The Top 10 Most Expensive Paintings In The World
A painting's worth is typically based on its rarity, historical relevance, and overall quality of execution, all of which have long served as symbols of beauty and expression in society.
Some paintings are so revered in the art world that their value can skyrocket into millions. Collectors and museums all across the world compete for these masterpieces, which are typically the work of the greatest artists in history.
This article delves into the history and justifications for the exorbitant prices of the top 10 most expensive paintings in the world.
1. Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci painted Salvator Mundi, which translates as "Savior of the World" in Latin. Jesus Christ is shown in the painting clutching a crystal orb that represents Earth in his other hand while his other hand is lifted in a gesture of blessing.
The artwork, which had been lost for centuries before its rediscovery in 2005, is widely considered to have been created by Leonardo da Vinci between 1490 and 1519.
The painting was displayed in London's National Gallery in 2011 following thorough conservation, authentication, and study. With its record-breaking sale at Christie's in New York City in 2017, Salvator Mundi became the most expensive painting ever sold at auction for $450.3 million.
It is believed that Mohammed bin Salman, a royal of Saudi Arabia, bought the painting for himself. Some art experts questioned the legitimacy of Salvator Mundi and its condition after it was sold, sparking much debate in the art world.
Some, however, defend the painting's exorbitant cost by saying it is a true masterpiece and a rare surviving work by Leonardo da Vinci.
100 Most Famous Paintings In The World [Masterpieces Of Art]
2. Interchange by Willem de Kooning
In 1955, Dutch-American artist Willem de Kooning painted Interchange, a massive abstract expressionist work. The artwork has vivid colors and broad, forceful brushstrokes typical of de Kooning, who often combined figurative and abstract elements in his work.
One of the most expensive paintings ever sold, Interchange was purchased by hedge fund billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin in September 2015 for an astounding $300 million.
This work is exemplary of de Kooning's "Women" series, which explored female subjects through the use of abstract forms that often melted into one another in a frenetic manner.
Particularly lauded for capturing the vitality and dynamic of de Kooning's style, Interchange stands out for its use of vivid color and strong brushwork. The painting's high selling price is indicative of its standing as a seminal piece in the development of modern art.
3. The Card Players by Paul CĂ©zanne
Paul CĂ©zanne, a French post-impressionist, painted a series of oil paintings titled The Card Players in the early 1890s. There are a total of five paintings in the series, and they all depict guys playing cards in a rural location.
The compositions are rendered in a muted color palette of browns and blues. One of the five paintings in the series reportedly sold for $250 million to the Royal Family of Qatar in 2011. This makes it one of the most expensive paintings ever sold.
George Embiricos, a Greek shipping entrepreneur, bought the painting in the late 1990s and later sold it. One of CĂ©zanne's most significant contributions to the growth of modern art is his series The Card Players, which is widely recognized as a masterpiece of the artist's mature style.
CĂ©zanne thought that color should be utilized to portray the world's underlying geometric structure, therefore his paintings are famous for their composition and use of color to do just that.
The series' depiction of rural peasants playing a straightforward card game has been read as a critique of the ostentatious excesses and moral compromises of contemporary culture.
The Top 22 Abstract Paintings In The World [Famous Artworks]
4. Nafea Faa Ipoipo by Paul Gauguin
The French post-impressionist Paul Gauguin painted Nafea Faa Ipoipo in 1892. The title translates to "When Will You Marry?" in Tahitian. Two young Tahitian women dressed traditionally sit in front of a tropical landscape in this artwork.
One of the most expensive paintings ever sold was Nafea Faa Ipoipo, which was purchased by a Qatari for an estimated $210 million in 2015. Swiss art dealer Rudolf Staechelin bought the artwork from the Staechelin family, who had kept it in their family for nearly a century before selling it.
Nafea Faa Ipoipo is widely regarded as one of Gauguin's finest works, and it serves as an apt symbol of the artist's abiding interest in Tahitian life and culture. Gauguin's love of primitivism and exoticism is reflected in the painting's vivid colors and simplistic forms.
The subject matter of the painting, depicting two young women with dreamy expressions, has been regarded as a representation of Gauguin's longing for a simpler and more primitive way of existence, free from the limitations of modern society.
5. Number 17A by Jackson Pollock
Number 17A, painted by American abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock in 1948, is widely regarded as a classic in the genre. The painting's chaotic and kinetic composition is achieved using a sequence of overlapping drips and splatters of paint on a big canvas.
One of the most expensive paintings ever sold was "Number 17A," which was purchased privately in 2016 for an estimated $200 million. David Geffen, an industry entrepreneur and art collector, reportedly sold the picture for $10 million. Geffen had purchased it in 1994.
During his "drip period," when he perfected his characteristic method of dripping and pouring paint over the canvas, Pollock created what is largely considered to be one of his most important works, Number 17A.
The painting's scale, vitality, and intricacy have made it an icon of the abstract expressionist movement and a touchstone of modern art.
6. No. 6 (Violet, Green, and Red) by Mark Rothko
Mark Rothko, an American artist, created the groundbreaking abstract expressionist work No. 6 (Violet, Green, and Red) in 1951. Large, overlapping blocks of violet, green, and red make up the painting's primary color fields.
An estimated $186 million was paid at auction in 2014 for No. 6 (Violet, Green, and Red), making it one of the most expensive paintings ever sold. After socialite Rachel "Bunny" Mellon passed away in the 1970s, the artwork was put up for auction by her estate.
Rothko's artistic style, which stressed the emotional impact of color and shape, is epitomized in No. 6 (Violet, Green, and Red), widely regarded as a masterwork.
The purpose of the painting is to encourage introspection and immersion through the use of broad, abstract fields of color that invite the observer to consider the relationship between shape and tone.
7. Les Femmes d'Alger ("Version O") by Pablo Picasso
Picasso's 1955 work Les Femmes d'Alger (also known as "Version O") is a brilliant example of the cubist style. Picasso painted this in a series of fifteen paintings in inspired by Eugène Delacroix's Ladies of Algiers in Their Apartment, which was completed in 1834.
One of the most expensive paintings ever sold at auction was Les Femmes d'Alger ("Version O") in 2015, which fetched a then-record $179.4 million. Christie's auction house sold the artwork to an unidentified buyer.
Abstracted people and objects are organized in a densely layered space within the painting's intricate arrangement of geometric elements. Picasso's cubist style, which sought to dismantle static ideas of perspective and representation, is reflected in the bold colors and kinetic forms.
Picasso's version is a radical break from the Orientalist traditions of the 19th century, yet the title alludes to the women of Algiers who figure in Delacroix's original piece. Instead, the picture illustrates Picasso's preoccupation with the female form and his admiration of African and tribal art.
The high price at which Picasso's Les Femmes d'Alger (in its "Version O") is testimony to the artist's enduring legacy and the enduring interest in his pioneering contributions to the creation of modern art.
10 Famous Impressionist Artists and Paintings
8. Nu Couché by Amedeo Modigliani
The Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani painted the sensual and highly stylized artwork Nu Couché in 1917. Modigliani's trademark elongated style, with reduced features and a sinuous body, is on full display in this work of a reclining naked woman.
At the time of its sale in 2015, Nu Couché was one of the most expensive paintings ever sold at auction, fetching $170.4 million. Christie's auction company made a deal with a Chinese buyer to sell the painting.
This work exemplifies Modigliani's distinctive artistic fusion of African and classical antiquity with modern avant-gardism. Modigliani's fascination with the sensuality and beauty of the human body is reflected in the elongated, slender shape of the figure.
Nu Couché stands different from other works in the female nude genre due to its stylized and extremely individual style.
9. Masterpiece by Roy Lichtenstein
Roy Lichtenstein, an American pop artist, painted "Masterpiece" in 1962. This is one in a series of paintings by Lichtenstein that were inspired by photographs and the intersection of high and low art forms.
Lichtenstein's signature style, which mimicked the mechanical procedures of commercial printing, is on full display here in the form of a large-scale rendition of a brushstroke.
The painting's graphic design and vivid colors are hallmarks of the pop art movement, which explored how mass media and consumer society impact our understanding of the world.
The satirical and self-referential title, "Masterpiece," refers to the painting's own commentary on artistic genius and the value of fine art in a society that places more and more emphasis on mass production and consumerist values. The high price of $165 million at which Masterpiece was sold is evidence of the enduring appeal of Lichtenstein's works.
10. Untitled by Jean-Michel Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat's Untitled (1982) is a landmark work of art. Basquiat's painting is known for its raw energy, bright colors, and eclectic mix of cultural influences.
As of its auction sale in 2017, Untitled held the record for the highest price paid for an American artist's work at $110.5 million. Sotheby's auction house made the sale to Japanese collector and businessman Yusaku Maezawa.
The painting's frenzied composition of abstract shapes, bold lines, and broken text alludes to a wide variety of artistic and musical traditions, from African art to jazz to graffiti. A signature of Basquiat's distinctive artistic style is the use of bold colors and impromptu brushwork to convey a sense of movement and energy.
Basquiat's work reveals his acute knowledge of social and political issues of his period, such as racial inequality, economic imbalance, and the power dynamics of the art industry, despite the apparent disarray of the painting's surface.
In Conclusion
Paintings that sell for millions of dollars have to be exceptional, and the most expensive ones in the world certainly are. Art lovers and collectors alike can't get enough of these masterpieces, and their sky-high prices accurately represent their cultural and artistic value.
These works of art, from Leonardo da Vinci's exquisite Salvator Mundi to Mark Rothko's strong abstract No. 6 (Violet, Green, and Red), reveal something about the artistic potential of humans and the transformative influence of art over time.