The most valuable painting in history must surely be the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Although it is considered priceless, we can determine some numerical value by looking at the insurance value of the painting. In 1962 the masterpiece was assessed at a value of $100 million.
Many of the paintings created by the old masters before the 19th century are housed in museums where the public is able to view them. Many of the most expensive paintings are considered priceless as the museums rarely sell them. You might have curiously wondered “How much is the Mona Lisa worth?” Today we will find out more in our in-depth look at the most expensive paintings ever sold.
The Most Expensive Paintings Ever Sold
The most valuable painting in history must surely be the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Although it is considered priceless, we can determine some numerical value by looking at the insurance value of the painting. In 1962 the masterpiece was assessed at a value of $100 million. Once we take inflation into account, that would be the equivalent of $860 million in 2022.
Portrait of Mona Lisa del Giocondo (1503-1506) by Leonardo da Vinci; Leonardo da Vinci , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Today’s comprehensive list, however, will focus on the most expensive art that has ever been sold, and not the priceless artworks that are exhibited in museums. All of the original prices in the tables are adjusted for inflation over time.
Salvator Mundi (1500) by Leonardo da Vinci
Artist of Painting Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) When Piece was Created 1500 Medium of Painting Oil on Walnut Panel Dimensions of Artwork 45 x 65 cm Price Paid for Painting $475 million
At an auction held at Christie’s New York in 2016 during a contemporary art event, Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci turned into the most expensive painting ever sold, selling for $450 million at the end of a nineteen-minute bidding war. The winning bidder would later be revealed to be Saudi Arabia’s Prince. The painting portrays Christ holding an orb in one hand, and forming the sign of the cross with the other.
Salvator Mundi (c.1500) by Leonardo da Vinci; Leonardo da Vinci , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
For many years it was thought to be another artist’s copy of a lost painting by da Vinci, however, once it was restored in 2006, many noticeable techniques that are characteristic of the master’s work became clearer and it was reattributed to him. The painting had been on display at the National Gallery in London for 5 years before it went on auction.
Despite the fame that this piece has gained as the most expensive artwork in the world, many scholars still doubt whether it was actually painted by da Vinci.
Interchange (1955) by Willem de Kooning
Artist of Painting Willem de Kooning (1904 – 1997) When Piece was Created 1955 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 200 x 175 cm Price Paid for Painting $328 million
Willem de Kooning, the Dutch-American painter, created this famous work of Abstract Expressionism in 1955. Considered to be America’s first modern art movement, Abstract Expressionism was pioneered by artists such as de Kooning and Jackson Pollock. Interchange marks a shift in subject matter for the artist, who went from painting women to painting abstract urban landscapes.
Franz Kline was influential in getting de Kooning to change his technique from using often violent brush strokes to rapid and gestural movements. The focal point of the painting is the large mass which is centered in the composition and pink in color. It represents a woman reclining. In September of 2015, Kenneth C. Griffin acquired the oil painting for $300 million from the David Geffen Foundation.
At the time of its sale, it was the most expensive painting around the globe.
The Card Players (1892) by Paul Cézanne
Artist of Painting Paul Cézanne (1839 – 1906) When Piece was Created 1892 and 1893 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 97 x 130 cm Price Paid for Painting $288 Million
This famous oil painting is one of five that Paul Cézanne created throughout his career that were variations of the same theme of men sitting at a table and playing cards. Most of the paintings from the series are now exhibited in art museums around the world such as the Courtauld Institute of Art in London and the Parisian Musée D’Orsay.
This particular painting of the series was privately sold in 2011 for $250 million.
The Card Players (1892-1893) by Paul Cézanne; Paul Cézanne , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
This subject matter was one that Cézanne studied in great detail. Every version featured variations in the amount of people seated, the venue where the game is taking place, and even the sizes of the canvases differed. It was the most expensive artwork sold when it originally was bought by the Royal Family of Qatar for $250 million.
Nafea Faa Ipoipo? (1892) by Paul Gauguin
Artist of Painting Paul Gauguin (1848 – 1903) When Piece was Created 1892 Medium Oil on Canvas Dimensions 101 x 77 cm Price Paid for Painting $229 million
In the year 1891, Paul Gauguin went on his first trip to Tahiti, thus beginning his life-long love affair with the island and its females. A year later he painted this famous painting in the post-impressionist style. The oil painting portrays two young women sitting in a beautifully colored landscape of blue, green, and gold.
Nafea Faa Ipoipo? (1892, ‘When Will You Marry?’) by Paul Gauguin; Paul Gauguin , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Nafea Faa Ipoipo? sold for around $300 million in a private sale in 2015, at the time it was tied with Willem de Kooning’s Interchange for the title of the world’s most expensive painting. It has never been confirmed who the painting was sold to, however many people think that it was bought by the Qatar family.
The painting’s dimensions are 101 cm (height) and 77 cm (width).
Number 17A (1948) by Jackson Pollock
Artist of Painting Jackson Pollock (1912 – 1956) When Piece was Created 1948 Medium of Painting Oil on Fiberboard Dimensions of Artwork 112 x 86 cm Price Paid for Painting $218 million
Jackson Pollock’s abstract expressionist work Number 17A was painted in 1948. Kenneth C. Griffin, a hedge fund investor, bought it from David Geffen in September 2015 for $200 million, a then-record-breaking price, and then loaned it to the Art Institute of Chicago. It is presently ranked among the top five most expensive paintings ever sold.
This famous painting is a drip painting, which is made by splashing the paint over a surface laid horizontally with oil paint on a fiberboard. It was created one year after Pollock’s drip method was launched to the public.
The painting was published in the August 1949 issue of Life magazine, which helped launch his career as an artist.
Water Serpents II (1904 – 1907) by Gustav Klimt
Artist of Painting Gustav Klimt (1862 – 1918) When Piece was Created 1904 – 1907 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 80 x 145 cm Price Paid for Painting $204 million
Water Serpents II, also commonly known as Wasserschlangen II, is an extraordinary oil artwork by Gustav Klimt that was completed in 1907. It was created following his other artwork on the same subject matter Water Serpents I. In both paintings, Klimt focuses on the sensual nature of the female form and relationships between members of the same sex.
Wasserschlangen II (1907, ‘
Water Serpents II’) by Gustav Klimt; Gustav Klimt , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
This oil painting has an illustrious and long history. It was seized by the invading Nazi forces during Worl War II. More recently it was the subject of dispute and controversy following the record-breaking sale in 2013.
It is the priciest artwork of Klimt’s to ever sell and is currently among the top six highest-priced pieces in the world.
No. 6 (Violet, Green, and Red) (1951) by Mark Rothko
Artist of Painting Mark Rothko (1903 – 1970) When Piece was Created 1951 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 230 x 137 cm Price Paid for Painting $203 million
The abstract oil painting No.6 (Violet, Green, and Red) was painted in 1951 by the Latvian-American painter Mark Rothko. It was privately sold in 2104 for around $186 million, establishing a new record for the painter. It also made it among the top seven of the most expensive art pieces to be sold in painting history.
As with his other pieces from this period, the canvas consists of colored bands which are divided by hazy and uneven shades.
Rothko’s artwork is widely renowned for its vibrantly colored rectangular forms and was bought by the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, according to art dealer Yves Bouvier. Rybolovlev filed a lawsuit against Bouvier after the sale, claiming he was deceived about the artwork’s worth.
Portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit (1634) by Rembrandt van Rijn
Artist of Painting Rembrandt van Rijn (1606 – 1669) When Piece was Created 1634 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 209 x 135 cm Price Paid for Painting $197 million
The Portrait of Maerten Soolmans and Portrait of Oopjen Coppit, both painted by Rembrandt in 1634, were acquired as a pair for $180 million, setting a new record for the price of his sold works. The pair of paintings were created to commemorate the wedding of the couple.
Despite the paintings having been painted separately, the two have always been displayed as a set.
Pendant Portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit (1634) by Rembrandt; Rembrandt , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Because they were created as a pair, it was only appropriate that they be shown together at all times, and when the Rothschild family chose to sell these seldom-seen masterpieces, two museums stepped up to buy them. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Louvre Museum in Paris jointly bought these two pieces and will take turns displaying them so that the general public may view them for the first time.
Les Femmes d’Alger (“Version O”) (1955) by Pablo Picasso
Artist of Painting Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) When Piece was Created 1955 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 114 x 146 cm Price Paid for Painting $195 million
Les Femmes D’Alger (Version ‘O’) by Cubism-style painter Pablo Picasso was bought for an astounding $179.3 million USD at a Christie’s auction in May of 2015. It was said to be influenced by the masterpiece The Women of Algiers in their Apartment by the esteemed artist, Eugene Delacroix.
Picasso painted 15 distinct versions of this piece throughout the course of his career, the final of which, ‘O,’ was finished in 1955.
The purchase, like so many others, has remained unidentified, but some in the art world believe it was Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabar Al Thani, Qatar’s former prime minister. Originally, the series was purchased in its entirety by Sally and Victor Ganz. The Saidenberg Gallery would later purchase ten of the paintings from the couple.
Nu Couché (1917) by Amedeo Modigliani
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Artist of Painting Amedeo Modigliani (1884 – 1920) When Piece was Created 1917 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 60 x 92 cm Price Paid for Painting $186 million
Nu couché, or “Reclining Nude“, was produced by the famous painter Amedeo Modigliani in 1917 and is regarded as one of the most expensive paintings ever sold. The painting, depicts a naked lady sleeping against a mainly dark red backdrop and is one of the Italian painter’s most well-known works, sold for $170.4 million on November 9, 2015, surpassing the expectation of $100 million.
Nu couché les bras croisés derrière la tête (1917, ‘
Reclining Nude’) by Amedeo Modigliani; Amedeo Modigliani , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Lui Yiqian is the happy owner of this masterpiece. Now a billionaire but once a taxi driver, Yiqian made his fame building a couple of private museums in Shanghai and apparently bought the artwork with an American Express Card. This oil on canvas painting was one of a series of nudes that had been commissioned by Léopold Zborowski, a Polish art dealer.
The painting is said to have been exhibited at his one and only exhibition at the Galleria Berthe Weill, which was raided by the authorities and shut down.
No. 5, 1948 (1948) by Jackson Pollock
Artist of Painting Jackson Pollock (1912 – 1956) When Piece was Created 1948 Medium of Painting Oil on Fiberboard Dimensions of Artwork 2.4 x 1.2 meters Price Paid for Painting $179 million
The American painter, Jackson Pollock, best known for his significant contributions to the abstract expressionist movement, created No. 5, 1948. It was sold for $140 million on May 22, 2006, setting a new record for the highest price paid for a painting at the time, which was not surpassed until April 2011.
The artwork is 2.4 meters by 1.2 meters and was produced on a fibreboard, commonly known as a composition board.
Pollock used liquid colors for his painting. They were synthetic resin paints (gloss enamel), but for the sake of categorization, they are referred to as oil paints. Upon closer study of the painting, it appears to be a composition of white, brown, grey, and yellow paint dripped in a pattern that many people still associate with a “dense bird’s nest.”
Woman III (1953) by Willem de Kooning
Artist of Painting Willem de Kooning (1904 – 1997) When Piece was Created 1953 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 172 x 123 cm Price Paid for Painting $176 million
Willem de Kooning’s work Woman III is an abstract expressionist painting that was part of a series. Woman III is one of six paintings by de Kooning created between 1951 and 1953 with a woman as the major focus. It was constructed in 1953 and measures 1.73 by 1.23 meters.
This artwork was part of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art’s collection from the late 1970s until 1994, but following the revolution in 1979, it could no longer be displayed due to the government’s tight restrictions about the visual arts and what they portray.
Finally, in 1994, it was secretly transferred to David Geffen by Thomas Ammann Fine Art for the remainder of the Tahmasbi Shahnameh, a 16th-century Persian manuscript.
Masterpiece (1962) by Roy Lichtenstein
Artist of Painting Roy Lichtenstein (1923 – 1997) When Piece was Created 1962 Medium of Painting Silkscreen on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 137 x 137 cm Price Paid for Painting $174 million
Roy Lichtenstein’s Masterpiece is a 1962 pop art artwork that has his signature Ben-Day dots and narrative material wrapped in speech bubbles. Drowning Girl, Portrait of Madame Cézanne, and other works from 1962 and 1963 were included in Lichtenstein’s debut show at Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles, which ran from April 1 to April 27, 1963.
The name Brad, according to Lichtenstein, seemed heroic to him and was chosen for its clichéd simplicity. This image was taken from a comic book panel in which the two protagonists were positioned similarly to how they are now but in a car.
The famous painting sold for $165 million in 2017 and is now worth around $174 million.
Artist of Painting Gustav Klimt (1862 – 1918) When Piece was Created 1907 Medium of Painting Oil, Silver, Gold on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 138 x 138 cm Price Paid for Painting $173 million
This famous painting was commissioned by the model’s husband, Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, a Jewish financier. After being taken by the Nazis, the Gustav Klimt picture of Adele was exhibited in 1941 at the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere. Maria Altman, the legitimate successor, was able to regain it in the mid-2000s after successfully suing the Austrian government.
This artwork is regarded as the final work of his golden period, as well as the most representative of it.
This painting is one of two that Gustav Klimt painted of Adele Bloch-Bauer, the other version was finished in 1912. Both of these paintings of Adele, as well as numerous others, were commissioned by the Bloch-Bauer family and are housed with them. New York’s Neue Galerie currently houses Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, which is among the most expensive works of art ever sold. Adele is shown lounging on a gold throne in front of a star-studded background of gold.
Le Rêve (1932) by Pablo Picasso
Artist of Painting Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) When Piece was Created 1932 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 130 x 97 cm Price Paid for Painting $172 million
Pablo Picasso, at the age of 50, painted Le Rêve (The Dream) in 1932, oil on canvas portrait (130 x 97 cm) of his 22-year-old mistress Marie-Thérèse Walter. It was apparently painted in a single afternoon on the 24th of January, 1932.
It dates from Picasso’s distorted representations phase, and its simplistic shapes and contrasting colors are reminiscent of early cubism.
The painting’s sexual nature has been constantly noticed, with critics pointing out that Picasso placed an erect penis in the upturned face of his subject, apparently signifying his own. The painting was sold for $155 million in a private sale on March 26, 2013, which makes it among the most expensive paintings ever sold.
Portrait of Dr. Gachet (1890) by Vincent van Gogh
Artist of Painting Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890) When Piece was Created 1890 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 67 x 56 cm Price Paid for Painting $163 million
Vincent van Gogh’s painting Portrait of Dr. Gachet is one of his most well-known works. The painting portrays Dr. Paul Gachet, a doctor of homeopathy, and artist with whom he lived after a stay in an institution at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. During Van Gogh’s final months, Gachet looked after him. The painting was created in two variants, both were created in June of 1890 at Auvers-sur-Oise.
They both depict Gachet sitting at a table with his head resting on his right arm, but the colors and styles are easily distinguishable. An etching of the scene also exists.
Portrait of Dr. Paul Gachet
(1890) by Vincent van Gogh;
, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In 1911, the Städel in Frankfurt purchased the first version, which was later confiscated and sold by Hermann Göring. The painting was bought at an auction in 1990 for $82.5 million ($163.4 million today) to Ryoei Saito, which made it the most expensive artwork in the world at the time. It then vanished, and the Städel was not able to track it down in 2019. Gachet held the second version, which his heirs donated to France. Despite doubts about its legitimacy, it currently hangs in Paris’s Musée d’Orsay.
Nu Couché (Sur Le Côté Gauche) (1917) by Amedeo Modigliani
Artist of Painting Amedeo Modigliani (1884 – 1920) When Piece was Created 1917 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 84 x 146 cm Price Paid for Painting $162 million
Nu couché (sur le côté gauche), painted a century ago, is the most famous piece from the classic series in which Amedeo Modigliani redefined the nude for the Modern Age. These stunning and sensuous pictures practically halted traffic during their first display in 1917, prompting the authorities to close the show.
The series of paintings is now renowned as one of the most important successes in painting in the modern era.
Nu couché (sur le côté gauche) (1917) by Amedeo Modigliani; (1917) by Amedeo Modigliani; Amedeo Modigliani , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Modigliani’s nudes continue to evoke shock and amazement, as seen most recently by Tate Modern’s acclaimed retrospective of the artist’s work, which included this famous painting as its cover hero. The painting measures 84 cm by 146 cm and was created with oil paint on canvas. Jonathan Jones, a British journalist, had compared it to Grande Odalisque by Ingres.
Artist of Painting Gustav Klimt (1862 – 1918) When Piece was Created 1912 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 190 x 120 cm Price Paid for Painting $161 million
Christie’s auction house sold Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II for approximately $88 million in November 2006, making it the fourth most expensive artwork at the time. Oprah Winfrey was the buyer. Adele Bloch-Bauer II was granted to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 2014 during autumn as a lengthy and generous loan.
Oprah Winfrey sold it for $150 million to an undisclosed Chinese bidder in the summer of 2016. Originally painted for his exhibit, the artwork was temporarily donated to Neue Galerie New York.
Both of the portraits were at one point seized by the Nazis.
Three Studies of Lucian Freud (1969) by Francis Bacon
Artist of Painting Francis Bacon (1909 – 1992) When Piece was Created 1969 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 198 x 147 cm Price Paid for Painting $158 million
Three Studies of Lucian Freud is an oil-on-canvas triptych portraying artist Lucian Freud by the English artist that was born in Ireland, Francis Bacon. The famous painting was bought in 2013 for $142.4 million, which was the most ever paid at auction for an artwork at the time. Picasso’s Les Femmes d’Alger series broke the record in May 2015 with his Version O.
Sigmund Freud and Francis Bacon were friends but artistic competitors. They were introduced by artist Graham Sutherland in 1945 and quickly became good friends, meeting on a regular basis. Starting in 1951, when Freud first sat for Bacon, the two artists painted each other numerous times.
Bacon produced two full-length triptychs of Freud.
Bal Du Moulin De La Galette (1876) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Artist of Painting Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841 – 1919) When Piece was Created 1876 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 131 x 175 cm Price Paid for Painting $154 million
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Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s work Bal du moulin de la Galette (often known as Dance at Le moulin de la Galette) was completed in 1876. It is one of Impressionism’s most renowned works and is held in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.
The artwork portrays a typical Sunday afternoon in Paris’s Montmartre neighborhood at the old Moulin de la Galette.
Bal du moulin de la Galette (1876) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir; Pierre-Auguste Renoir , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Working-class Parisians would dress up and spend the evening, drinking, dancing, and eating galettes in the late nineteenth century. Like other early works by Renoir, this is a classic Impressionist picture of everyday life. It has a rich form, fluid brush strokes, and a lot of flickering, sun-dappled light.
Twelve Landscape Screens (1925) by Qi Baishi
Artist of Painting Qi Baishi (1864 – 1957) When Piece was Created 1925 Medium of Painting Ink Brush Panels Dimensions of Artwork 180 x 47 cm Price Paid for Painting $148 million
Only two of Qi Baishi’s Twelve Screens of Landscapes are known to exist. The current lot that went up for auction at Poly Auction was produced in 1925, when Qi Baishi was 62 years old, as a birthday present for a prominent Beijing doctor named Chen Zilin.
The Twelve Screens of Landscapes were originally shown in April 1954 at the China Artists Association’s first exhibition.
In 1958, a year after the artist’s death, it was included in an exhibition in memory of his works. Each screen is 180 x 47 cm in size and depicts the grandeur of twelve breathtaking locations. Scholars think that Qi painted this series after traveling across China and that it perfectly displays the artist’s skill of landscape painting.
Garçon à la Pipe (1905) by Pablo Picasso
Artist of Painting Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) When Piece was Created 1905 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 100 x 81 cm Price Paid for Painting $142 million
Pablo Picasso’s work Garçon à la Pipe (“Boy with a Pipe”) was painted with oil on canvas. The Boy with a Pipe was created by Picasso in 1905, at the age of 24, and living in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris, during his Rose Period.
The artwork portrays a young Parisian child with a pipe in his left hand and a flower garland on his head, which is encircled by two floral embellishments.
The topic was a small child from the neighborhood named “P’tit Louis.” The artwork is considered one of the most valuable paintings, having sold for $104 million at a Sotheby’s auction on May 5, 2004. It is presently Picasso’s sixth most popular painting.
The Scream (1895) by Edvard Munch
Artist of Painting Edvard Munch (1863 – 1944) When Piece was Created 1895 Medium of Painting Oil, Tempera, Pastel Dimensions of Artwork 91 x 73 cm Price Paid for Painting $135 million
The Scream is a popular moniker for the masterpiece by the Expressionist artist from Norway, Edvard Munch, which was produced in 1893. The painting’s agonized expression soon became one of the most famous images in art, symbolizing the human condition’s anguish. Munch recounted being out for a stroll at dusk when the dying sun’s rays suddenly colored the clouds “a blood crimson.”
He experienced what he described as an “eternal scream flowing across nature.”
The Scream (1910) by Edvard Munch; Edvard Munch , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Scholars have traced the location to a fjord overlooking Oslo, and have proposed many explanations for the unusually orange sky, ranging from volcanic eruptions to Munch’s psychological response to his sister’s admission to a neighboring insane institution.
Reclining Nude With Blue Cushion (1916) by Amedeo Modigliani
Artist of Painting Amedeo Modigliani (1884 – 1920) When Piece was Created 1916 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 60 x 92 cm Price Paid for Painting $133 million
Amedeo Modigliani’s oil on canvas work Nu Couché au Coussin Bleu (“Reclining Nude on Blue Cushion”) was completed in 1916. Modigliani painted hundreds of nudes between 1916 and 1919, and this is one of them. This period’s nudes are openly portrayed, with barely the smallest hint of setting.
Nu Couché au coussin Bleu (1916, ‘
Reclining Nude on Blue Cushion’) by Amedeo Modigliani; Amedeo Modigliani , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
They are presented with a degree of objectivity and are neither demure nor provocative. Yet, as though done by a sculptor’s hand, the uniformly thick, rough application of paint is more concerned with bulk and the visceral sense of the feminine figure than with titillation and the re-creation of tactile, transparent flesh.
It is both detailed with eroticism and somehow abstract all at once.
Flag (1954) by Jasper Johns
Artist of Painting Jasper Johns (1930 – present) When Piece was Created c. 1954 Medium of Painting Oil and Collage on Plywood Dimensions of Artwork 107 x 153 cm Price Paid for Painting $130 million
Jasper Johns’ first solo exhibit took place when he was 24 years old. Flag, one of the exhibition’s main works, was created following a dream he had about the American flag. Following the popularity of this work of art, Johns went on to make over 40 American flag-themed works of art. Flag, which is 107 cm by 153 cm and is made out of three canvases placed on plywood.
Oil paint, caustic, and a newspaper collage were utilized as the mediums.
All cuts from newspaper print were purposefully chosen not to feature any headlines, in keeping with the non-political tone of his work, and instead concentrated on the commercial aspects of print prevalent at the time. Because it was before more states were added to the flag, it only has 48 white stars. It also includes 13 white and red stripes.
Nude, Green Leaves and Bust (1932) by Pablo Picasso
Artist of Painting Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) When Piece was Created 1932 Medium of Painting Oil On Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 162 x 130 cm Price Paid for Painting $126 million
Nu au Plateau de Sculpteur (Nu au Plateau de Sculpteur) is a painting by Pablo Picasso depicting his mistress Marie-Thérèse Walter, painted in 1932. For over six decades, the artwork was housed in the private collection of Los Angeles art collectors Francis and Sidney Brody.
It fetched $106.5 million when it was sold, which is the third-highest price for an artwork sold at the time.
In 1932, Picasso produced a portrait series of his lover Marie-Thérèse Walter, including Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust. The canvas, which is more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall, is painted in a bright blue and lilac color scheme. Picasso was in a binding agreement with famous French-Jewish art dealer Paul Rosenberg at the time, who purchased the work directly from his close acquaintance.
Portrait of Joseph Roulin (1889) by Vincent van Gogh
Artist of Painting Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890) When Piece was Created 1889 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 81 x 65 cm Price Paid for Painting $125 million
Vincent van Gogh painted a series of portraits of Joseph Roulin, his wife Augustine, and their three children, Marcelle, Armand, and Camille at Arles in 1888 and 1889. In many respects, this series is unusual. Van Gogh liked painting portraits, but finding models was difficult for him due to financial and other factors.
Portrait of Joseph Roulin (1889) by Vincent van Gogh; (1889) by Vincent van Gogh; Vincent van Gogh , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Finding a complete family willing to sit for paintings – in some cases, many sittings – was a boon. During Van Gogh’s time in Arles, Joseph Roulin became a very excellent, devoted, and supportive friend. It was vital to him to portray a man he admired with dignity.
With children ranging in age from four months to seventeen years, the family provided him with the chance to create works of people at all phases of life.
Irises (1889) by Vincent van Gogh
Artist of Painting Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890) When Piece was Created 1889 Medium of Painting Oil on Canvas Dimensions of Artwork 71 x 93 cm Price Paid for Painting $122 million
Irises is one of the numerous iris paintings by the famous artist, Vincent van Gogh. It was also one of a sequence of paintings he completed in the final months of his time at the Saint Paul-de-Mausole institution for the mentally ill in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France.
In May of 1889, five days after being admitted to the institution, Van Gogh began to paint Irises in the garden’s hospital, working from nature.
Irises (1889) by Vincent van Gogh; Vincent van Gogh , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The same intensity observed in his later works seems to be lacking here. The act of painting was renamed “the lightning conductor for my sickness” as he felt that continuing to paint would protect him from going mad. Lightness and softness abound in this artwork. Irises is vibrant and free of sadness.
And that wraps up our long and extensive list of the most expensive paintings ever sold. These paintings have sold for incredible amounts of cash. Luckily some of them have been donated or borrowed to museums so that we may view them, but many of them are now housed in private collections.
Take a look at our most expensive painting ever sold webstory here!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Is The Mona Lisa Worth?
Despite it being regarded as priceless, we can determine some numerical value by looking at the insurance value of the painting. In 1962 the masterpiece was assessed at a value of $100 million. Once we take inflation into account, that would be the equivalent of $860 million in 2021. It is still the most valuable painting.
Why Is The Mona Lisa Not on This List?
Since most of the priceless masterpieces are hung in museums, their actual value is not known. Our list is not about the most valuable paintings, but the most expensive paintings. This list focuses on the famous paintings that have been sold through the ages.
Piano Guidance
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