Ruth Bernhard

American | 1905 - 2006

Ruth Bernhard was an American photographer who was born in 1905.

How much does a Ruth Bernhard cost?

Ruth Bernhard's work has been offered at auction multiple times, with realized prices of up to 37,000 USD for photographys, and 35,840 USD for prints & graphic arts.In the past 12 months, their photographs have averaged 1,913 USD.

What is Ruth Bernhard's most expensive photography?

Since 1998 the record price for this artist at auction is 37,000 USD for 'ruth bernhard', sold at Sotheby's New York in 2007.

Where can I see Ruth Bernhard's works?

Their work is currently being shown at multiple venues like Peter Fetterman Gallery in Los Angeles. Numerous key galleries and museums such as Crocker Art Museum have featured Ruth Bernhard's work in the past.

Ruth Bernhard in the news

Ruth Bernhard has been featured in articles for ARTFORUM, WHITEWALL and ArtDaily. The most recent article is REVIEW | Women Photographers 1900–1975: A Legacy of Light written for Artist Profile in March 2026. The artist died in 2006.

Artist's alternative names: Ruth Bernhardt

Featured for Sale

A dramatic black and white photograph of a nude figure lying on their back with light casting sharp shadows across the body.

Silk ,1968

By Ruth Bernhard

Lempertz, Cologne

A monochromatic close-up of a hand resting on textured sand.

Hand on Beach ,1946

By Ruth Bernhard

Chiswick Auctions

A black-and-white close-up of a human torso and hand, emphasizing soft curves and dramatic lighting.

Rockport Nude ,1974

By Ruth Bernhard

John Moran Auctioneers, Inc.

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At Auction

Notable Lots

Draped Torso ,1962

By Ruth Bernhard

+358%

above mid-estimate

10 Works: Ruth Bernhard

By Ruth Bernhard

-25%

below mid-estimate

'IN THE BOX - HORIZONTAL'

By Ruth Bernhard

+72%

above mid-estimate

VIEW 1,638 ARTWORKS

Upcoming Lots

Silk ,1968

By Ruth Bernhard

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A dramatic black-and-white portrait of a figure in shadow with a hat, featuring soft lighting and deep contrast.

Configuration, San Francisco, 1962 ,1962

By Ruth Bernhard

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A monochrome portrait of a nude figure with arms raised, rendered in soft focus.

Luminous Body ,1962

By Ruth Bernhard

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Recent Auction Results

A vintage wicker rocking chair casts an intricate shadow on a wooden porch wall.

American Rural Baroque

By Ruth Bernhard

-41%

below mid-estimate

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A black-and-white photograph of a torso with heavy shadows and motion blur.

Abstract Torso ,1947

By Ruth Bernhard

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A monochrome print of a nude figure resting inside a rectangular box.

Untitled ,1962

By Ruth Bernhard

-52%

below mid-estimate

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VIEW 1,636 AUCTION RESULTS

Current Exhibitions

New York City Never SLeeps

Peter Fetterman Gallery

Santa Monica | Los Angeles | California | USA

Jan 10, 2026 - May 16, 2026

Past Exhibitions

Modern Women / Modern Vision: Photographs from the Bank of America Collection

Hudson River Museum

Yonkers | New York | USA

Jan 30, 2026 - May 10, 2026

Icons In Hand: Masterworks from Local Collections

Vermont Center for Photography (VCP)

Brattleboro | Vermont | USA

Jan 09, 2026 - Mar 01, 2026

VIEW 70 EXHIBITIONS

Articles

REVIEW | Women Photographers 1900–1975: A Legacy of Light

Artist Profile Mar 20, 2026

A century of female photographers distilled: revelatory, rigorous, and yet sharply bounded by the 1900–1975 frame.

“Queer Lens: A History of Photography”

ARTFORUM Dec 01, 2025

In a photographic collage dated 1929–30, French writer and artist Claude Cahun portrayed herself as a many-headed creature.

Echoes of the Eye: Art as a Resonant Portal

WHITEWALL Nov 07, 2024

This collection, assembled by Olympia Napoléon and Arnaud Cabri-Wiltzer, is a testament to the intersections between the seen and the unseen, memory and impermanence.

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Coverage

“ .. Ruth Bernhard, known for her imagery of the female nude, primarily focused on the contrast of light and significance of line... ”
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Florida Museum of Photographic Arts

“ .. Regarded as one the greatest photographers of the female nude, Bernhard’s images are praised for their elegant study of the female form displayed in exquisitely printed traditional gelatin silver photographs... ”
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Peter Fetterman Gallery

“ ..Often surrealist though sharply focused, this rarely exhibited side of Bernhard’s photography presents an increasingly rare medium of masterful darkroom printing... ”
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Peter Fetterman Gallery

“ ..Bernhard’s presentation of the female nude came before the popularity of feminist photographers in the 1970s and portrays sincere and harmonic views of female form... ”
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Florida Museum of Photographic Arts

Ruth Bernhard

How much does a Ruth Bernhard cost?

What is Ruth Bernhard's most expensive photography?

Where can I see Ruth Bernhard's works?

Ruth Bernhard in the news

Featured for Sale

At Auction

Notable Lots

Upcoming Lots

Recent Auction Results

Current Exhibitions

Past Exhibitions

Articles

Artist Performance at Auction

All Lot Performance Against Estimates 2025

Average Price YOY Growth 2024 - 2025

Average Lot Values (and YOY change) 2025

Coverage

All Lot Performance Against Estimates
2025

Average Price YOY Growth
2024 - 2025

Average Lot Values (and YOY change)
2025