Top 5: The Most Expensive Paintings in the World
How much would you be willing to pay for a piece of painted canvas? For some collectors, “the sky is the limit” applies to what they are willing to pay for unique art. Year after year, auction houses and private galleries therefore record sales figures for works by old masters and 20th century greats. There are, of course, many beautiful paintings. But only a few works of art have sales prices of several hundred million dollars. We present you the top 5 masterpieces that have gone down as monumental milestones in art history.
Priceless Values in Museums
However, this ranking only includes paintings that are available for evaluation on the art market, i.e. are privately owned. The Works of Old Masters are mostly owned by museums and are therefore not included in this top 5 list of the most expensive paintings in the world. If this restriction were disregarded, the one on display at the Louvre in Paris would be Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci the most expensive painting in the world. On December 14, 1962, it was estimated at 100 million dollars, which would correspond to about 900 million dollars in 2024.
“Salvator Mundi”, Leonardo da Vinci, 450.3 million dollars
While Mona Lisa has been protected in the Louvre since the end of the 18th century, Leonardo da Vinci's work Salvator Mundi has had a true odyssey behind it. It disappeared from view for two centuries before the “Redeemer of the World” was damaged in 2005 and reappeared several times painted over at a small auction in New Orleans. An art connoisseur bought it for 1175 dollars, had it restored and examined. The result: It was actually a work by Leonardo da Vinci. In part, at least.
This is because some scientists doubt Leonardo da Vinci's sole authorship and point out that certain aspects of the composition do not entirely match da Vinci's style. A thorough analysis carried out by the Louvre in 2018 revealed that the artwork was likely to have developed gradually, with da Vinci possibly adding the hands and arms at a later stage. This discovery has caused discussion in the art world — but this has only reinforced the mystique of this famous masterpiece.
Salvator Mundi was exhibited at the National Gallery in London and attracted art fans from all over the world. It later ended up privately owned by a Russian oligarch. The work's triumphant return culminated in an auction at Christie's New York in 2017, at which it fetched an astonishing price of 450.3 million dollars. It went to Arab Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman And is therefore privately owned.
“Interchange,” Willem de Kooning, 300 million dollars
Willem de KooningWho is considered a pioneer of abstract expressionism, shaped the style with his works, which are often based on figures, landscapes and still lifes. “Interchange” represents the change in de Kooning's work from painting by women to more abstract cityscapes. At the Center of the Painting is the Pink Center, which depicts a woman leaning back in the midst of a busy background.
The Dutch-American Painter's Expressionist Masterpiece won an unexpected top prize in September 2015. In a private transaction from David Geffen to Kenneth C. Griffin, CEO of Hedge Fund Citadel, the Masterpiece changed hands for an astonishing 300 million dollars. It is currently on display at the Art Institute of Chicago and attracts art lovers from all over the world.
“Card Players,” Paul Cezanne, 250 million dollars
This painting was bought by the royal family of Qatar in 2011 for 250 million dollars. In fact, however, there is a series of five paintings called “The Card Players” that Paul Cézanne created between 1890 and 1892. Each painting in this series features men playing cards and is considered one of the masterpieces of modern art. In contrast to Cézanne's earlier dramatic and lively works, the painting depicts a quiet scene with two men engaged in a game. Four of the “card players” are in Metropolitan Museum of Art, exhibited at the Musée d'Orsay, Courtauld and the Barnes Foundation.
“Nafea Faa Ipoipo?” Paul Gauguin, 210 million dollars
The difficult title “Nafea Faa Ipoipo” comes from the Tahitian language and translates as “When are you getting married?” Gauguin created the painting in 1892 during his stay in Tahiti. The painting focuses on a local young woman wearing a white flower in her hair — a symbol that the person is ready for marriage — while her mother sits protectively over her. Gauguin's work is known for its vivid colors and depiction of the exotic way of life on the island. This masterpiece is now also located in Qatar.
It was originally said that the painting was sold by Swiss businessman Rudolf Staechelin to a Qatari buyer for an incredible 300 million dollars. However, a lawsuit in 2017 revealed that the actual selling price was 210 million dollars.
“Number 17A,” Jackson Pollock, $200 million
Billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin - owner of “Intercharge” - was obviously in a buying mood in 2015 and also bought “Number 17A” by Jackson Pollock for 200 million dollars. It shows an abstract composition of colored drops and lines on a canvas.
“Number 17A” is one of Pollock's early drip technique works, in which he poured paint onto the canvas to convey emotions through movement. The painting, which is on loan at the Art Institute of Chicago, Captivates Art Lovers with its Explosive Creativity and Honors Jackson Pollock as one of the most important representatives of abstract expressionism.
Investing in paintings
Fine art not only offers a few super-rich people the opportunity to own exquisite works by renowned artists, but also has potential for private investors. Because just now digital shares of exclusive and curated works of art Are ideal for portfolio diversification and can increase in value over time. For example, the AMR All Type “Top Traded” Index, Which records the most frequently traded artists at auctions, at an all-time high in 2023 despite (or because of) all economic policy uncertainty factors.
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