MOST EXPENSIVE PAINTINGS IN THE WORLD EVER AUCTIONED.............................
10. Nude, Green Leaves and Bust, 1932
Painter: Pablo Picasso
Auctioned Price: $106.5 million
This masterpiece of Picasso is believed to have been inspired from his mistress and the muse. It measures more than five feet and the canvas is painted in electrifying blue and prominent lilac shades.
It was completed in 1932 and Frances Brody bought this masterpiece in 1951. Till the first ten years, this masterpiece was not exhibited for the public untill the eve of Picasso’s eightieth birthday.
After the death of Brody, it was auctioned for $206.5 million. At present, this masterpiece is at Tate Modern, London.
9.The Scream, 1895Painter: Edvard Munch
Auctioned Price: $119.9 million
This painting belongs to the period 1893-1910. Expressionist artist Edvar Munch created this masterpiece with the name ‘Der Schrei der Natur’ which means ‘The Scream of Nature’. Edvar crated four versions of this masterpiece.
The fourth version was auctioned for $119.9 million on May 2, 2012 and Leon Black won the bid. From October 2012 to April, 2013, ‘The Scream’ was on display at New York’s ‘useum of Modern Art’.
This masterpiece, portraying an agonized figure standing in the landscape under a furious orange sky has been compared with the most mysterious painting of all times, ‘Mona Lisa’ .
8. Garçon à la Pipe, 1904
Painter: Pablo Picasso
Auctioned Price: $104.1 million
Picasso completed ‘Garçon à la Pipe’ at the age of 24. He was living in Paris, France while he was working on this painting. This painting portrays a Parisian boy with a pipe in his hand.
Deciding the position of the boy, the angle and height of the canvas and how to give the finishing touch to the masterpiece became tough for Picasso. Thus, he took one month time to decide and finally came up with the idea of putting a garland on the boy’s head.
In 1950, John Hay Whitney bought this painting in an auction for $30,000. After more than fifty years, in 2004, this painting was again auctioned for $104.1 million in New York City.
7. Bal du moulin de la Galette, 1876
Painter: Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Auctioned Price: $140.3 million
‘Bal du moulin de la Galette’, also known as the ‘Dance at Le moulin de la Galette’, belongs to French artist, Pierre-Auguste Renoir. He completed this painting in 1876.
Depicting a Sunday evening at the Moulin de la Galette, this painting is one of the distinguished paintings of all time.
During 1879-1894, French painter Gustave Caillebotte was the proud possessor of this painting. After his death, it went into the custody of French Republic. After a list of buyers, this painting was finally bought by Ryoei Saito in May 17, 1990 for $140.3 million.
6. Portrait of Dr. Gachet, 1890
Painter: Vincent van Gogh
Auctioned Price: $148.3 million
This is one of the acclaimed paintings in terms of affection and religious beliefs. Dutch artist, Vincent van Gogh painted this masterpiece in June, 1890 in two versions. ‘Portrait of Dr. Gachet’ portrayed Dr. Gachet sitting at a table with his head leaned against his right arm.
This masterpiece was first sold for 300 francs in 1897. Since then, it had several owners and finally on May 15, 1990, the honorary art collector Ryoei Saito bought this painting in an auction for $148.3 million.
5. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, 1970
Painter: Gustav Klimt
Auctioned Price: $154.5 million
This was the most expensive painting in the world till October, 2006. Ronald Lauder bought painting on June 18, 2006 for $154.5 million.
‘Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I’ is a painting that belong to Gustav Klimt. He completed this painting in 1907, Vienna. It took him three years to complete this painting.
This painting measures 138x138 cm and is painted with oil and is decorated with gold. It depicts the minute and complex ornamentation of the Jugendstil style.
4. Le Rêve, 1932
Painter: Pablo Picasso
Auctioned Price: $155 million
Once again, Pablo Picasso tops the list with his ‘Le Rêve’, a 1932 oil painting. By the time, Picasso completed this painting, he was 50 years old. Picasso completed this masterpiece in a single afternoon, January 24, 1932.
This painting has received a mixed review for the critics and has been also one of the most noted paintings of all time.
Victor and Sally Gan was the first buyer of this painting. They purchased ‘Le Rêve’ in 1941 for $7,000. In the recent times, Steven A. Cohen is the owner of this painting. He paid $155 million on March 26, 2013 to have this painting.
3. Woman III, 1951-1953
Painter: Willem de Kooning
Auctioned Price: $137.5 million
‘Woman III’ is the creation of Willem de Kooning. It is estimated that he completed this painting between 1951 and 1953. The exact time is not known by anyone.
In a canvas of 1.7x1.23 meter, Kooning has shown a woman as the main theme of the painting. Though this painting was on display in the ‘Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art collection’, it was withdrawn from public display in 1979.
Steven A. Cohen purchased this masterpiece on November 18, 2006 for $137.5 million.
2. No. 5, 1948
Painter: Jackson Pollock
Auctioned Price: $140 million
One of the known personas from the ‘Abstract Expressionist Movement’, Jackson Pollock painted this masterpiece in 1948. This is an 8x4’ painting. He completed this painting on a fiberboard using brown and yellow paints.
Samuel Irving Newhouse, Jr owned this painting and it was on display at the Museum of Modern Art. On November, 2006, this painting was purchased by David Martinez in an undisclosed auction for $140 million.
However, there are lots of controversies over the ownership of this masterpiece.
1. The Card Players, 1890
Painter: Paul Cézanne
Auctioned Price: $267.4 million
‘The Card Players’, created by French artist Paul Cézanne, created history on April, 2011 after it was auctioned for $267.4 million to the Royal Family of Qatar.
This painting was completed in the early 1890s. Originally, it was one of the paintings from a series of five paintings. All the versions came in different sizes and the numbers of card players were also different. Of the paintings from this series, created history in 2011 after it was auctioned for more than $250 million.
Over the last few centuries, the world has seen several masterpieces of art and these pieces of art have also been well appreciated by the admirers. For the admirers, paying millions for their favorite piece of art is not an obstacle.
10. Nude, Green Leaves and Bust, 1932Painter: Pablo Picasso
Auctioned Price: $106.5 million
This masterpiece of Picasso is believed to have been inspired from his mistress and the muse. It measures more than five feet and the canvas is painted in electrifying blue and prominent lilac shades.
It was completed in 1932 and Frances Brody bought this masterpiece in 1951. Till the first ten years, this masterpiece was not exhibited for the public untill the eve of Picasso’s eightieth birthday.
After the death of Brody, it was auctioned for $206.5 million. At present, this masterpiece is at Tate Modern, London.
9.The Scream, 1895Painter: Edvard Munch
Auctioned Price: $119.9 millionThis painting belongs to the period 1893-1910. Expressionist artist Edvar Munch created this masterpiece with the name ‘Der Schrei der Natur’ which means ‘The Scream of Nature’. Edvar crated four versions of this masterpiece.
The fourth version was auctioned for $119.9 million on May 2, 2012 and Leon Black won the bid. From October 2012 to April, 2013, ‘The Scream’ was on display at New York’s ‘useum of Modern Art’.
This masterpiece, portraying an agonized figure standing in the landscape under a furious orange sky has been compared with the most mysterious painting of all times, ‘Mona Lisa’ .
8. Garçon à la Pipe, 1904Painter: Pablo Picasso
Auctioned Price: $104.1 million
Picasso completed ‘Garçon à la Pipe’ at the age of 24. He was living in Paris, France while he was working on this painting. This painting portrays a Parisian boy with a pipe in his hand.
Deciding the position of the boy, the angle and height of the canvas and how to give the finishing touch to the masterpiece became tough for Picasso. Thus, he took one month time to decide and finally came up with the idea of putting a garland on the boy’s head.
In 1950, John Hay Whitney bought this painting in an auction for $30,000. After more than fifty years, in 2004, this painting was again auctioned for $104.1 million in New York City.
7. Bal du moulin de la Galette, 1876Painter: Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Auctioned Price: $140.3 million
‘Bal du moulin de la Galette’, also known as the ‘Dance at Le moulin de la Galette’, belongs to French artist, Pierre-Auguste Renoir. He completed this painting in 1876.
Depicting a Sunday evening at the Moulin de la Galette, this painting is one of the distinguished paintings of all time.
During 1879-1894, French painter Gustave Caillebotte was the proud possessor of this painting. After his death, it went into the custody of French Republic. After a list of buyers, this painting was finally bought by Ryoei Saito in May 17, 1990 for $140.3 million.
6. Portrait of Dr. Gachet, 1890Painter: Vincent van Gogh
Auctioned Price: $148.3 million
This is one of the acclaimed paintings in terms of affection and religious beliefs. Dutch artist, Vincent van Gogh painted this masterpiece in June, 1890 in two versions. ‘Portrait of Dr. Gachet’ portrayed Dr. Gachet sitting at a table with his head leaned against his right arm.
This masterpiece was first sold for 300 francs in 1897. Since then, it had several owners and finally on May 15, 1990, the honorary art collector Ryoei Saito bought this painting in an auction for $148.3 million.
5. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, 1970Painter: Gustav Klimt
Auctioned Price: $154.5 million
This was the most expensive painting in the world till October, 2006. Ronald Lauder bought painting on June 18, 2006 for $154.5 million.
‘Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I’ is a painting that belong to Gustav Klimt. He completed this painting in 1907, Vienna. It took him three years to complete this painting.
This painting measures 138x138 cm and is painted with oil and is decorated with gold. It depicts the minute and complex ornamentation of the Jugendstil style.
4. Le Rêve, 1932Painter: Pablo Picasso
Auctioned Price: $155 million
Once again, Pablo Picasso tops the list with his ‘Le Rêve’, a 1932 oil painting. By the time, Picasso completed this painting, he was 50 years old. Picasso completed this masterpiece in a single afternoon, January 24, 1932.
This painting has received a mixed review for the critics and has been also one of the most noted paintings of all time.
Victor and Sally Gan was the first buyer of this painting. They purchased ‘Le Rêve’ in 1941 for $7,000. In the recent times, Steven A. Cohen is the owner of this painting. He paid $155 million on March 26, 2013 to have this painting.
3. Woman III, 1951-1953Painter: Willem de Kooning
Auctioned Price: $137.5 million
‘Woman III’ is the creation of Willem de Kooning. It is estimated that he completed this painting between 1951 and 1953. The exact time is not known by anyone.
In a canvas of 1.7x1.23 meter, Kooning has shown a woman as the main theme of the painting. Though this painting was on display in the ‘Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art collection’, it was withdrawn from public display in 1979.
Steven A. Cohen purchased this masterpiece on November 18, 2006 for $137.5 million.
2. No. 5, 1948Painter: Jackson Pollock
Auctioned Price: $140 million
One of the known personas from the ‘Abstract Expressionist Movement’, Jackson Pollock painted this masterpiece in 1948. This is an 8x4’ painting. He completed this painting on a fiberboard using brown and yellow paints.
Samuel Irving Newhouse, Jr owned this painting and it was on display at the Museum of Modern Art. On November, 2006, this painting was purchased by David Martinez in an undisclosed auction for $140 million.
However, there are lots of controversies over the ownership of this masterpiece.
1. The Card Players, 1890Painter: Paul Cézanne
Auctioned Price: $267.4 million
‘The Card Players’, created by French artist Paul Cézanne, created history on April, 2011 after it was auctioned for $267.4 million to the Royal Family of Qatar.
This painting was completed in the early 1890s. Originally, it was one of the paintings from a series of five paintings. All the versions came in different sizes and the numbers of card players were also different. Of the paintings from this series, created history in 2011 after it was auctioned for more than $250 million.
