments." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Are Karel Appel prints a good investment?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Appel produced roughly 1,000 lithographs and screenprints during his lifetime. In late 2025, standard editioned lithographs average between $1,500 and $5,000 at auction, though hand-signed artist proofs from the 'Flying Fish' series can exceed $8,000." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the highest price paid for a Karel Appel work?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The current auction record is held by the 1955 painting 'Peinture Espasme,' which sold for approximately $1.1 million. This price reflects the high demand for his mid-1950s period when he transitioned from the CoBrA collective to a more gestural expressionism in New York and Paris." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "CollectionPage", "name": "Karel Appel - Works & Collectibles", "description": "Dutch painter, sculptor, and poet (1921–2006), co-founder of the avant-garde CoBrA movement. Appel's expressionistic, colorful works drew inspiration from children's drawings and folk art, earning him international acclaim and representation in major museums worldwide.", "url": "/artists/karel-appel", "numberOfItems": 1 }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "ItemList", "name": "Works by Karel Appel", "description": "Artwork and collectibles by Karel Appel", "numberOfItems": 1, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abstract Expressionist Portrait or Figure", "url": "/archive/paintings/karel-appel-dutch-1921-2006-abstract-bird-figure", "image": "https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/1-1769335453979.jpg" } } ] } ] --- [Skip to main content](#main-content) Open menu [Curiosa ](/) [Home](/) [How it works](/how-it-works)[Leaderboard](/leaderboard)[Museum](/museum)[Pricing](/pricing) Art [Paintings](/archive/paintings)[Prints & posters](/archive/prints)[Photography](/archive/photography)[Asian art](/archive/asian)[Tribal & ethnographic](/archive/tribal)[Browse all categories](/archive) Design [Interior](/archive/interior)[Decorative objects](/archive/decorative)[Ceramics & pottery](/archive/ceramics)[Mechanical & industrial](/archive/mechanical)[Maps & globes](/archive/maps)[Musical instruments](/archive/music)[Browse all categories](/archive) Jewelry & watches [Jewelry](/archive/jewelry)[Watches](/archive/watches)[Gemstones](/archive/gemstones)[Browse all categories](/archive) Collectibles [Trading cards](/archive/trading-cards)[Memorabilia](/archive/memorabilia)[Rare coins & currency](/archive/coins)[Stamps](/archive/stamps)[Comic books & graphic novels](/archive/comics)[Vinyl records](/archive/vinyl)[Browse all categories](/archive) Antiques & curiosities [Antiques](/archive/antiques)[Historical relics](/archive/relics)[Fossils](/archive/fossils)[Science & curiosities](/archive/science)[Folklore & occult](/archive/folklore)[Militaria](/archive/militaria)[Religious & devotional](/archive/religious)[Browse all categories](/archive) [Sign In](/auth)[Try a scan](/scan) Artist # KAREL APPEL Dutch painter, sculptor, and poet (1921–2006), co-founder of the avant-garde CoBrA movement. Appel's expressionistic, colorful works drew inspiration from children's drawings and folk art, earning him international acclaim and representation in major museums worldwide. ## ARTIST PROFILE Years 1921–2006 Nationality Dutch Movement CoBrA, Abstract Expressionism, Tachisme Mediums Oil Painting, Sculpture Known For Art Notable Works Questioning Children • Hip, Hip, Hoorah! • Nude Series Rarity: All RaritiesLegendaryVery RareRareUncommonCommon [ ![Abstract Expressionist Portrait or Figure - paintings collectible](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/1-1769335453979.jpg) Average ### Abstract Expressionist Portrait or Figure paintings Jan 25, 2026 $800 - $3,000 • Feb 2026 ](/archive/paintings/karel-appel-dutch-1921-2006-abstract-bird-figure) ## Three compositions that redefined European post-war abstraction ### Questioning Children (Vragende Kinderen) Created during the first year of the CoBrA movement, this mixed-media piece on wood sparked a 1949 riot at the Amsterdam City Hall where it was originally installed. Show 2 more ## Frequently asked questions ### How much is a Karel Appel painting worth? ### How do I authenticate a Karel Appel work? ### Are Karel Appel prints a good investment? ### What is the highest price paid for a Karel Appel work? ## EXPLORE MORE [Art value and rarity guide](/archive/art)[Prints & Posters value and rarity guide](/archive/prints)[sculpture value and rarity guide](/archive/sculpture)[Browse the full archive](/archive) ### Related artists [Kees van Dongen](/artists/kees-van-dongen)[Friedensreich Hundertwasser](/artists/friedensreich-hundertwasser)[Rembrandt van Rijn](/artists/rembrandt-van-rijn)[Pablo Picasso](/artists/pablo-picasso)[Vincent van Gogh](/artists/vincent-van-gogh) 1. [Home ](/) 2. [Artists](/artists) 3. Karel Appel [ C CURIOSA ](/) Uncover value, meaning, and story. 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