Holy men who met their unholy ends
'Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)' (1972) features same-sex themes previously unseen at prices like US$90.3 million. Hockney surpassed the previous auction high for a living artist of US$58.4 million, held by Jeff Koons for one of his 'Balloon Dog' sculptures.
'Salvator Mundi' (c. 1500). Sold for US$450.3 million, November 2017. This is currently the most expensive work of art ever sold at auction, as reported by the BBC.
'Flag' (currently the most expensive painting sold privately by a living artist, as confirmed by Guinness World Records) was not sold at auction, but still garnered a remarkable US$110 million, March 2010.
Marquis of Vasto, in Armor with a Page' (1533). Sold for US$70 million, November 2003.
Considered the greatest Dutch painter after Rembrandt, the Postimpressionist painter is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art.
See also: Classic paintings with secret messages
A German artist and printmaker, Holbein worked in a Northern Renaissance style.
The English painter, draftsman, set designer, and photographer was integral to the pop art movement of the '60s, and is considered to be one of the most influential British, and openly gay, artists of the 20th century.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was an innovative and prolific painter and etcher of the Dutch Golden Age.
The artist's 'Nu Couché' (1917-18). Sold for US$170.4 million, November 2015. Pictured here is 'Jeanne Hebuterne' (1919).
One of Frida Kahlo's iconic self-portraits, titled 'Diego y yo (Diego and I),' was sold at a Sotheby's auction in New York. In it, the face of her husband, the artist Diego Rivera, is painted on her forehead, and three tears fall from her eyes. It's suggested that she painted this during a time when their marriage was on the rocks after Diego had an affair with an actress, and the piece portrays the mental space he occupied at that time.
During her lifetime, Kahlo was often considered to be the wife of a great artist rather than a great artist herself. Now, one of her paintings has been sold for the highest price ever paid for a work by a Latin American artist. Collector Eduardo F. Costantini bought it for US$34.9 million. The previous record was held by Diego Rivera, whose painting was purchased for the considerably lower sum of US$9.8 million.
Andy Warhol's 1964 portrait, 'Shot Sage Blue Marilyn,' is the most expensive 20th-century artwork ever sold at auction. On May 9, 2023, Christie's announced that the silkscreened piece was sold for US$195 million, smashing the record for the most expensive US artwork ever sold as well. The 40-inch piece was made two years after Monroe's death and is based on a promotional photograph from the 1953 film 'Niagara.' It's also part of a set of four other portraits of the late actress, which each have a different background color. The portrait had most recently belonged to late art dealer Thomas Ammann, and proceeds from the sale will "generously be donated by the Thomas and Doris Ammann Foundation to benefit charities providing urgent medical and educational services to children," Christie's reports.
Before this, the 2015 purchase of Pablo Picasso's 'Les Femmes d'Alger (Version O)' for US$179.4 million held the record for being the most expensive 20th-century artwork sold at auction, according to CNN.
While many of the most valuable paintings in the world are hanging on the walls of famous museums, there are still some masterpieces on the market that are priceless. Almost.
On June 27, 2023, Gustav Klimt's 'Dame mit Fächer' (Lady with Fan) was auctioned at Sotheby’s in London. After a 10-minute bidding war, it was sold for £85.3 million (US$108.4 million), making it the most expensive piece of art sold at auction in European history. The final price far exceeded the estimated value of £65 million, or US$80 million. The painting shows an unidentified woman with a fan posing against a highly decorative background. It was completed just before the Austrian artist's death in 1918, and was found still on the easel in his studio after he passed away. The painting was last sold in 1994 for a fraction of its current value, at US$11.6 million.
If you're still taken aback by those staggering numbers, you're not alone. Check out this gallery to see the most expensive paintings ever sold at auction.
On June 27, 2023, Gustav Klimt's 'Dame mit Fächer' (Lady with Fan) was auctioned at Sotheby’s in London. After a 10-minute bidding war, it was sold for £85.3 million (US$108.4 million), making it the most expensive piece of art sold at auction in European history. The final price far exceeded the estimated value of £65 million, or US$80 million.
The most expensive paintings ever sold at auction
A Gustav Klimt portrait portrait broke the European record for the most expensive artwork sold at auction
LIFESTYLE Art
While many of the most valuable paintings in the world are hanging on the walls of famous museums, there are still some masterpieces on the market that are priceless. Almost.
On June 27, 2023, Gustav Klimt's 'Dame mit Fächer' (Lady with Fan) was auctioned at Sotheby’s in London. After a 10-minute bidding war, it was sold for £85.3 million (US$108.4 million), making it the most expensive piece of art sold at auction in European history. The final price far exceeded the estimated value of £65 million, or US$80 million. The painting shows an unidentified woman with a fan posing against a highly decorative background. It was completed just before the Austrian artist's death in 1918, and was found still on the easel in his studio after he passed away. The painting was last sold in 1994 for a fraction of its current value, at US$11.6 million.
If you're still taken aback by those staggering numbers, you're not alone. Check out this gallery to see the most expensive paintings ever sold at auction.