Bob Ross Paintings Fetch Big at Auction

A pair of paintings by Bob Ross recently attracted a lot of attention, selling for significantly more than expected at an auction. These oil paintings, which showcase serene mountains and lakes, were part of Bonham’s American Art Online event, which wrapped up on August 7th.

One piece, titled “Snowy Mountains and Lake Under Cloudy Sky,” sold for an impressive $114,800—double its expected price. Another, “Snowy Mountains and Lake Under Clear Sky,” fetched $95,750, which was three times what auctioneers had predicted.

It’s interesting to think about how Bob Ross, known for his humble demeanor, would react to these skyrocketing prices. His focus was more on encouraging others to create than on the commercial value of his work. “He used to say things like, ‘You don’t want my paintings; you make your own,’” one source noted.

The paintings, produced between 1990 and 1991, generated excitement among bidders at the auction that started on July 28th. Their selling prices shattered Ross’s previous record of $55,000, set just a few weeks earlier for another landscape painting.

Ross, who passed away in 1995 at the young age of 52, gained fame through his PBS series, “The Joy of Painting,” which aired over 400 episodes from 1983 to 1994. The series, originally filmed in Florida, taught viewers about landscape painting.

The original paintings created for the show are typically owned by Bob Ross Inc. and don’t often make it to auction. Last year, only seven pieces sold for sums between $30,000 and $55,000, indicating a rising market. The latest sales represent a notable shift, marking a first in the auction world as they approached or exceeded $100,000.