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Top 10: World's Most Expensive Paintings

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By WHoArtNow


Introduction

If the media is anything to believe, the world's economy is in a terrible state. So to make everyone feel better, we take a look at the incredibly large amounts of money people have spent on some of the world's finest paintings.

The top 10 list comes from both auctions and private sales from around the world, although the majority of the sales come from the last 5 years.

Interesting to know, the most famous painting in the world, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa was insured for $100 million back in 1962. Adjusted for inflation to 2005 would make it worth $645 Million! Of course, there aren't many people in the world who can afford such paintings, us mere mortals have to live with canvas art.

10. Jasper Johns - False Start - $80,000,000

10. Jasper Johns - False Start - $80,000,000

10. Jasper Johns - False Start - $80,000,000

Bought in 2006 by the founders of the Citadel Investment Group Anne and Kenneth Griffin for $80 Million made this one of the most expensive American paintings in the world. Johns is a regarded as a Neo-Dadaists and say he rejected the unique individualism of the Abstract Expressionists.

9. Claude Monet - Le Bassin aux Nymphéas - $80,400,000

9. Claude Monet - Le Bassin aux Nymphéas - $80,400,000
9. Claude Monet - Le Bassin aux Nymphéas - $80,400,000

9. Claude Monet - Le Bassin aux Nymphéas - $80,400,000

One of Monet's most famous paintings. "Le Bassin aux Nympheas" from the "water lilies" series. The painting, depicting a beautiful scene of a bridge with floating water lilies became the most expensive Monet back in 2008 when it sold for double the previous highest Monet.

8. Vincent van Gogh - Portrait du Dr Gachet - $82,500,000

8. Vincent van Gogh - Portrait du Dr Gachet - $82,500,000
8. Vincent van Gogh - Portrait du Dr Gachet - $82,500,000

8. Vincent van Gogh - Portrait du Dr Gachet - $82,500,000

This is a previous "most expensive painting" after selling in 1990 to a Japanese Businessman for a staggering $82,500,000. It was painted 100 years before in 1890 and is one of two paintings depicting the great artists doctor.

7. Francis Bacon - Triptych 1976 - $86,300,000

7. Francis Bacon - Triptych 1976 - $86,300,000
7. Francis Bacon - Triptych 1976 - $86,300,000

7. Francis Bacon - Triptych 1976 - $86,300,000

The Irish painter is known for some dark and evil paintings. The Triptych 1976 collection was part of a much larger series of triptychs (three panels of art creating one image). It was purchased at auction in 2007 by Russian billionaire and Chelsea Football Team owner Roman Abramovich.

6. Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Baur II - $87,936,000

6. Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Baur II - $87,936,000
6. Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Baur II - $87,936,000

6. Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Baur II - $87,936,000

Adele Bloch-Baur was the wife of Industrialist Ferdinand Bloch-Baur and was an avid fan and sponsor of Klimts. The Austrian artist only ever painted one woman twice, this was here. Christies looked after the auction which netted close to $88 Million back in 2006.

5. Pablo Picasso - Dora Maar au chat - $95,216,000

5. Pablo Picasso - Dora Maar au chat - $95,216,000
5. Pablo Picasso - Dora Maar au chat - $95,216,000

5. Pablo Picasso - Dora Maar au chat - $95,216,000

2006 was a good year for expensive art. In May, this Pablo Picasso fetched almost twice it's estimate ($50 Million) when an anonymous Russian Bidder picked it up for a little over $95 million. Dora was Picasso's Mistress and the image has a cat resting on her shoulder.

4. Pablo Picasso - Garcon a la pipe - $104,168,000

4. Pablo Picasso - Garcon a la pipe - $104,168,000
4. Pablo Picasso - Garcon a la pipe - $104,168,000

4. Pablo Picasso - Garcon a la pipe - $104,168,000

Regarded by many art critics as one of Picasso's "average" paintings, "Garcon a la Pipe" (Boy with Pipe) stunned the art world by fetching a little over $104 Million which makes this the most expensive painting to be sold at an auction. Sotheby's of New York was were the magic happened back in 2004 almost 100 years after it was painted (1905)

3. Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer - $135,000,000

3. Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer - $135,000,000
3. Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer - $135,000,000

3. Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer - $135,000,000

This is the second of the two Klimt's depicting Adele Bloch-Bauer and was subjected to somewhat of a controversy. The painting was sold after the Austrian government forced a previous owner to return it to it's rightful owner after it was stolen by the Nazis in World War 2. The current owner is Ronald S. Lauder, the cosmetics heir.

2. Willem De Kooning - Woman III - $137,500,000

2. Willem De Kooning - Woman III - $137,500,000
2. Willem De Kooning - Woman III - $137,500,000

2. Willem De Kooning - Woman III - $137,500,000

Between 1951 and 1953, abstract impressionist Willem De Kooning painting 6 Woman paintings. This one, number 3 was originally hung in Iran until it was deemed "unsuitable" for public display. It was traded off for the last Tahmasabi Shahnameh. It was then sold to financial Billionaire Steven Cohen for the staggering $137.5 million.

1. Jackson Pollock - No5 1948 - $140,000,000

1. Jackson Pollock - No5 1948 - $140,000,000
1. Jackson Pollock - No5 1948 - $140,000,000

1. Jackson Pollock - No 5 1948 - $140,000,000

One of the most known abstract impressionists in the world. American Jackson Pollock is not to every one's taste, but he's one of America's best known Artists. It's also huge! It measures a staggering 8ft by 4ft. It's un-confirmed about the price of this piece, and who the current owner is. Inside reports say it went for $140 million back on 2006 to Mexican David Martinez.

Question...

If money was no object, which would you hang on your wall?

  • Jasper Johns - False Start
  • Claude Monet - Le Bassin aux Nymphéas
  • Vincent van Gogh - Portrait du Dr Gachet
  • Francis Bacon - Triptych 1976
  • Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Baur I
  • Pablo Picasso - Dora Maar au chat
  • Pablo Picasso - Garcon a la pipe
  • Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer
  • Willem De Kooning - Woman III
  • Jackson Pollock - No5 1948
See results without voting

Comments

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Alison  says:
10 months ago

Wow, I've just read another one of these expensive art lists, and it missed out so many of these! Good job. Alison

WHoArtNow profile image

WHoArtNow  says:
10 months ago

Thanks Alison. Yeah I read a few whilst researching this, and It annoyed me that they missed out some. That's why I wrote this one, to show people there are some very nice (and expensive) pieces of art out there!

Andre

Abhishek87 profile image

Abhishek87  says:
10 months ago

Liked the False start one though I don't think I'll ever understand why paintings that look quite simple to me fetch the maximum :D

LondonGirl profile image

LondonGirl  says:
10 months ago

it's all just conspicous consumption, really. great list, and I like most of them, but wouldn't quite pay that......

Julie-Ann Amos profile image

Julie-Ann Amos  says:
10 months ago

Great list - I like it a lot and some nice piactures here (and some I'd PAY you to burn) but that's art isn't it? A matter of personal taste?

WHoArtNow profile image

WHoArtNow  says:
10 months ago

@Abhishek87 - False Start is one of only a few I like too.

WHoArtNow profile image

WHoArtNow  says:
10 months ago

@ LG - The monetory value seems to be a little high for some of them

WHoArtNow profile image

WHoArtNow  says:
10 months ago

@ Julie - I would class it as art, but in my personal opinion, there's one or two that could do with being burned, or at least hung in a private gallery!

Dink96 profile image

Dink96  says:
10 months ago

Ah, but "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and that is what makes art so fascinating, ne'st pas?  Wonderful piece of info here.  I love to read about art auctions and yet, at the same time feel some sadness that some of these artists (like Monet, Degas) died paupers.  I hope they somehow know how much joy their art brings to the ages.  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!  I absolutely LOVE art. Can't necessarily do it myself, but truly appreciate it.

WHoArtNow profile image

WHoArtNow  says:
10 months ago

@Dink96 - Thanks a lot, although I think "beauty is in the eye of the BEERholder" suits some of them better! Yeah I love art too, and although I can;t put together something as traditional as these, I can dabble with some (spray) paint!

Andromeda10 profile image

Andromeda10  says:
10 months ago

I can't believe so many would put up Francis Bacon, why?

WHoArtNow profile image

WHoArtNow  says:
10 months ago

@Andromeda10 - I actually like Franci Bacon paintings, if you have a look at his work, he paints dark and evil images really well, yet still keeps the main feel quite light and open.

Paula Andrea, MA profile image

Paula Andrea, MA  says:
10 months ago

My favorite artist of all time is Willem De Kooning! Thank you for sharing these works. Art says so much about the person who constructs it. I enjoyed seeing these so much.

WHoArtNow profile image

WHoArtNow  says:
10 months ago

@Paula - Your welcome. I spend all day surrounded by art, nothing worth quite as much as these though!

Julie Grimes  says:
9 months ago

I used to be on hub pages. For what it's worth I love this hub. I never knew art could cost so much. $86 mil. Who knew! I guess they are worth it. Thanks-Julie

C.S.Alexis profile image

C.S.Alexis  says:
9 months ago

This was a great hub, interesting and informative. Thanks for your research.

newsworthy profile image

newsworthy  says:
9 months ago

cool hub to send art lovers to

ratcliffe07 profile image

ratcliffe07  says:
8 months ago

wow...thats quiet an expensive list. I would love love love to own a Van Gogh painting...It would be amazing to own one!

SCL profile image

SCL  says:
8 months ago

Great hub thanks. Will be interesting to see how the current economic climate affects the art world. But I guess if you have enough money to buy one of these then you probably won't be affected by the credit crunch!! LOL

Personally if I had the dosh I would go for the

Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer

Mike Lickteig profile image

Mike Lickteig  says:
7 months ago

I became an admirer of Picasso only in the last decade or so, and I would love to own Dora Maar au chat.

suffering fool profile image

suffering fool  says:
7 months ago

I was happily surprised to see no contemporary art here. Like Hirsch or the balloon dog guy or the football player who pretends to do art.

Laura Spector profile image

Laura Spector  says:
7 months ago

Fun article! Thanks for writing it! I love that Picasso.

maven101 profile image

maven101  says:
6 months ago

Thanks for the interesting Hub !!!

I find Van Gogh so interesting, so layered with emotion and unexpected nuance...his portrait of the good Doctor is such an openly personal take on this person with whom he was on such intimate terms...

saidarao profile image

saidarao  says:
5 months ago

great paintings but i couldn't understand .......y they are getting famous

IslandVoice profile image

IslandVoice  says:
4 months ago

What can i say, it's art! We let it speak, and if we can't understand, it doesn't change anything about the who and the why of it. I just love art! I enjoyed this list very much.

DeBorrah K. Ogans profile image

DeBorrah K. Ogans  says:
3 months ago

WhoArtNow

Interesting hub!

Art is a language in itself!

How amazing to be able to take a one dimensional surface and create such depth!

Thank you for sharing!

Blessings!

neese  says:
3 months ago

I just Love Monet,s work It is Just the best to me.

Dolores Monet profile image

Dolores Monet  says:
6 weeks ago

Amazing. And to think poor Vincent van Gogh died unrecognized and poor. Funny when you look at paintings in books or online. I could never appreciate Jackson Pollack until I saw one of his paintings in person. I went from a Pollack scoffer to a Pollack lover - it was the most incredible painting!

Jackson Riddle profile image

Jackson Riddle  says:
6 weeks ago

I'm simply astounded at the legacies that artists leave in their paintings.

nikki1 profile image

nikki1  says:
4 weeks ago

great paintings.

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