Although in the world there are a lot of poor people who can barely live from one day to day, certain people are spending fortunes on paintings. Indeed they are worth every penny, so let’s have a look at ten most expensive paintings sold in auctions.
1. The Card Players by Paul Cézanne – $259 million
Cezanne works throughout his entire life on certain essential themes. One such theme is the series of card players. It may be noted the particularly refined color palette of warm tones. The picture emphasizes modesty and seriousness of the two peasants who have the same concern and ritual they have at work.
2. Le Rêve by Pablo Picasso – $155 million
The painting depicting one of Picasso’s mistresses was bought by a U.S. billionaire banker friend of the former owner of the artwork. Until now, the famous painting, an oil painting dated 1932, was owned by mogul Steve Wynn, owner of a chain of casinos. The painting was purchased by Steven A. Cohen, a controversial owner of an investment fund in the U.S. for $ 155 million.
Cohen, who owns an investment firm estimated at 15 billion dollars, and Wynn are two of the most famous and American collectors and enthusiasts who own other works by Picasso.
3. No. 5, 1948 by Jackson Pollock – $ 140 million
Here we have Jackson Pollock, one of the pioneers of abstract expressionism. The painting was bought on 2 November 2006 by David Martinez for an astounding $ 140 million. Rumor said that Geffen had sold the painting to have sufficient funds when bidding for the Los Angeles Times. The painting is 243.8 x 121.9 cm, and the material from which it is made is a sort of fibro – wood.
4. Woman III by Willem de Kooning – $ 137.5 million
Another expressionist painting on wood ranks among the most expensive works of art. This painting on wood, painted in 1948 and representing a woman, is currently in possession billionaire Steven Cohen. He bought it on 18 November 2006 from David Geffen for$ 137.5 million. The work is part of a collection of six such works that have as the central theme that the woman and this is the only piece that is privately owned.
5. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustav Klimt – $ 135 million
An Austrian managed to enter the elite list of painters whose works were sold for a fortune. Gustav Klimt felt so inspired when he saw at a Viennese salon, Adele Bloch Bauer, a lady of high society that he painted two pictures. Until now, Adele Bloch-Bauer I is more valuable than Adele II. The piece was purchased on June 18, 2006 by Ronald Lauder for a sum of 135 million dollars, the highest paid sum for a painting at the time.
6. The Scream by Edvard Munch – $ 119.9 million
Described often as an icon of modern art, a Mona Lisa for our time. The Scream is the popular name given to each of four versions of a composition, created as both paintings and pastels, by the Expressionist artist Edvard Munch between 1893 and 1910. The 1895 artwork was bought by an anonymous buyer at Sotheby’s in New York, with bidding lasting 12 minutes. The price includes the buyer’s premium.
7. Nude, Green Leaves and Bust by Pablo Picasso – $ 106.5 million
Who paid the fabulous sum? It is not known because the owner wanted to remain anonymous. What we do know about the piece which was exposed only once in public in 1961 is that it belonged to Frances Lasker Brody, who died two years ago. The painting is a Cubist portrait of Picasso’s mistress, Marie-Therese Walter, and the author appears as well.
8. Garçon à la pipe by Pablo Picasso – $ 104.2 million
Bid on 4 May 2004 for $ 104 million, Garçon à la Pipe by Pablo Picasso was the most expensive painting at that time. Up to that time there had never been other work of art which had been sold for more than 100 million dollars. The painting of oil on canvas, whose dimensions are 100 x 81.3 cm, was painted in 1905. Although the buyer wanted to remain anonymous, some sources said this is Gudo Barilla.
9. Eight Elvises by Andy Warhol – $ 100 million
Eight Elvises is a 1963 silkscreen painting by American pop artist Andy Warhol of Elvis Presley. According to the media, the painting was sold by Italian collector Annibale Berlingieri to a private collector brokered by Philippe Ségalot, a French art consultant for $100 million.
10. Bal du moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir – $ 78.1 million
Bal du moulin de la Galetteis an 1876 painting by French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir and is one of Impressionism’s most celebrated masterpiece. Sold for 78.1 million US dollars at Sotheby’s in New York in May 1990.
