Painters are like gods, and canvas is a platform in which they can create anything out of nothing. Paintings are a way for artists to express their emotions and thoughts to the world. Many famous paintings such as Salvator Mundi, The Card Players, and other top 10 most expensive paintings in the world are loved by people.
Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is considered to be the most visited painting of all time. Leonardo da Vinci is a legend and is considered to be the best painter of all time, even though the artist lived only for only 67 years, from 1452 to 1519. His work inspired many others to express themselves.
In this article, we will talk about those famous and expensive paintings that are loved by a lot of people. You will learn about them below.
Let’s take a look at Top 10 Most Expensive Paintings in the World
10. Nu couché ($170.4 Million USD)
Created in the year 1917 by famous artist Amedeo Modigliani, Nu couché is a masterpiece. This is an oil on canvas artwork that is considered to be one of Amedeo Modigliani’s most widely shown and imitated paintings. Nu couché was sold for $170.4 million at the Christie’s New York auction that took place on 9th November 2015. This painting created a new record for a painting made by Modigliani. A Chinese businessman- Liu Yiqian, bought that painting and placed it among the most valuable and expensive paintings ever sold.
9. Les Femmes d’Alger ($179.4 Million USD)
Inspired by the famous Women of Algiers in their Apartment which was made by Eugène Delacroix, Pablo Picasso created a series of 15 paintings known as ‘Les Femmes d’Alger’. Picasso made this series in honor of the painters he respected and liked. Victor and Sally Ganz, a couple, bought the whole series from Galerie Louise Leiris in June 1956, in Paris for $179.4 Million. After some time, the couple sold ten paintings from the series to the Saidenberg Gallery.
8. Pendant Portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit ($180 Million USD)
The full-length wedding portraits of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit made by Rembrandt was given the title ‘Pendant Portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit’. Rembrandt painted these masterpieces to honor the marriage of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit in the year 1634. These paintings were owned by the Rothschild family. Later in 2015, they sold them to the Rijksmuseum and the Louvre Museum. Both museums divided the cost, which was $180 Million in half.
7. No. 6 (Violet, Green, and Red) ($186 Million USD)
The brilliant piece of artwork known as No. 6 (Violet, Green, and Red) was made by the artist Mark Rothko in 1951. This abstract expressionist painting is considered to be one of the best works of Mark Rothko. The special thing about No. 6 (Violet, Green, and Red) is that it has broad fields of color distinguished by irregular and hazy tones. It was sold at an auction in the year 2014.
6. Wasserschlangen II ($183.8 Million USD)
Thefamous oil painting Wasserschlangen II was made by the artist Gustav Klimt in the year 1907. It is known as the ‘Water Serpents II’ in English and is a sequel painting to Water Serpents I (Wasserschlangen I). Nazis got a hold of this painting during World War II, and it was sold at a record-breaking price of $183.8 million in the year 2013, due to which it became a subject of a dispute.
5. Number 17A ($200 Million USD)
Sold for a huge price of $200 million, Number 17A became the 5th most expensive painting in the world. This abstract expressionist work is a result of the hard work of Jackson Pollock. In September 2015, David Geffen sold this painting to a hedge fund investor- Kenneth C. Griffin. Kenneth later loaned this artwork to the Art Institute of Chicago.
4. Nafea Faa Ipoipo ($210 Million USD)
Made by French Post-Impressionist artist- Paul Gauguin ‘When Will You Marry?’ (Nafea Faa Ipoipo) is an oil painting artwork made in 1892. Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani bought this painting in February 2015 from Rudolf Staechelin’s family for around $210 million.
3. The Card Players ($274 Million USD)
A French Post-Impressionist painter, Paul Cézanne made a sequence of oil paintings known as ‘The Card Players.’ The series consists of five works that Cézanne’s in the early 1890s. The painting was sold for a massive price of $274 million that making it the third-most-expensive painting of all time.
2. Interchange ($300 Million USD)
An expressive oil painting on canvas named ‘Interchange’ was sold for $300 million in the year 2015. This artwork was made by famous artist Willem de Kooning. De Kooning was an innovator of the abstract expressionism movement like Jackson Pollock. In fact, de Kooning was one of the founding members of the abstract expressionism movement.
1. Salvator Mundi ($450.3 Million USD)
Everyone knows who Leonardo da Vinci is. He is the most famous painter who is known for creating the ‘Mona Lisa.’ Another legendary artwork by da Vinci was Salvator Mundi which translates to “Savior of the World” in English, was sold for $450 million. The Salvator Mundi portrays Jesus in an anachronistic blue gown while holding a transparent crystal ball in his left hand, showing him as the ‘Salvator Mundi’ and representing the ‘celestial sphere’ of the skies. At the same time, Jesus makes the sign of the cross with his right hand.
Conclusion
Art is a mesmerizing thing that can offer hours of entertainment. Every piece of art tries to tell a story, and if you love art, you can definitely understand the real meaning of it. All these paintings were bought by people who understand the actual value of art, making them the top 10 most expensive paintings in the world. We hope that you will also learn about these paintings after going through this article.
