The prints and multiples market is experiencing a significant transformation, driven by an influx of new collectors and a shift in taste toward historically significant works. Artnet Auctions data shows that 50% of prints and multiples lots sold between 2020 and 2025 went to first-time buyers on their platform. This surge in demand is coinciding with major events like the IFPDA Print Fair and Artnet's own Premier Prints and Multiples sale, which features works from modern masters like Frank Stella and Jeff Koons.
This shift matters because it reflects broader changes in the art market's collector base and aesthetic preferences. While contemporary prints have seen a decline in auction sales since a 2021 peak, modern prints by artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Picasso are seeing robust, steady demand. Collectors are becoming more discerning, favoring classic, historically important material over newer work, which is reshaping pricing and availability within this traditionally accessible collecting category.