Ben Quilty Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1973 -

Born in 1973, artist Ben Quilty is known for striking paintings in which he often portrays the darker side of his formative years as a young man in Australia. Quilty first studied at the Sydney College of the Arts, and was later invited to paint full time on a scholarship at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. It was in France that painter Ben Quilty began to focus on his teenage years, and images of alcohol, cars, fast food, and drugs began to permeate his works.

Artist Ben Quilty paints using an impasto style with very thick layers of paint, smeared so that each stroke of the palette knife is visible. As a result, Ben Quilty's contemporary paintings for sale are full of texture, vibrant colors, and evocative images of coming-of-age in Australia in the 1980s. Express your many sides by considering collectible contemporary paintings for sale at auction.

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  • BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Six Etchings: Five; Vino; Three; Four; Toro; STA etchings, ed.: AP; AP; 17/20; AP; 18/20; 18/20 Vino: 9 x 9cm...
    Sep. 08, 2026

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Six Etchings: Five; Vino; Three; Four; Toro; STA etchings, ed.: AP; AP; 17/20; AP; 18/20; 18/20 Vino: 9 x 9cm...

    Est: $2,000 - $3,000

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Six Etchings: Five; Vino; Three; Four; Toro; STA etchings, ed.: AP; AP; 17/20; AP; 18/20; 18/20 each numbered, titled and initialled below image Vino: 9 x 9cm; Others: 6.5 x 7cm (76 x 94cm framed) PROVENANCE: COFA Print Exhibition, Sydney, 2007 Private collection, Sydney OTHER NOTES: © Ben Quilty

    Leonard Joel
  • § BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Untitled (Skeleton Drawing) 2003 permanent marker on paper 42 x 29cm (61 x 45.5cm framed)
    Sep. 08, 2026

    § BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Untitled (Skeleton Drawing) 2003 permanent marker on paper 42 x 29cm (61 x 45.5cm framed)

    Est: $3,000 - $5,000

    § BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Untitled (Skeleton Drawing) 2003 permanent marker on paper 42 x 29cm (61 x 45.5cm framed) PROVENANCE: Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne, 2014 Private Collection, Sydney EXHIBITIONS: Drawing, Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne, 15 February - 22 March 2014, cat. No. 19 OTHER NOTES: © Ben Quilty

    Leonard Joel
  • BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Untitled 2007 Chinese drawing ink and biro on Aquari paper 47 x 47cm (54.5 x 54cm framed)
    Sep. 08, 2026

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Untitled 2007 Chinese drawing ink and biro on Aquari paper 47 x 47cm (54.5 x 54cm framed)

    Est: $5,000 - $8,000

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Untitled 2007 Chinese drawing ink and biro on Aquari paper initialled and dated lower right: BQ 07 47 x 47cm (54.5 x 54cm framed) PROVENANCE: Grantpirrie Gallery, Sydney, 2008 (accompanied by original exhibition brochure) Private Collection, Sydney EXHIBITIONS: Ben Quilty: SMASHED, Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne, 30 July - 3 August 2008 and Grantpirrie Gallery, Sydney, 6-30 August 2008, no. 11, pg. 22 LITERATURE: Ben Quilty, UQ Art Museum, 2007, pg. 103 (illus.) (accompanied by a copy of the exhibition catalogue) Ben Quilty: SMASHED, Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne, 30 July - 3 August 2008 and Grantpirrie Gallery, Sydney, 6-30 August 2008, no. 11, pg. 22 (accompanied by a copy of the exhibition catalogue) OTHER NOTES: © Ben Quilty

    Leonard Joel
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973, Rorschach, Joe, Paris 2014
    Aug. 27, 2026

    BEN QUILTY born 1973, Rorschach, Joe, Paris 2014

    Est: $50,000 - $70,000

    PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, MELBOURNE BEN QUILTY born 1973 Rorschach, Joe, Paris 2014 oil on polyester 140.0 x 190.0 cm signed and dated verso: 2014 Ben Quilty PROVENANCE Pearl Lam Galleries, Hong Kong, 2015 Private collection, Melbourne

    Menzies
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973, Rorschach 2008
    Aug. 27, 2026

    BEN QUILTY born 1973, Rorschach 2008

    Est: $40,000 - $60,000

    PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, QUEENSLAND BEN QUILTY born 1973 Rorschach 2008 oil on canvas (diptych) 60.5 x 50.5 cm (each); 60.5 x 101.0 cm (overall) signed, dated and inscribed verso: Ben Quilty/ 08/ Rorschach PROVENANCE Acquired from the artist, private collection, Queensland, c2009

    Menzies
  • Ben Quilty (born 1973) Rorschach 2 The Butterfly Effect (diptych, overall)
    Aug. 24, 2026

    Ben Quilty (born 1973) Rorschach 2 The Butterfly Effect (diptych, overall)

    Est: $120,000 - $150,000

    Ben Quilty (born 1973) Rorschach 2 The Butterfly Effect signed to taped stretcher bar verso: 'QUILTY' synthetic polymer paint, aerosol and oil on linen 214.0 x 366.0cm (84 1/4 x 144 1/8in). (diptych, overall)

    Bonhams
  • Ben Quilty (born 1973) The Grimace, 2020
    Aug. 24, 2026

    Ben Quilty (born 1973) The Grimace, 2020

    Est: $30,000 - $40,000

    Ben Quilty (born 1973) The Grimace, 2020 signed, dated and titled verso: 'The Grimace / 2020 Ben Quilty' oil on canvas 81.5 x 71.5cm (32 1/16 x 28 1/8in).

    Bonhams
  • BEN QUILTY - TORANA - SCREENPRINT
    Aug. 09, 2026

    BEN QUILTY - TORANA - SCREENPRINT

    Est: $2,000 - $3,000

    BEN QUILTY (B.1973) TORANA Signed and titled in margin Screenprint 67 x 89cm Estimate $2,000/3,000 AUD

    GFL Fine Art
  • BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Jude (Baby) 2008 oil and aerosol on linen 160 x 150cm
    May. 18, 2026

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Jude (Baby) 2008 oil and aerosol on linen 160 x 150cm

    Est: $40,000 - $60,000

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Jude (Baby) 2008 oil and aerosol on linen signed and titled verso: Ben Quilty 'Jude' 160 x 150cm PROVENANCE: GRANTPIRRIE, Sydney (label verso) Private collection, Sydney Thence by descent EXHIBITIONS: Smashed: Ben Quilty, GRANTPIRRIE at Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne, 30 July - 3 August 2008 One Show, Two Venues, Two Cities, GRANTPIRRIE, Sydney 6 - 30 August 2008 LITERATURE: Butler, R., One Show, Two Venues, Two Cities, GRANTPIRRIE, Sydney, June 2008, pp. 8, 24 (illus.) OTHER NOTES: In "Jude (Baby)", Ben Quilty pares everything back to the essentials. The child's head is cropped tight and set against a bare ground, hovering without context, so that all attention rests on the expression. Built up in thick, urgent strokes, the face sits somewhere between image and object, paint pushed, smeared and dragged until it almost collapses on itself. There is a tenderness here, but it is not sentimental. Caught mid-cry, with small teeth just breaking through, the moment feels immediate and slightly uncomfortable, heightened by the exaggerated scale. Quilty lets the material do the work, using weight and texture to mirror the intensity of the encounter. Quilty's rise in the early 2000s was defined by a very different cast of subjects, revved-up Torana's, stacked hamburgers, and close-up faces of mates after a long night out, painted with the same thick, unrestrained energy. These works quickly cemented his reputation, grounding his practice in a distinctly Australian language while probing the edges of masculinity. The shift the followed the birth of his son Joe introduced a more introspective thread, without loosing the physical immediacy. "Jude (Baby)" sits within this turn. While not a portrait of his own child, it carries the same heightened awareness of care, responsibility, and the unfamiliar territory of fatherhood, translated through paint that remains as direct and unfiltered as ever. © Ben Quilty, 2026

    Leonard Joel
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973, Straight White Male, Self-Portrait 2014
    May. 07, 2026

    BEN QUILTY born 1973, Straight White Male, Self-Portrait 2014

    Est: $40,000 - $60,000

    PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, MELBOURNE BEN QUILTY born 1973 Straight White Male, Self-Portrait 2014 oil on linen 170.0 x 160.0 cm; 173.0 x 162.0 cm (framed) signed, dated and inscribed verso: Ben Quilty/ Straight White Male Self Portrait 2014

    Menzies
  • Ben Quilty, Bird, 2018
    Apr. 29, 2026

    Ben Quilty, Bird, 2018

    Est: $25,000 - $35,000

    Ben Quilty born 1973 Bird, 2018 oil on canvas 50.5 x 40.5 cm signed, dated and inscribed with title verso: Ben Quilty, 2018 ‘Bird’ PROVENANCE Private collection, Sydney, acquired directly from the artist in 2018 © Ben Quilty

    Deutscher and Hackett
  • Ben Quilty, The lot no. 4, 2009
    Apr. 29, 2026

    Ben Quilty, The lot no. 4, 2009

    Est: $60,000 - $80,000

    Ben Quilty born 1973 The lot no. 4, 2009 oil on linen 110.0 x 140.0 cm signed, dated and inscribed with title verso: The Lot no. 4 / 2009 / Ben Quilty  PROVENANCE Private collection, Sydney, acquired directly from the artist in March 2010 EXHIBITED Trigger Happy, ANU Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra, 9 November – 15 December 2013 RELATED WORK The lot, 2006, oil on linen, 150.0 x 160.0 cm, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide ESSAY Painted in 2009, in a series following on from a metamorphic painting of his squalling infant son as a hamburger,  Joe burger, 2006,  The lot no. 4 is an expressive display of a solitary, precariously stacked hamburger. Quilty’s still lives of the ubiquitous fast food are gutsy, reflecting plainly the attractions and dangers of the world in which we live today.   Ben Quilty is the closest thing Australia has to a celebrity artist and as Brooke Turner suggested, some of his public acclaim can be attributed to his blokey charisma and masculine subject matter: ‘artists do better if they’re blokes first, artist second… with references to cars and soldiers, birds, burgers and babies.’1 Quilty’s longstanding dedication to the reflection of the activities and machismo of the Australian white male would not be complete without images of the occasional burger, packed with bacon, egg, beetroot and a hashbrown – humorously known throughout the land as ‘the lot’!   The genre still life historically was associated with grandiose displays of food, the rarity and fragile nature of which illustrated the wealth of the painting’s commissioner and in a succinct vanitas, reminds us of the fleeting nature of life. Viewed in the context of Quilty’s early motifs associated with suburban reckless youths: the muscle cars, portraits of catatonically drunk mates and skulls, this seemingly anodyne appetizing burger acquires a slightly more sinister and cautionary subtext.  In its ‘loaded’ form, the local hamburger is a little different to the simple cheeseburger, an epitomising symbol of American consumer culture and high capitalism. As an artistic motif, popularised by artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg, the burger has historically been a vehicle for cultural criticism. Warhol, in particular, emphasised the democratising effect of the burger in American culture, as a unifying commodity available and enjoyed by all Americans regardless of class or social standing, mass-produced and enjoyed by the masses.   Painted quickly with cake decorating implements, in emphatic swathes of heavy impasto, Quilty’s painting becomes more than the faithful representation of subject matter. Instead, it tends toward becoming the subject itself, recreating the viscous contents of a burger sliding from the crusty bun top, and collapsing across the canvas. No wonder the Art Gallery of South Australia chose to hang their version above the Art Gallery Food + Wine foyer during Quilty’s 2019 retrospective exhibition, in a cheeky exploitation of hungry audiences!   1. Turner, B., ‘Ben Quilty on the burden of being Australia’s artist from central casting’, Good Weekend, Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, 23 February 2019 at: https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/ben-quilty-on-the-burden-of-being-australia-s-artist-from-central-casting-20190219-p50ypb.html (accessed March 2026)   LUCIE REEVES-SMITH © Ben Quilty

    Deutscher and Hackett
  • Ben Quilty, Australian 1973, Trooper Luke Korman 2012, Archival pigment print, 89 x 66cm (sheet); 124 x 97cm (frame)
    Apr. 07, 2026

    Ben Quilty, Australian 1973, Trooper Luke Korman 2012, Archival pigment print, 89 x 66cm (sheet); 124 x 97cm (frame)

    Est: $1,200 - $1,800

    Ben Quilty Australian, 1973 Trooper Luke Korman 2012 Archival pigment print Ed. 4/100 Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the Artist and Australian War Memorial, Canberra

    For-Auction
  • Ben Quilty, Australian 1973-, Clara's Gift, Olley's Vase, oil on linen, 40.5 x 35.5 cm. (15.93 x 13.98 in.), Frame: 43.7 x 38.2 cm. (17.19 x 15.03 in.)
    Mar. 24, 2026

    Ben Quilty, Australian 1973-, Clara's Gift, Olley's Vase, oil on linen, 40.5 x 35.5 cm. (15.93 x 13.98 in.), Frame: 43.7 x 38.2 cm. (17.19 x 15.03 in.)

    Est: $15,000 - $20,000

    Ben Quilty Australian, 1973- Clara's Gift, Olley's Vase oil on linen signed with initials and titled, Clara's gift, Olley's vase, to verso

    Artvisory
  • Ben Quilty, Australian 1973-, Olley’s Vase, watercolour on paper, 38 x 28.5 cm. (14.96 x 11.22 in.), Frame: 60 x 50 cm. (23.62 x 19.67 in.)
    Mar. 24, 2026

    Ben Quilty, Australian 1973-, Olley’s Vase, watercolour on paper, 38 x 28.5 cm. (14.96 x 11.22 in.), Frame: 60 x 50 cm. (23.62 x 19.67 in.)

    Est: $7,000 - $10,000

    Ben Quilty Australian, 1973- Olley's Vase watercolour on paper signed with initials 'bq' lower right inscribed '25', lower titled lower left 'Olley's Vase'

    Artvisory
  • BEN QUILTY, Australia (1973 -), Six Pack, 2006, etching, ed. 5/20 (unframed), 16 x 26 cm. (6.29 x 10.24 in.), sheet: 40 x 50.5 cm. (15 3/4 x 19.87 in.)
    Feb. 09, 2026

    BEN QUILTY, Australia (1973 -), Six Pack, 2006, etching, ed. 5/20 (unframed), 16 x 26 cm. (6.29 x 10.24 in.), sheet: 40 x 50.5 cm. (15 3/4 x 19.87 in.)

    Est: $1,000 - $1,500

    BEN QUILTY Australia, (1973 - ) Six Pack, 2006 etching, ed. 5/20 (unframed) signed lower right: B. Quilty titled and dated lower centre: Six Pack / '06 editioned lower left

    Lawsons
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973, Sideways 2021
    Nov. 19, 2025

    BEN QUILTY born 1973, Sideways 2021

    Est: $30,000 - $40,000

    PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, MELBOURNE BEN QUILTY born 1973 Sideways 2021 oil on linen 51.0 x 61.5 cm signed, dated and inscribed verso: "Sideways" 2021 Ben Quilty

    Menzies
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973, Cullen's Skull 2005
    Nov. 19, 2025

    BEN QUILTY born 1973, Cullen's Skull 2005

    Est: $28,000 - $35,000

    PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, SYDNEY BEN QUILTY born 1973 Cullen's Skull 2005 oil on canvas 40.5 x 45.5 cm signed, dated and inscribed verso: Cullen's Skull/ Oil on Canvas/ Ben Quilty

    Menzies
  • Ben Quilty exhibition catalogue from the "Ben Quilty Live!" exhibition at the UQ Art Museum, 2009
    Oct. 29, 2025

    Ben Quilty exhibition catalogue from the "Ben Quilty Live!" exhibition at the UQ Art Museum, 2009

    Est: $80 - $120

    Ben Quilty exhibition catalogue from the "Ben Quilty Live!" exhibition at the UQ Art Museum, 2009

    Lawsons
  • Ben Quilty exhibition catalogue from the "Ben Quilty Live!" exhibition at the UQ Art Museum, 2009
    Oct. 15, 2025

    Ben Quilty exhibition catalogue from the "Ben Quilty Live!" exhibition at the UQ Art Museum, 2009

    Est: $80 - $120

    Ben Quilty exhibition catalogue from the "Ben Quilty Live!" exhibition at the UQ Art Museum, 2009

    Lawsons
  • BEN QUILTY, Australia (1973 -), Beetle, 2007, watercolour on paper, 48 x 48 cm. (18.9 x 18.9 in.), frame: 55 x 55 x 4 cm. (21.6 x 21.6 x 1.5 in.)
    Oct. 08, 2025

    BEN QUILTY, Australia (1973 -), Beetle, 2007, watercolour on paper, 48 x 48 cm. (18.9 x 18.9 in.), frame: 55 x 55 x 4 cm. (21.6 x 21.6 x 1.5 in.)

    Est: $4,000 - $6,000

    BEN QUILTY Australia, (1973 - ) Beetle, 2007 watercolour on paper titled, dated and initialled lower right: Beetle/ '07/ B. Q.

    Lawsons
  • Ben Quilty exhibition catalogue from the "Ben Quilty Live!" exhibition at the UQ Art Museum, 2009
    Oct. 01, 2025

    Ben Quilty exhibition catalogue from the "Ben Quilty Live!" exhibition at the UQ Art Museum, 2009

    Est: $80 - $120

    Ben Quilty exhibition catalogue from the "Ben Quilty Live!" exhibition at the UQ Art Museum, 2009

    Lawsons
  • BEN QUILTY, Australia (1973 -), Cheat, 2021, oil on linen, 180 x 202 x 4 cm. (70.8 x 79.5 x 1.5 in.)
    Sep. 18, 2025

    BEN QUILTY, Australia (1973 -), Cheat, 2021, oil on linen, 180 x 202 x 4 cm. (70.8 x 79.5 x 1.5 in.)

    Est: $50,000 - $70,000

    BEN QUILTY Australia, (1973 - ) Cheat, 2021 oil on linen signed, dated and titled verso: B. Quilty / 2021 / The Cheat

    Lawsons
  • BEN QUILTY (1973-), 'Pink Nose', 2020, oil on canvas, 61 x 51 cm, stretched. Signed verso, titled and dated. Provenance: gift of the.
    Sep. 02, 2025

    BEN QUILTY (1973-), 'Pink Nose', 2020, oil on canvas, 61 x 51 cm, stretched. Signed verso, titled and dated. Provenance: gift of the.

    Est: $36,000 - $40,000

    BEN QUILTY (1973-), 'Pink Nose', 2020, oil on canvas, 61 x 51 cm, stretched. Signed verso, titled and dated. Provenance: gift of the artist to the present vendor. With accompanying letter of Provenance from Ben Quilty.

    Raffan Kelaher & Thomas
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973, At the Bottom of the Fish Tank 2020
    Aug. 20, 2025

    BEN QUILTY born 1973, At the Bottom of the Fish Tank 2020

    Est: $70,000 - $90,000

    PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, ADELAIDE BEN QUILTY born 1973 At the Bottom of the Fish Tank 2020 oil on linen 265.0 x 202.0 cm; 268.5 x 206.0 cm (framed) signed, dated and inscribed verso: At the bottom of the fish tank 2019 Ben Quilty

    Menzies
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973, Whytie 2020
    Aug. 20, 2025

    BEN QUILTY born 1973, Whytie 2020

    Est: $90,000 - $120,000

    PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, SOUTH AUSTRALIA BEN QUILTY born 1973 Whytie 2020 oil on canvas 112.0 x 91.5 cm signed, dated and inscribed verso: 'Whytie' Ben Quilty 2020

    Menzies
  • BEN QUILTY, Australia (1973 -), Cheat, 2021, oil on linen, 180 x 202 x 4 cm. (42.5 x 79.5 x 1.5 in.)
    Aug. 18, 2025

    BEN QUILTY, Australia (1973 -), Cheat, 2021, oil on linen, 180 x 202 x 4 cm. (42.5 x 79.5 x 1.5 in.)

    Est: $60,000 - $80,000

    BEN QUILTY Australia, (1973 - ) Cheat, 2021 oil on linen signed, dated and titled verso: B. Quilty / 2021 / The Cheat

    Lawsons
  • AUSTRALIAN ART: A GROUP OF FOUR BOOKS ON LIN ONUS, BEN QUILTY, ALAN LEACH-JONES AND ANDREW SIBLEY
    Jun. 12, 2025

    AUSTRALIAN ART: A GROUP OF FOUR BOOKS ON LIN ONUS, BEN QUILTY, ALAN LEACH-JONES AND ANDREW SIBLEY

    Est: $10 - $40

    AUSTRALIAN ART: A GROUP OF FOUR BOOKS ON LIN ONUS, BEN QUILTY, ALAN LEACH-JONES AND ANDREW SIBLEY

    Albion Antique Auction Centre
  • BEN QUILTY (1973 - ), 'Wilcannia Dave', 2012, watercolour, signed and dated lower right, 59.5 x 53.5 cm, framed 74.5 x 68.5 cm. Prov.
    Jun. 03, 2025

    BEN QUILTY (1973 - ), 'Wilcannia Dave', 2012, watercolour, signed and dated lower right, 59.5 x 53.5 cm, framed 74.5 x 68.5 cm. Prov.

    Est: $3,000 - $5,000

    BEN QUILTY (1973 - ), 'Wilcannia Dave', 2012, watercolour, signed and dated lower right, 59.5 x 53.5 cm, framed 74.5 x 68.5 cm. Provenance: gift of the artist.

    Raffan Kelaher & Thomas
  • BEN QUILTY (BORN 1973), Sunbird 2004
    May. 25, 2025

    BEN QUILTY (BORN 1973), Sunbird 2004

    Est: $40,000 - $60,000

    BEN QUILTY (BORN 1973) Sunbird 2004 oil on canvas signed, dated and titled verso: Ben Quilty / 2004 / 'Sunbird' / Beauty Rich and Rare / No. 13 45.5 x 40cm PROVENANCE Scott Livesey Art Dealer, Melbourne The Estate of the Late Paul Walsh, Melbourne EXHIBITED Beauty, Rich and Rare, Scott Livesey Art Dealer, Melbourne, 6th October - 3rd November 2004 © Courtesy of the artist, Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne and Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane

    Gibson's
  • BEN QUILTY, HANK, 2004
    May. 07, 2025

    BEN QUILTY, HANK, 2004

    Est: $80,000 - $120,000

    BEN QUILTY born 1973 HANK, 2004 oil on canvas 130.0 x 120.0 cm signed, dated and inscribed with title verso: ‘Hank’ / Ben Quilty / 2004 PROVENANCE Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane Private collection, Melbourne, acquired from the above in 2004 EXHIBITED Young and Free?, Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane, 4 – 19 June 2004 (illus. in exhibition catalogue) ESSAY Ben Quilty is undeniably one of Australia’s most well-known contemporary artists, his face frequently gracing our television screens in the guise of spokesperson-painter and cultural commentator. Part of the appeal of the artist’s work, and of Quilty himself, is accessibility – the immediacy of the way in which both art and artist communicate. The outer-suburban environment in which Quilty grew up, and the rites of passage of young men in this milieu – drinking, fast cars, larrikinism, and risk taking – fuel his early work, and we can relate to his lusciously painted canvases as easily as we can sing the lyrics of Cold Chisel’s ‘Khe Sanh’. Yet from the outset, Quilty’s work has unflinchingly explored masculine aggression, and the way in which Australian males work to define themselves as ‘Australian’1, along with mortality, and the stains of our colonial legacy. As Nick Mitzevitch has noted, the means of communication may be deceptively straightforward, but the message is not:   ‘We rarely encounter an artist whose work combines such broad appeal and such a startling, singular vision. Quilty’s paintings possess an extraordinary presence: he achieves such delicious, inviting and seductive experiences in paint that the paint surface appears as if ‘live’. But, if we step back from the tour de force of the paint surface, if we marshal the image into focus, we see that Quilty also unflinchingly investigates our culture and history.’2   Quilty first exhibited his budgerigar images in 2004 in his solo exhibition Young and Free?3, using the phrase from Australia’s national anthem (which was officially changed to ‘one and free’ on 1 January 2021) to point to the complex bundle of issues surrounding nationalism and identity that this jaunty native bird encapsulated in his paintings. As he has observed, domestic budgies are ‘far from their native form – both geographically and physically’ and are ‘a fitting representation of the way white Australian society has claimed its own identity.’4 The budgerigar’s ability to mimic human speech also highlights the role of adaptation and change in the conscious construction of any ‘new’ persona.   Fittingly, Quilty’s budgies were conceived as portraits of real-life human subjects, captured in ‘mug-shot style’.5 In Hank, 2004 the blocky form is built up of slabs of green and gold paint, trowelled onto the surface of the canvas in sweeping, confident arcs. Although at rest and clearly clinging to his perch, the possibility of flight (and escape?) is captured in the zig zag-like marks on the bird’s wing, creating an uneasy tension between repose and animation. The painting exudes a love of the medium of paint and the act of painting, best summed up by the artist himself: ‘For me the most exciting thing is that incredible energy that comes about when you start to try and find something new. And painting, the whole act of it – putting one tiny, tiny, tiny bit of colour into this huge, big expansive mass of thick paint can be an incredible feeling and can leave me for a week on a high.’6   1. ‘Ben Quilty in Conversation with Lisa Slade’, UQ Art Museum, Brisbane, 2009, at: https://www.janmurphygallery.com.au/artist/ben-quilty/videos/ (accessed 13 July 2022) 2. Mitzevitch, N., ‘Foreword’, Ben Quilty, The University of Queensland Art Museum, Brisbane, 2009, p. 11 3. Ben Quilty: Young and Free?, Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane, 2004 4. Quilty, cited in Slade, L., ‘Ben Quilty: We Are History’, Ben Quilty, 2009, p. 24 5. ibid. 6. ‘Ben Quilty and the Maggots’, Artscape, ABC Arts, 2011, at: https://www.janmurphygallery.com.au/artist/ben-quilty/videos/ (accessed 13 July 2022)   KELLY GELLATLY  © Ben Quilty

    Deutscher and Hackett
  • BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Jm, Humanist, Chairwoman and Rockstar... Keeper of Clarkey 2016 oil on linen 130 x 120cm
    May. 05, 2025

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Jm, Humanist, Chairwoman and Rockstar... Keeper of Clarkey 2016 oil on linen 130 x 120cm

    Est: $35,000 - $50,000

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Jm, Humanist, Chairwoman and Rockstar... Keeper of Clarkey 2016 oil on linen titled and dated verso: 2016 'Jm, humanist, chairwoman and Rockstar... keeper of Clarkey' 130 x 120cm PROVENANCE: Donated by the artist to Art of Music fundraising auction, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 17 June 2016 Private collection, Sydney Menzies, Sydney, 29 November 2023, lot 73 Private collection, Melbourne OTHER NOTES: © Ben Quilty

    Leonard Joel
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973, Car Painting 2 2009
    Apr. 09, 2025

    BEN QUILTY born 1973, Car Painting 2 2009

    Est: $60,000 - $80,000

    PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, MELBOURNE BEN QUILTY born 1973 Car Painting 2 2009 oil on linen 140.0 x 190.0 cm signed, dated and inscribed verso: Ben Quilty 09 Crash Painting 7 [sic]

    Menzies
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973 Hill End Landscape No. 2 2005 oil on canvas 112 x 140.2 cm
    Nov. 27, 2024

    BEN QUILTY born 1973 Hill End Landscape No. 2 2005 oil on canvas 112 x 140.2 cm

    Est: $50,000 - $70,000

    BEN QUILTY born 1973 Hill End Landscape No. 2 2005 oil on canvas signed, dated and inscribed ‘Hill End Landscape / no. 2/ Ben Quilty / 2005' verso 112 x 140.2 cm PROVENANCE Ben Quilty, Sydney Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane Private Collection, Melbourne, acquired from the above Five Fifty Art Advisory, Melbourne Private Collection, Victoria EXHIBITED We've Gotta Get Out of This Place: New Work by Ben Quilty and Alexander Seton, Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane, 29 July – 13 August 2005

    Smith & Singer
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973 Australian Landscape [Mazda 121] 2005 oil on canvas 160 x 160 cm
    Nov. 27, 2024

    BEN QUILTY born 1973 Australian Landscape [Mazda 121] 2005 oil on canvas 160 x 160 cm

    Est: $60,000 - $80,000

    BEN QUILTY born 1973 Australian Landscape [Mazda 121] 2005 oil on canvas signed, dated and inscribed ‘Australian / Landscape / Ben Quilty / 2005' verso 160 x 160 cm PROVENANCE Ben Quilty, Sydney Private Collection, Melbourne, acquired from the above Five Fifty Art Advisory, Melbourne Private Collection, Victoria

    Smith & Singer
  • BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Trooper Luke Korman 2012 archival pigment print, ed. 4/100 89 x 66cm (sheet); 124 x 97cm (frame)
    Nov. 13, 2024

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Trooper Luke Korman 2012 archival pigment print, ed. 4/100 89 x 66cm (sheet); 124 x 97cm (frame)

    Est: $800 - $1,000

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Trooper Luke Korman 2012 archival pigment print, ed. 4/100 accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the Artist and Australian War Memorial, Canberra 89 x 66cm (sheet); 124 x 97cm (frame) PROVENANCE: Soldier On Charity Auction, Melbourne Private collection, Melbourne OTHER NOTES: Engaged as an Official War Artist, Ben Quilty's purpose was to record and interpret the experiences of Australians deployed as part of Operation Slipper in Afghanistan. In fulfilling his brief, Quilty spoke with many Australian servicemen and women, gaining an insight into their experiences whilst serving in the region, and ultimately leaving with an overwhelming need to tell their stories. RELATED WORK: Ben Quilty, Trooper Luke Korman 2012, aerosol and oil on linen, 190 x 140cm, the collection of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra © Ben Quilty

    Leonard Joel
  • BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Approaching Storm 4 2023 oil on linen 97 x 71.5cm
    Oct. 22, 2024

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Approaching Storm 4 2023 oil on linen 97 x 71.5cm

    Est: $25,000 - $35,000

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) Approaching Storm 4 2023 oil on linen artist's name, title and date inscribed verso: Approaching Storm 4 Ben Quilty 2023 97 x 71.5cm PROVENANCE: Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane (label verso) Private collection, Sydney EXHIBITIONS: Summer, Jan Murphy Gallery, Queensland, 12 December - 30 January 2024 OTHER NOTES: © Ben Quilty

    Leonard Joel
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973, Torana No.4 2003
    Aug. 28, 2024

    BEN QUILTY born 1973, Torana No.4 2003

    Est: $3,000 - $5,000

    PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, MELBOURNE BEN QUILTY born 1973 Torana No.4 2003 collagraph 69.0 x 89.0 cm (image); 77.0 x 108.0 cm (sheet); 90.0 x 120.5 cm (framed) edition: 34/45 signed lower right: Ben Quilty numbered lower left: 34/45 titled lower centre: Torana printed by Paul Smith, New South Wales (blindstamp lower right)

    Menzies
  • Ben Quilty, (b. 1973), The White Ute, 2006, etching from two plates on paper, 42 x 99 cm
    Aug. 27, 2024

    Ben Quilty, (b. 1973), The White Ute, 2006, etching from two plates on paper, 42 x 99 cm

    Est: $2,000 - $3,000

    Ben Quilty (b. 1973) The White Ute, 2006 etching from two plates on paper edition: A/P, numbered, titled, signed and dated below image 'A/P, The White Ute, Ben Quilty, '06'

    Shapiro Auctioneers
  • Ben Quilty After Afghanistan, War Artist, Australian War Memorial publication
    Aug. 08, 2024

    Ben Quilty After Afghanistan, War Artist, Australian War Memorial publication

    Est: $30 - $50

    Ben Quilty After Afghanistan, War Artist, Australian War Memorial publication

    Lawsons
  • Ben Quilty, Bottom Feeder
    Aug. 07, 2024

    Ben Quilty, Bottom Feeder

    Est: $20,000 - $30,000

    Ben Quilty Bottom Feeder 2018 oil on linen 104.625 h x 79.75 w in (266 x 203 cm) Signed, titled and dated to verso 'Bottom Feeder Ben Quilty 2018'. Provenance: Torlano Galleries, Melbourne | Private Collection Exhibited: The Bottom Feeders, 13 - 16 September 2018, Torlano Galleries, Melbourne This work will ship from Los Angeles, California.

    Rago Arts and Auction Center
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973, Gerard's Garden (Night) 2003
    Jun. 26, 2024

    BEN QUILTY born 1973, Gerard's Garden (Night) 2003

    Est: $30,000 - $50,000

    PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, BRISBANE BEN QUILTY born 1973 Gerard's Garden (Night) 2003 oil bar on linen 146.0 x 202.0 cm; 149.0 x 205.0 cm (framed) signed lower right: Ben Quilty signed and inscribed verso: Gerard's Garden (Night)/ 146 x 202cm/ Ben Quilty

    Menzies
  • BEN QUILTY, AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE #1, 2005
    Apr. 24, 2024

    BEN QUILTY, AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE #1, 2005

    Est: $45,000 - $65,000

    BEN QUILTY born 1973 AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE #1, 2005 oil on canvas 90.0 x 120.0 cm signed, dated and inscribed with title verso: Australian Landscape No 1 / Quilty / 05 PROVENANCE Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane Private collection, Sydney, acquired from the above in 2005 EXHIBITED Alex Seton, Ben Quilty, We've Gotta get out of This Place, Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane, 29 July – 13 August 2005 ESSAY Ben Quilty describes this work as Australian Landscape #1, 2005, yet it is the Toyota 4WD Landcruiser that is the actual subject of the painting. Quilty makes his choice of vehicle carefully exploring the landscape and our relationship with it through the cult of the 4WD vehicle. In this instance it reflects a young white male’s desire to identify with the tough talking, hardworking Australian male of the outback. It says, ‘I belong with no-bullshit, can-do real men and with my Toyota, I am connected with the land.’ As a backdrop to the yarns and myths that ferment across the outback, the Toyota Landcruiser parked out the front of the pub pulses with masculine credibility. Vehicles are not new to Quilty – the Holden XU1 Torana, with its V8 engine crammed under the hood became an early favourite. The Torana entered Australian folk lore in 1972, when Peter Brock drove it to victory against the dominant Ford Falcons at Bathurst’s annual orgy of booze and petrol on Mount Panorama, in the Hardie Ferodo 500. In the decades that followed, the popular Torana (an Aboriginal word meaning ‘to fly’) became the choice of young men when buying their first, second-hand car. By the time Ben Quilty got his Ps, the choice was easy. As time passed his repertoire extended to include Kombis, muscle Fords and 4WDS. Here again, the artist is exploring our relationship to landscape and its importance in shaping the lives of adolescent males through risk-taking rites of passage. As Lisa Slade suggests, ‘The terrain that the car inhabits, and traverses also interests Quilty. Since he began painting cars, he has been adamant that these paintings also be read as landscapes… Quilty argues convincingly that we rarely experience the landscape without the mediation of the car. In this sense, the car becomes a contemporary Claude glass, a reflective lens that simplifies and synthesises an experience of the landscape that is otherwise too much to bear, too much to restrain into an image.’1  By coincidence or otherwise, the three by four-foot format of this work connects the work directly to a tradition in modern Australian landscape painting. The reason for this format may well be arbitrary as it corresponds to the size the Masonite sheets are made. Nevertheless, conceptually it is a tangible connection to the convention and underpins Quilty’s assertion that what he has painted here is an Australian landscape – albeit an image of a Toyota.  Quilty’s paintings ooze paint and metaphor. His technique of applying paint in broad, thick swathes using baker’s tools results in fleshy surfaces where the paint is literally caked on. The manner of applying paint in moments of driven inspiration may also be understood to reflect the bravado Quilty’s paintings strive to project.  1. Slade, L., ‘Torana Means to Fly’ in Slade, L. (ed.), Ben Quilty – We are History, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 2009, p. 22 HENRY MULHOLLAND © Ben Quilty

    Deutscher and Hackett
  • BEN QUILTY (BORN 1973), Docklands 3, 2002
    Apr. 21, 2024

    BEN QUILTY (BORN 1973), Docklands 3, 2002

    Est: $10,000 - $15,000

    oil on board signed and titled verso: Ben Quilty / Docklands 3 20 x 24.5cm PROVENANCE Maunsell Wickes at Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney The Jan Courtin & Marshall Harris Collection EXHIBITED New Paintings, Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney, 2002 © Courtesy of the artist

    Gibson's
  • BEN QUILTY (BORN 1973), Docklands 2, 2002
    Apr. 21, 2024

    BEN QUILTY (BORN 1973), Docklands 2, 2002

    Est: $10,000 - $15,000

    oil on board signed and titled verso: Ben Quilty / Docklands 2 20 x 25cm PROVENANCE Maunsell Wickes at Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney The Jan Courtin & Marshall Harris Collection EXHIBITED New Paintings, Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney, 2002 The Jan Courtin and Marshall Harris Collection © Courtesy of the artist COLLECTION ESSAY The Jan Courtin and Marshall Harris Collection (Lots 159-163) Lots 159 - 163 showcases the eclectic taste of Jan Courtin and Marshall Harris, who championed emerging artists as both gallery owners and patrons of the arts. Originally Melbournians, Jan and Marshall lived in London and briefly in Brisbane before relocating to Sydney to pursue Jan's chief obsession - AFL football. Jan was a devoted supporter of the Sydney Swans from childhood and grew in dedication through the years. Her regular contributions to the club and commitment to the game earned her the Female Fan of the Year award from the AFL Fans Association in 2016. It is a fitting homage ‘for a woman who had uprooted her life to Sydney to be closer to her beloved Swans'. 1 Her rivalling passions for the Swans and art were near-equal contests, although she emphatically insisted, ‘It'd be the Swans before the art.' 2 Jan and Marshall pursued their mutual passion for Australian artists with an energetic spirit. When the couple moved to Sydney (to be closer to the Swans), they also set up a gallery on Glenmore Road in Paddington, living in the apartment above. Harris Courtin Gallery operated from 1999 for just over a decade. In the gallery's infancy, they exhibited works by Polly Courtin, Jan's sister and gradually established a reputation for championing fringe and emerging local artists. 'They cared for and involved [their artists], and above all, they were extremely professional and generous as gallery directors. Thus, the stable of artists trusted Jan and Marshall completely.' 3 Together they amassed an extensive personal collection, contributing to the arts district in a way that reflected their genuine support and enthusiasm for local Australian artists. In 2019, Jan and Marshall relocated to Melbourne, settling into a light-filled, contemporary home in Albert Park. Paintings and sculptures filled every square inch of the house in a cacophony of colour. Amongst the patchwork salon hung two dynamic works by Ben Quilty painted in 2002 as the artist's career was beginning to erupt; Lot X and XX ennoble West Melbourne's monolithic docklands in blazing colours delightfully contained to pocket-sized canvases. Also hanging amidst the collection were two early abstract paintings by Guy Maestri, who exhibited with Harris Courtin Gallery in the early 2000s at the threshold of an esteemed career. In their private collection, as much as their gallery, Jan and Marshall perpetually advocated for emerging artists. Sadly, Jan passed away in August 2022, followed by Marshall in October of the same year. The family now offers the second instalment of the couple's beloved collection to the market, paying tribute to their legacy as unwavering supporters of contemporary Australian art. Footnotes: 1. Vale Jan Courtin, Published Aug 10, 2022; https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1194386/vale-jan-courtin 2. Alice Bradley, The red & white home of Swan for life Jan Courtin, 14 Aug 2017; https://www.realestate.com.au/lifestyle/the-red-white-home-of-swan-for-life-jan-courtin/ 3. Statement from Julie Cattlin, the sister of Jan Courtin.

    Gibson's
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973, Skull
    Mar. 27, 2024

    BEN QUILTY born 1973, Skull

    Est: $30,000 - $40,000

    PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, LONDON BEN QUILTY born 1973 Skull oil on linen 101.0 x 80.0 cm

    Menzies
  • BEN QUILTY (born 1973) The Daughter 2023 oil on linen 202 x 180cm
    Mar. 19, 2024

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) The Daughter 2023 oil on linen 202 x 180cm

    Est: $65,000 - $85,000

    BEN QUILTY (born 1973) The Daughter 2023 oil on linen signed, dated and titled verso: THE DAUGHTER Ben Quilty 2023 202 x 180cm PROVENANCE: Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne Private collection, Melbourne EXHIBITIONS: SHADOWED, Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne, 2 June - 1 July 2023 "Shadowed, is the articulation of human difference, whether that be in our mental states or in our appearance. The vacuums and shadows generated by these processes are utilised fully, expressive tools and not accessories to form. Meanwhile, The Daughter, a familiar face for the artist, hums with a sickly incandescence, and might have belonged in Laloux's Fantastic Planet (1973)." (excerpt, exhibition statement) OTHER NOTES: © Ben Quilty

    Leonard Joel
  • BEN QUILTY born 1973, Aftermath 2018
    Nov. 29, 2023

    BEN QUILTY born 1973, Aftermath 2018

    Est: $40,000 - $60,000

    BEN QUILTY born 1973 Aftermath 2018 oil on linen 143.0 x 132.5 cm; 145.5 x 135.5 cm (framed) signed, dated and inscribed verso: The Aftermath Ben Quilty 2018

    Menzies
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