10 Most Expensive Paintings That Cost A Bank!
Every art has its own story. The best thing about art is that it has no boundaries, no rules. It is a medium that sets one free. This goes for any form of art be it dancing, writing, music or even painting. For artists, the value of their piece lies in how the people were able to connect to their art. When we specifically talk about paintings, A painting is something which is a lot more than what just meets the eye.
The paintings, which we have listed down here, have surprised the world with the prices at which they were sold. These masterpieces have gone through seizures, legal battles, thefts, controversies and finally owned by their genuine admirers.
Here is an insightful list on “10 Most Expensive Paintings That Cost A Bank” by Oilpixel, a digital oil painting studio:
10) Artist: Amedeo Modigliani
Artwork: Nu Couché
Price: 170.4 million dollars
On 10th November 2015, a Chinese taxi driver turned stock-market billionaire and art collector Liu Yiqian along with his wife Wang Wei bought this painting. As the name says (reclining nude), the art depicts a naked lady on a red sofa. They bought this painting to display it at their museums in Shanghai. It is said that he paid a whopping 170 million dollars just in one go by using his American Express Card.
9) Artist: Les Femmes d’Alger (Version “O”)
Artwork: Pablo Picasso
Price: 179.4 million dollars
This beautiful art piece was sold at Christie’s auction sale of “Looking Forward to the Past”. This shows magnificent 20th-century art and is inspired by African and Iberian art. Picasso’s Women of Algiers here represent Algerian Concubines in harems, along with a hookah which they used to smoke opium and hashish. This painting is now owned by the Qatari Royal Family.
8) Artist: Rembrandt
Artwork: Pendant Portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit
Price: 180 million dollars
This full-length painting by Rembrandt depicts the wedding celebration of the dutch couple Soolmans and Coopit. Now owned by Louvre and Rijksmuseum together as a joint venture (50%), these two paintings have never been kept separately. The painting was sold at Christie’s auction house for Euro 80 million each.
7) Artist: Gustav Klimt
Artwork: Wasserschlangen II
Price: 183.8 Million Dollars
This painting is a follow-up painting to Water Serpents I. It shows the sexual intimacy between women and the sensuality of their bodies. It is said that the Nazi’s seized this painting during World War II. Later it also landed up into a huge controversy. In 2013, Yves Bouvier tricked Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev by selling this painting to him for 183.8 million dollars, while the actual cost of the painting was only 112 million dollars.
He made him believe that there was a third party selling it and not that he was the actual owner of the painting. Later, in 2015, Rybolovlev ended up selling it to a Qatari Princess for 170 million dollars. Since then, the painting is not available for public viewing.
6) Artist: Mark Rothko
Artwork: №6 (Violet, Green, Red)
Price: 186 Million Dollars
This masterpiece was purchased by Russian Businessman Dmitry Rybolovlev in 2004. The artist Mark Rothko is among one of those post-war artists who progressed the Abstract Expressionist Movement. This Pastel style painting gives the necessary warmth and expression to the artwork which allows the users to resonate well.
5) Artist: Jackson Pollock
Artwork: Number 17A
Price: 200 Million Dollars
Pollock, the mastermind behind this masterpiece is known as the father of abstract expressionism. He is widely known for his dripping technique which he used a lot from the year 1947–1950. At first, this painting was not having a high value in the art market and was greeted with a lot of public scrutinies. It was sold to billionaire Ken Griffin in a private sale in 2016 along with David Geffen Foundation. (as a deal)
4) Artist Name: Paul Gauguin
Artwork: Nafea Faa lpoipo
Price: 210 Million Dollars
This painting was painted in the year 1892 and is a highly appreciated post-impressionist work. It shows two Tahiti women with a colourful landscape. Its title translates to: When will you marry me? When Gauguin was staying in Tahiti he took inspiration from his surroundings and painted this. Apparently, it is said to be owned by a Royal Qatari Family.
3) Artist Name: Paul Cezanne
Artwork: The Card Players
Price: 250 Million Dollars
This painting has 5 known versions and is also a post-impressionist artwork. Having been completed in the 1890s, this painting shows intense expressions of two men who are playing cards while being seated on a wooden table.
Currently, this painting is owned by The Royal Qatari Family. The other 4 versions of this painting can be viewed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Barnes Foundation, The Courtauld and at The Musee d’Orsay.
2) Artist Name: Willem Kooning
Artwork: Interchange
Price: 300 Million Dollars
This painting is a classic example of an abstract expression. Inspired by Kooning’s surroundings while he was living in New York City. It was bought in 2015 by Kenneth Griffin. It is one of his 1st works with abstract landscapes. Today, this painting hangs at The Art Institute of Chicago.
1) Artist Name: Leonardo da Vinci
Artwork: Salvator Mundi
Price: 450.3 Million Dollars
This painting shows the right hand of Christ with a cross and the left with a translucent orb. This was painted during the 1500s. But, the painting was frequently questioned for its authenticity. For a long time, it was thought to be a copy of the long-lost original one. But later on, it was found out to be the original one.
In 2011, The National Gallery of London exhibited this painting under the title “The Lost Leonardo’. In 2017, it was sold to the crowned prince of Saudi Arabia and is currently not available for public viewing.
We hope that you enjoyed reading this article listed with the most incredible art pieces and the magnificent story behind each of them. Long live art!
