1. $250 million. The Card
Players by Paul Cézanne,2011.
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The exact price of The Card Players (even the
currency of sale) is not known, with estimates from $259 million to even $320
million. The Card Players is a series of oil paintings by the French
Post-Impressionist artist Paul Cézanne. Painted during Cézanne’s final period
in the early 1890s, there are five paintings in the series. Keep in mind though
guys, the Royal Family of Qatar didn’t buy the series – they bought just that
one painting for ~259 million). The series is considered by critics to be a
cornerstone of Cézanne’s art during the early-to-mid 1890s period, as well as a
„prelude“ to his final years, when he painted some of his most acclaimed
work.The models for the paintings were local farm hands, some of whom worked on
the Cézanne family estate, the Jas de Bouffan. Each scene is depicted as one of
quiet, still concentration; the men look down at their cards rather than at
each other, with the cards being perhaps their sole means of communication
outside of work. One critic described the scenes as „human still life“, while
another speculated that the men’s intense focus on their game mirrors that of
the painter’s absorption in his art.
2. $155 million. La Rêve
(The Dream) by Pablo Picasso, 1932.
„La Rêve (The Dream)“ is one of Picasso’s most sensual
and famous paintings, depicting her lover Marie-Therese Walter sitting on a red
armchair with her eyes closed. In 2006, Steve Wynn agreed to sell the painting
to Steven Cohen for $139 million, but the sale was cancelled when Mr. Wynn
accidentally damaged the work.
3. $142,4 million. Three
Studies of Lucian Freud by Francis Bacon, 1969.
Not only the most expensive painting ever auctioned, but
also a record for a contemporary work of art. Christie’s explained that when
this work was painted, „the relationship between Freud and Bacon was at its
apex“.
4. $140,000,000. Jackson
Pollock – No.5, 1948.
It is claimed by the New York Times that this painting
was sold by David Geffen (of Geffen Records), to David Martinez (managing
partner of Fintech Advisory). However, a press release issued on behalf of
Martinez states that he didn’t actually purchase the painting. So the truth is
shrouded in mystery, and it can only be rumored to have sold for a
record-breaking $140 million.
5. $137,500,000. Willem de
Kooning – Woman III.
Another painting sold by Geffen in 2006, but this time
bought by billionaire Steven A. Cohen. It is part of a series of 6 painted by
de Kooning in the period of 1951-53, which revolved around the theme of a
woman, and is allegedly the only Woman still in private hands.
6. $135,000,000. Gustav
Klimt – Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I.
This was sold by Maria Altmann, who – after a lengthy and
complicated court battle – was deemed rightful owner of this Klimt and several
others. Altmann was named as an inheritor of the painting in the will of by the
widowed husband of the model herself, despite the efforts of the Austrian
State, as Adele Bloch-Bauer had originally left the painting to the State
Gallery in her own will. The painting was bought by Ronald Lauder for his Neue
Galerie in New York, to be the centerpiece of a collection of Jewish-owned art
rescued from the Nazi looting that took place in the Second World War.
7. $119.9 million. The
Scream by Edvard Munch, 1895
This iconic work was the most expensive painting ever
sold at auction until it was surpassed by Bacon’s „Three Studies of Lucian
Freud“. The work is the most colorful of the four versions of Edvard Munch’s
masterpiece „The Scream“, and the only one still in private hands.
8. $110 million. Flag by
Jasper Johns, 1958
„Flags“ are Jasper Johns most famous works. The artist
painted his first American flag in 1954–55, a work now at the MoMA.
9. $106.5 million. Nude,
Green Leaves and Bust by Pablo Picasso, 1932.
This sensual and colorful masterpiece is the most
expensive work by Picasso ever sold at auction. The work, formerly in the
collection of Mrs. Sidney F. Brody, had been never exhibited in public since
1961.
10. $105.4 million. Silver
Car Crash [Double Disaster] by Andy Warhol, 1932.
The most expensive work by the most famous legend of Pop
Art, Andy Warhol’s monumental „Silver Car Crash“ was the star of the
Contemporary Art evening sale at Sotheby’s.
11. $104,200,000. Pablo
Picasso – Garçon à la pipe.
So far the highest price a painting has ever fetched at
auction (as the others were all sold privately), and was the first painting to
break the $100 million barrier (it was sold in 2004, whilst 1-3 were all in
2006). The strange thing is that it was never made public as to who expressed
such an interest in Picasso’s portrait of a smoking Parisian.
12. $95,200,000. Pablo
Picasso – Dora Maar au Chat.
Another Picasso, the second highest price ever fetched at
auction, and another anonymous buyer. Auctioned in 2006, a mysterious Russian
bidder took this home (along with a Monet and a Chagall, spending over $100
million) and no one has since found out who he was. The ownership of the
painting has still not been made public.
13. $87,900,000. Gustav
Klimt – Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II.
The only model to be painted twice by Klimt and sold a
few months after the first version, this portrait of Bloch-Bauer was part of a
lot in 2006 of four Klimt paintings that went on to fetch a total of $192
million. Buyer unknown. Click Here and go compare other paintings by Gustav
Klimt.
14. $86,300,000. Francis
Bacon – Triptych, 1976.
Breaking the previous sale record of his work ($52.68
million), Bacon’s 3-piece masterpiece was sold to Russian billionaire Roman
Abramovich, smashing the previous estimate of $70 million.
15. $82,500,000. Vincent
van Gogh – Portrait of Dr. Gachet.
Up for auction in 1990 and purchased by Japanese
businessman Ryoei Saito, this was – at the time- the most expensive painting in
the world. Saito (then 75) caused controversy at the time, stating that when he
died, he’d have the painting cremated along with him. This was later cleared up
as he claimed that he was only using the expression to show his intense
affection for it.
16. $80,000,000. Jasper Johns
– False Start.
Another painting formerly owned by Geffen and allegedly
sold to CEO of the Citadel Investment Group, Kenneth C. Griffin, making it the
most expensive painting to be sold by a living artist, the iconic Jasper Johns.
17. $80 million. Turquoise
Marilyn by Andy Warhol, 1964-2007.
Bought by Mr. Steve Cohen, the price was not confirmed
but is generally accepted to be true.
18. $78,100,000.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir – Le Moulin de la Galette.
At the time of its sale in 1990, it was the second most
expensive painting ever sold. This masterpiece even went to the same person
that bought number one at the time, Daishowa Paper Manufacturing Co. chairman
Ryoei Saito. Again, he wanted this one cremated with him as well, but his
companies ran into problems with loans and debt so it had to be sold on as
collateral.
19. $76.7 million.
Massacre of the innocents by Peter Paul Ruben, 1610.
Bought by Kenneth Thompson at Sotheby’s London, July
2002. The flamboyant and dramatic work by Rubens – though recently some voices
discussing its authenticity have been heard could also fight for the title of
„most unexpected success“: Christie’s had estimated its price at a mere £5
million.
20. $75.1 million. No 1 (Royal Red and Blue) by Mark Rothko, 2012.
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