Vincent van Gogh once said “If I am worth anything later, I am worth something now. For wheat is wheat, even if people think it is a grass in the beginning.” While this great painter produced thousands of paintings during his life, he only managed to sell one. He understood it, but it took many years before humanity could appreciate the value of his art, and do justice to his works. Today, many priceless works of art from great masters are displayed in museum collections around the world, and selling these is simply out of the question.
Classic and contemporary works of art in private collections, however, are considered important investment instruments, and some of these have been sold at mind-blowing prices.
Do you wonder which paintings have reached the highest sale prices to date? Let's take a little informative tour about the top eight most expensive paintings, their stories and selling prices.
8. Masterpiece
Roy Lichtenstein
$165 million
One of the most famous painters of the 20th century, Roy Lichtenstein was influenced by various art movements including Cubism and Abstract Expressionism. He developed his style, which would bring him great fame, in his late 30s. The drawings he created using Ben-Day dots and comic-book panels made him one of the pioneers of the Pop Art movement. His 1962 painting Masterpiece has become an iconic image of pop culture. It was bought by American investor and contemporary art collector Steve A. Cohen for $165 million in 2017.
7. Pendant Portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit
Rembrandt
$180 million
The pendant portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit are a pair of full-length portraits painted by Rembrandt on occasion of the marriage of the couple in 1634. Although the subjects of the portraits, both of whom members of wealthy Amsterdam families, are depicted individually, the portraits have always been kept together since their creation. The portraits are also stand apart from Rembrandt’s other works due to their size. The paintings were part of the Rothschild family’s collection before being auctioned in 2015 and were jointly bought by the Louvre Museum in France and the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands for $180 million. .
6. No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red)
Mark Rothko
$186 million
Painted in 1951 by abstract expressionist Mark Rothko, No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red) is similar to the artist's other works from this period with its large expanses of color separated by irregular and hazy shades. What makes the painting different is the story of its sale. In 2014, it was bought for a record-breaking $186 million by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev via Yves Bouvier. However, Bouvier was later subject to an international lawsuit, alleging that he defrauded his clients by misrepresenting the original cost of art works and subsequently overcharging them.
5. Number 17A
Jackson Pollock
$200 million
Number 5 on the list of the world’s most expensive paintings is Jackson Pollock’s Number 17A. It is oil paint on fiberboard, painted a year after Jackson Pollock introduced his famous drip technique. The abundance of paint creates a complex vortex of colors that makes impossible to differentiate the top and bottom layers, while three parallel white brushstrokes grab the attention. Initially, Pollock’s drip paintings were met with public scrutiny and had low value in art markets, but in time, the painter was given his rightful place in the world of art. In 2015, the painting was sold by the David Geffen Foundation to Kenneth C. Griffin, an American hedge fund manager and billionaire, for $200 million.
4. Nafea Faa Ipoipo
Paul Gauguin
$210 million
“Nafea faa ipoipo”, meaning “When will you marry?” in Tahitian, is an oil painting from 1892 by the French post-impressionist artist Paul Gauguin. It belongs to a period in the artist’s life during which he travelled to Tahiti in the hopes of finding “an edenic paradise where he could create pure, primitive art” but could not find what he imagined since Tahiti had already been colonized. The painting’s name comes from the white flower behind the ear of the young woman on the painting. The painting was sold in 2015 by the family of Rudolf Staechelin to Sheika Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, sister of Qatar’s Emir, for $210 million.
3. The Card Players
Paul Cézanne
$250 million
The French master Paul Cézanne's work is credited with bridging the gap from 19th century Impressionism to 20th century Cubism. Considered the cornerstone of the artist’s final period, The Card Players is actually a series of five paintings. Painted between 1890 and 1895, these oil paintings vary in size. Today, while they are occasionally displayed together in exhibitions, the paintings are part of different collections. The one that is listed among one of the most expensive paintings in the world was sold to the Royal Family of Qatar, who paid Greek shipping magnate George Embiricos $250 million for the work of art.
2. Interchange
Willem de Kooning
$300 million
Painted by Dutch-American abstract painter Willem de Kooning, Interchange is the second most expensive painting in this list. The painting’s name comes from the neighborhood where the artist was living at that time in New York City. A painting’s story certainly plays a great role in determining its price. Interchange, just like Number 17A by Pollock, represents the birth of abstract expressionism, the first American modern art movement. For this reason, it is not surprising that both paintings were bought by the same person for record-breaking prices. Originally sold by the artist in 1955 for $4,000, the painting was sold by the David Geffen Foundation to Kenneth C. Griffin for $300 million in September 2015.
1. Salvator Mundi
Leonardo da Vinci
$450.3 million
The most expensive painting of the world, Salvator Mundi (“Savior of the World”) has an intriguing story that befits its value and fame. The painting is considered by many to be an original work by Leonardo da Vinci, although this has been disputed by others. It is believed to have been commissioned by the French Royal Family in early 1500s. The painting depicts Jesus in a blue Renaissance dress, making the sign of the cross with his right hand while holding a transparent orb in his left. Just like other works by da Vinci, the painting contains numerous iconographic details studied extensively by experts.
The painting embarked on its first journey in the 1600s, accompanying Princess Henrietta Maria to England. Its location between the 18th and the 20th century was not documented. Salvator Mundi was rediscovered in the early 1900s, and was sold at an auction in 1958 for £50, remaining out of public eye. Later on, it was presented and acquired in an auction for a relatively cheap price by two Americans in 2005. Examinations of the painting indicated that, while the painting might not have been a Leonardo original, it was from the same workshop, with da Vinci applying the final touches. In an unexpected turn of events, the painting was sold at an auction for a record price of $450.3 million in 2017 to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. It was announced that the painting would be displayed at Louvre Abu Dhabi, but the exhibition was postponed indefinitely. Its current whereabouts are unknown.
There are approximately thirty copies and variations of the work by students and followers of Leonardo. Preparatory chalk and ink drawings of the drapery by Leonardo are held in the British Royal Collection.
You May Be Also Interested
