Today, having access to biography and stories from the lives of painters, it is known that many of them did not have prestige and recognition in life and only after their death, or many years later, did a notable interest in their works arise.
Thus, painters like Vincent Van Gogh It is Paul Gauguin are examples of this post mortem recognition, so much so that his paintings are currently on the list of most expensive works of art in history and when they were alive they only received criticism and none recognition.
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In addition to this fact, it is noted that works of art are highly appreciated in the contemporary world and some works cost nearly half a billion dollars, such as the work of leonardo da vinci which was auctioned for $450.3 million dollars.
The works of art are unique in their existence, transmitting different emotions, showing their beauties and details. Thus, they become fascinating works, and appreciating them ends up becoming art. Therefore, some people pay real fortunes to own some works.
With that, amid so much beauty, talent and such high values, we made a list with details of the 21 most expensive works of art in history. Check out!
Most Expensive Works of Art in History
1 Salvator Mundi, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci – $450.3 million (2017)
A most expensive painting ever is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, made around the year 1500. This painting was missing for nearly a century until it was found in 2005.
Furthermore, this is the only work by Da Vinci that is not in museums and churches. Therefore, this is the most expensive work of all time, sold for US$ 450.3 million dollars in 2017.
The purchase was made anonymously, but reports say it was linked to Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Culture.
2 Interchange – Willem de Kooning – $300 million (2015)
The painter Willem de Kooning is one of the biggest names in abstract expressionism and this is his most valuable work. your work after Second World War, represents the disillusionment that the painter had with the world and its “ugly” reality.
The painting sold for around $300 million dollars and represents the most expensive contemporary painting in history. The buyer of this work is Kenneth C. Griffin, who made a billionaire purchase by purchasing this painting along with Jackson Pollock's "Number 17A".
3 Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will You Marry?), by Paul Gauguin – $300 million (2014)
French painter Paul Gauguin, on a visit to Tahiti, found a refuge with beautiful bright colors and a population devastated by colonization. From that, he found inspiration to paint his paintings and, thus, his painting “Nafea Faa Ipoipo” (When will you marry?).
With that, he portrayed the beauty of Tahitian women. The painting was purchased for US$210 million by Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, president of the Qatar Museums Authority.
At the time, it even broke the record for the most expensive work in history.
4 The Card Players, by Paul Cézanne – $250 million (2011)
The painter Paul Cézanne made five versions of the painting The Card Players, and this one acquired by the royal family of Qatar is the fifth version of the work.
The real value for which the painting was sold is not disclosed, but it is estimated to be close to US$ 250 million dollars.
5 Number 17A, by Jackson Pollock – $200 million (2015)
This work by Jackson Pollock presents his dripping aesthetic, highly valued and the greatest name of the expressionist movement. This is the most valuable work of the painter, bought for US$ 200 million in 2015, by the same buyer of “Interchange”.
6 At the. 6 (Violet, Green and Red), by Mark Rothko – $186 million (2014)
This work was painted in 1951 by the artist Mark Rothko, representing abstract expressionist art, being part of a series of works by the painter with similar aesthetics.
The painting sold for $186 million.
7 Pendant portraits of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Cockpit, by Rembrandt – $180 million (2015)
These two paintings were created together on the occasion of the wedding of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit in 1634. Despite being independent portraits, the work was never separated and the two portraits always remained together.
In addition, the work was purchased in 2015 by the Louvre in Paris and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The two museums bought together and took turns showing the paintings.
8 Les Femmes d'Alger (Version O) by Pablo Picasso – $179.4 million (2015)
Picasso painted a series of 15 paintings entitled Les Femmes d'Alger, this being the last to be painted by Picasso. These 15 works were inspired by the works of Eugène Delacroix, such as Algerian Women in His Apartment, from 1834.
Furthermore, the 15 paintings were created as tributes to artists he admired, such as Matisse and Renoir.
The “Version O” was auctioned in 2015 and sold for $179.4 million to Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the former Prime Minister of Qatar.
9 Nu Couché, by Amedeo Modigliani – $170.4 million (2015)
This is the most famous work by painter Amedeo Modigliani, despite being the target of much criticism and controversy when it was first exhibited. The painting is part of a series of works of nudes made by the artist in 1917.
The work was bought at auction by Chinese billionaire Liu Yiqian for US$170.4 million.
10 Masterpiece, by Roy Lichtenstein – $165 million (2017)
This painting by Roy Lichtenstein was part of the pop art movement, produced in 1962, and was inspired by comic books. It emerged as a celebration of the author's own career.
The work was sold to Steven A. Cohen for $165 million dollars.
11 Pablo Picasso's Le Rêve – $155 million (2013)
This work is one more among the famous and valuable works of Pablo Picasso. In this work is represented Marie-Thérèse Walter, a lover of Picasso who was 22 years old at the time of the portrait.
A curiosity that marked the history of the painting is what happened to the then owner of the painting, who was showing the screen to personal friends when he slammed his elbow into the work and damaged it with a 20-inch tear. centimeters.
However, Wynn had previously entered into a sale agreement with collector Steven A. Cohen and, after what happened, had to lower the price. So the painting ended up being sold to Cohen for $155 million dollars.
12 Gustav Klimt's Adele Bloch-Bauer II – $150 million (2016)
This portrait belongs to the set of two portraits painted by Klimt of her friend, Madame Adele Bloch-Bauer. This painting was stolen by the Nazis during World War II, when Austria was annexed by the Nazis.
Thus, this painting passed through several hands and only in 2006 did it return to the Bloch-Bauer family. This painting is currently on display at the Neue Galerie in New York.
13 Three Studies of Lucian Freud by Francis Bacon – $142.4 million (2013)
This work is actually a set of three pieces painted by Francis Bacon. These paintings are works in which his friend at the time, Lucian Freud, had posed for the canvas.
At that time, Bacon and Freud were friends, but this work is already beginning to mark a period of disagreement and estrangement between the two painters. The paintings fetched at auction for $142.4 million in 2013.
14 Alberto Giacometti's L'Homme au Doigt – $141.3 million (2015)
This is the only sculpture among the 21 most expensive works of art in the world. Taking 14th place L’Homme au Doigt is a bronze sculpture, made in 1947, representing a philosophy of existentialism. It was sold in 2015 for $141.3 million.
15 At the. 5, 1948, by Jackson Pollock – $140 million (2016)
The painter Jackson Pollock, an American painter, was one of the most recognized artists of his time, above all, for his abstract expressionist works. This painting represents his dripping technique that conveys all of the artist's chaos in a unique way.
The current buyer of the work acquired it in 2006 for US$ 140 million dollars, anonymously.
16 Woman III by Willem de Kooning – $137.5 million (2006)
This work belongs to Steven A. Cohen, a billionaire known for his large private art collection. Woman III is part of a series of Kooning's paintings of women.
Furthermore, it was sold in 2006 for US$137.5 million.
17 Portrait of Adele Bloch – Bauer I by Gustav Klimt – $135 (2006)
This painting took about three years to complete, being the first of two portraits painted by Klimt of Madame Adele Bloch-Bauer and both are in this list of the most expensive works in history.
Although the second painting is the most expensive, this is the most famous of Adele Bloch-Bauer's paintings.
18 Meules by Claude Monet – $110.7 million (2019)
This picture of Claude Monet, painted in 1890, is considered one of the icons of impressionism. The work sold for more than $110 million dollars at an auction held at Sotheby's in New York.
19 Edvard Munch's The Scream – $119.9 million (2012)
“The Scream” is certainly the most famous work of the Norwegian painter and this work was the main landmark of German expressionism.
It was created in 1893 and sold in 2012 for its record price at Sotheby's auction, located in New York, with a value of US$ 119.9 million.
A curiosity is that the painter made four versions of the same painting and the auctioned version is the last of the versions and has the poem that inspired the painting.
20 Pablo Picasso's Garçon à la Pipe – $104.2 million (2004)
The painter Pablo Picasso, painted the work “Garçon à la Pipe” in Portuguese (Boy with a Pipe) when he was 24 years old, during his pink period.
The work fetched $104.2 million at auction at Sotheby's in New York by an anonymous buyer.
21 Portrait of Dr. Vincent Van Gogh's Gachet – $82.5 million (1990)
This painting was painted in the last years of Van Gogh's life, years that were the most productive in his life, because in 60 days the painter managed to create 70 paintings. In addition, this frame has two versions.
However, in both versions he presents the same forms and postures, but the colors and 'brush strokes' are different.
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