Top 10 Most Expensive Artworks In The World

Introduction

Most Expensive Artworks: Figuring out how much a masterpiece is worth can be tricky since prices change with market trends. However, in the ever-changing art world, some artists have created works that are so valuable that their prices stay high, only affordable to a lucky few.

These rare treasures are not easily available to most buyers. Among the most unique and admired artworks, a few have reached the top of the art market, selling for hundreds of millions of dollars. Below, we showcase some of the Most Expensive Artworks that have recently been auctioned or given record-breaking price estimates in art history.

History of the Most Expensive Artwork

• Most well-known paintings, especially those made before 1803, are usually kept in museums where people can see them. Since museums rarely sell these artworks, they are considered valuable.
• According to Guinness World Records, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa holds the biggest insurance rate for a painting. It was on show at the Louvre Museum in Paris and valued at $100 million on December 14, 1962. With inflation, that would be about $1.04 billion in 2024.
• The oldest sale among the most expensive paintings was Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh, which sold in March 1987 for £24.75 million (equal to £87.9 million in 2024).
• This sale broke records, tripling the previous high price of £8.1 million, which Andrea Mantegna paid for Adoration of the Magi in 1985.
• Van Gogh’s Sunflowers was the first “modern” painting (from 1888) to hold the record for the most expensive painting ever sold, as older artworks had previously led the market. Today, only nine paintings from before 1875 are in the top 89 most valuable artworks, and none were made between 1635 and 1874.
• A special case is graffiti artist David Choe, who was paid with Facebook shares for painting murals at the company’s early office. At first, the shares were worth little, but when Facebook went public, their value shot up to around $200 million.
• Some of the highest-priced paintings were sold in private deals, meaning the details are not always made public.
• The Louvre Museum had declined to buy it for €100 million, but experts expected it to sell for $110 million to $170 million. The final sale price was never shared due to a confidentiality agreement.
• While Picasso and Warhol became rich during their lives, Van Gogh struggled financially and only sold one painting—The Red Vineyard. In 1890, artist and heiress Anna Boch bought it for 400 French francs (about $2,000 in 2018 value).
• Out of the top 89 most expensive paintings, only six were made by foreign creators.
• The only modern non-Western painting on the list is Juin-Octobre 1985 by Chinese-French artist Zao Wou-Ki, which sold for $65 million in 2018.
• Another major sale, though not listed, was The High Sun by Wang Shaofei, which was valued at $74 million in 2017.

Top 10 Most Expensive Artworks Painting Ever Sold

1. Salvator Mundi (1500) by Leonardo da Vinci – USD 400M
2. Interchange (1955) by Willem de Kooning – USD 300M
3. The Card Players (1892) by Paul Cézanne – USD 250M
4. Nafea Faa Ipoipo? (1892) by Paul Gauguin – USD 210M
5. Number 17A (1948) by Jackson Pollock – USD 200M
6. The Standard Bearer (1636) by Rembrandt – USD 197.9M
7. The Shot Marilyns (1964) by Andy Warhol – USD 195M
8. (Violet, Green, and Red) (1951) by Mark Rothko – USD 186M
9. Water Serpents II (1904–1907) by Gustav Klimt – USD 183M
10. Portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit (1634) by Rembrandt – USD 180M

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#1. Salvator Mundi (1500) by Leonardo da Vinci – USD 400 Million

• This famous oil on canvas painting is 45 x 65 cm and is painted on a walnut wood panel. It shows Jesus Christ dressed in a blue robe, holding a crystal ball in one hand and raising the other in a blessing gesture.
• In 2017, Dmitry Rybolovlev sold it at Christie’s auction house in New York, making it the world’s most expensive painting.
• King Louis XII of France ordered this artwork, called Salvator Mundi (which means “Savior of the World”), from Leonardo da Vinci in 1605.
• Even today, people can request custom paintings or turn their favorite pictures into beautiful artwork.

(Reference: whataportrait.com)

• Leonardo da Vinci painted Salvator Mundi around the same time as the Mona Lisa. However, no one knows where the painting was between 1763 and 1900. In 2005, a group of British art dealers found it and bought it for $10,000 to study it closely.
• At first, experts thought it was just a copy of Da Vinci’s original painting. However, after six years of careful research, they found unique techniques that matched Da Vinci’s style.
• Once restored, the painting was officially credited to him and put on display at the National Gallery in London in 2011, where it remained for five years. It was named the “Lost Leonardo” because it was the first Da Vinci artwork to be rediscovered since 1909.
• In 2017, Salvator Mundi was auctioned as part of a modern art sale organised by its owner, Dmitry Rybolovlev.
• The bidding lasted 19 minutes before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bought it for $450.5 million on behalf of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism. With inflation, its current estimated value is around $500 million.

#2. Interchange (1955) by Willem de Kooning – USD 300 Million

• This oil-on-canvas painting, measuring 200 x 175 cm, was created by Dutch-American artist Willem de Kooning. It is recognised as the most expensive painting ever sold in a private sale. The artwork is a prime example of Abstract Expressionism, the first major modern art movement in the U.S.
• The painting reflects the lively atmosphere of New York City, where de Kooning lived. He was known for painting women using bold, intense brushstrokes.
• Over time, his style shifted toward abstract cityscapes, created with fast and fluid movements. The central focus of Interchange is a pink, flesh-like form in the middle, symbolising a reclining woman.

(Reference: whataportrait.com)

• In 2015, the David Geffen Foundation sold Interchange to billionaire hedge fund owner Kenneth C. Griffin, who has an extensive private art collection.
• He has loaned this highly valuable painting to the Art Institute of Chicago. With inflation, its current estimated worth is around $350 million.
• Franz Kline, a major figure in the movement, was the one who encouraged de Kooning to change his artistic style.

#3. The Card Players (1892) by Paul Cézanne – USD 250 Million

• This oil-on-canvas painting, measuring 97 x 130 cm, was the most expensive artwork ever sold when it was purchased in 2011. It shows two men sitting across from each other at a table, concentrating on a card game.
• French artist Paul Cézanne carefully studied the subject before creating four more versions of this painting. Each piece in The Card Players series varies in size, the number of people, and their seating arrangement.
• These paintings reflect Cézanne’s famous post-impressionist style, which highlights strong emotions and the deep psychology of his subjects.

(Reference: whataportrait.com)

• Greek shipping billionaire George Embiricos privately sold The Card Players to Qatar’s Royal Family.
• Reports suggest they paid twice the previous auction record for any artwork, making it one of the most valuable paintings ever sold. Adjusted for inflation, it’s estimated worth today is over $300 million.

#4. Nafea Faa Ipoipo? (1892) by Paul Gauguin – USD 210 Million

• This oil-on-canvas post-impressionist painting, measuring 101 x 77 cm, was created by French artist Paul Gauguin.
• It portrays two young women sitting across from each other in a lush, green, and blue natural setting. Their bright red, yellow, and pink clothing contrasts with the trees and mountains in the background.
• Gauguin’s first trip to Tahiti in 1891 inspired this painting, sparking his lifelong admiration for the island and its native women. The title, Nafea Faa Ipoipo?, means When Will You Marry?. After this, he painted many more artworks featuring Tahitian women in tropical landscapes.

(Reference: whataportrait.com)

• The painting was first sold in 2015 for $300 million, making it one of the most expensive artworks at the time. However, the Rudolf Staechelin Family Trust later sold it again for $210 million, resulting in a $90 million loss. Even so, it remains one of the most valuable paintings in the world.
• There has been some debate about who exactly bought the painting in this private sale.
• Many believe it was purchased by Qatar’s royal family, specifically Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, for their museums. With inflation, its estimated value today would be around $240 million.

#5. Number 17A (1948) by Jackson Pollock – USD 200 Million

• Pollock created this oil painting on a fiberboard canvas measuring 112 x 86 cm. It is an abstract expressionist artwork made with liquid synthetic resin paints on a composition board. He used a technique called drip painting, where he splattered and dripped paint onto the surface.
• This effect is most visible in the yellow sections, where the paint appears to be dripping down the canvas.
• At the time, Pollock’s drip painting method was only a year old. When Life Magazine featured his work, it helped launch his career. Today, many of his paintings are among the most expensive in the world.

(Reference: whataportrait.com)

• Billionaire hedge fund owner Kenneth C. Griffin bought Number 17A from David Geffen in 2015, along with Interchange. He later lent both paintings to the Art Institute of Chicago. However, this artwork is no longer on public display.
• If you want to see more of Pollock’s paintings, you can visit museums like the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. With inflation, the painting’s estimated value today would be about $230 million.

#6. The Standard Bearer (1636) by Rembrandt – USD 197.9 Million

• This oil painting by Rembrandt is a three-quarter-length self-portrait on a canvas measuring 118.8 x 96.8 cm.
• In the portrait, his body is slightly turned to the left, but his face looks straight ahead. One hand rests on his hip while the other holds a flag, which is how the painting got its name.
• Rembrandt is known as one of the leading artists of the Dutch Baroque period. Experts believe this was one of his first major works, likely painted when he moved from Leiden to Amsterdam.
• Over time, this artwork has been reproduced many times in both oil paintings and prints.

(Reference: whataportrait.com)

• In 2022, art collector Elie de Rothschild sold this masterpiece to the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands.
• The Dutch government had shown interest in buying it in December 2021, and the purchase was made possible with help from Vereniging Rembrandt and state funding. Since this was a recent sale, its value remains close to $198 million when adjusted for inflation.

#7. The Shot Marilyns (1964) by Andy Warhol – USD 195 Million

• Andy Warhol created a series of five portraits of Marilyn Monroe using a silkscreen printing technique on canvas. This set, known as The Marilyns, features Marilyn’s face in a square format (101.6 x 101.6 cm), each with a different brightly coloured background.
• In 2022, one of these paintings became the most expensive 20th-century artwork ever auctioned, selling for $195 million.
• But something unusual happened to this series. Performance artist Dorothy Podber once visited Warhol’s studio and, in a shocking act, fired a gun at the paintings—shooting Marilyn’s face between the eyes.
• Because of this, the series was renamed The Shot Marilyns. The turquoise version remained unharmed, but the orange, red, and two blue paintings were damaged.

(Reference: whataportrait.com)

#8. (Violet, Green, and Red) (1951) by Mark Rothko – USD 186 Million

• This oil painting on canvas, measuring 230 x 137 cm, was created by Latvian-American artist Mark Rothko.
• He was famous for his unique style, which featured large rectangular blocks of bold colors.
• In this artwork, a wide violet section sits on top, followed by a thinner green stripe, with a medium-sized red area below.
• This painting is also connected to a well-known art scandal called the Bouvier Affair. Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev accused his art dealer, Yves Bouvier, of charging him excessively for 36 valuable paintings, including this one.
• Rybolovlev claimed he was overcharged by hundreds of millions of dollars, but Bouvier denied any wrongdoing. The legal battle is still unresolved!

(Reference: whataportrait.com)

• As part of a controversial deal that led to several lawsuits, art dealer Yves Bouvier sold 6 (Violet, Green, and Red) to Dmitry Rybolovlev in 2014 for $186 million for his private collection. With inflation, its estimated value today could be between $213 million and $217 million.
• There are also reports that 20 from the same series, called Yellow Expanse, were sold by Bunny Mellon for approximately $200 million.

#9. Water Serpents II (1904–1907) by Gustav Klimt – USD 183 Million

• Austrian painter Gustav Klimt created Water Serpents II, an oil painting on canvas measuring 80 x 145 cm.
• This artwork beautifully illustrates four water spirits in a flowing, dreamlike setting with delicate romantic hints. It is a follow-up to his earlier piece, Water Serpents I, both focusing on a similar theme.
• Jenny Steiner, the daughter of a wealthy businessman in Vienna, originally bought the painting. Unfortunately, during World War II, the Nazis took the artwork from her, forcing her to give up ownership.

(Reference: whataportrait.com)

• The painting stayed hidden with the Nazis until it showed up at an auction house. Jenny Steiner’s family stepped in to claim their legal rights and later sold it to art dealer Yves Bouvier.
• In 2013, Bouvier sold the artwork to Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev for $183 million, allegedly deceiving him about its real value.
• This sale made Water Serpents II one of the most expensive paintings ever and linked it to the well-known “Bouvier Affair” lawsuit.
• In 2015, Rybolovlev sold it again in a private deal for $170 million. Today, with inflation, the estimated price would be around $220 million.

#10. Portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit (1634) by Rembrandt at USD 180 Million

• These two matching oil paintings, each 209 x 135 cm, were created by Rembrandt van Rijn. They portray Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit and were painted to mark their wedding.
• These valuable artworks have always been displayed together, never separately. Many believe they should stay as a pair forever, just as Rembrandt originally intended.

(Reference: whataportrait.com)

• In 2015, the Rothschild family decided to sell these rare paintings, which the public had hardly seen.
• Both the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Louvre Museum in Paris were eager to acquire these valuable Rembrandt artworks.
• In the end, the two museums teamed up and purchased them together, each covering half of the cost. To keep the portraits as a set, they agreed to take turns displaying them instead of separating them. With inflation, their current value is estimated to be around $206 million.

The Most Expensive Painting in Museums

• Even when a private collector buys one of the priciest paintings, a generous art supporter can still help it find its way into a museum.
• For example, Interchange by Willem de Kooning, a remarkable abstract painting, was bought by Kenneth Griffin, the CEO of Citadel hedge funds, in 2015 for about $300 million.
• While Griffin could have kept this vibrant masterpiece in his home, he lent it to the Art Institute of Chicago, where the public could admire it.

(Reference: classpop.com)

• Rembrandt’s wedding portraits, among the most expensive paintings ever sold, are displayed alternately at the Louvre in Paris and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
• Another costly masterpiece is Nafea Faa Ipoipo? by Paul Gauguin. This oil painting was first sold for $300 million in 2015 but was later resold for $210 million.
• Although the sale was private, many believe the royal family of Qatar bought it. Today, the painting is rotated in different museums worldwide.
• Another Rembrandt, also one of the most valuable paintings, was purchased by the Dutch government for $198 million and is now exhibited at the famous Rijksmuseum.

The Most Expensive Painting of All Time

• It’s amazing to think that while many paintings have sold for millions, some masterpieces are simply priceless. Since they are not for sale, their worth can only be estimated.
• For example, Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night and Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon could likely be valued between $500 million and $1 billion each if they were ever put up for auction.
• Since they remain in museums, their status as the most expensive historical paintings is only theoretical.

(Reference: classpop.com)

• Some of the world’s most expensive paintings never go to auction or end up in museums. Instead, they quietly change owners among the super-rich, increasing in value over time while remaining in private collections.
• A perfect example is Pablo Picasso’s Les Femmes d’Alger. This colorful artwork shows Algerian women with hookahs and stands out because it introduces new painting techniques.
• There are 15 different versions of this painting. While some are displayed in museums, others are kept hidden in private collections.
• If you’re looking for abstract painting ideas, Picasso’s masterpieces can inspire you.

Steps to Invest in Artwork

• Learn About Art: Start by understanding different art styles, famous painters, and market trends. Read books, take online classes, and visit art galleries or fairs to gain knowledge.
• Decide on a Budget: Figure out how much you want to spend. Art prices vary widely, from affordable prints to million-dollar masterpieces. Setting a budget helps you stay on track and avoid overspending.
• Explore Different Art Forms: Consider paintings, sculptures, photographs, or modern digital art. Each category has its market value and potential for price growth, so choose what interests you the most.
• Visit Art Fairs and Auctions:  These events give you a chance to see various artworks, meet artists, and learn about pricing. Observe which pieces attract your attention and how much they cost.
• Buy What You Truly Like: While it’s good to consider future value, pick artwork that you enjoy. This ensures you’ll appreciate your collection even if the market changes.
• Seek Expert Guidance:  Speak with art dealers, gallery owners, or experienced collectors. Their advice can help you make informed buying decisions.
• Start with Small Investments: Buying art from up-and-coming artists or choosing smaller pieces can be a smart way to begin. These can be more affordable and may increase in value over time.
• Keep Records and Get Insurance: Store receipts and details about each piece, including its origin. Protect your collection by getting insurance to cover theft or damage.

Conclusion

The world of high-priced artwork is a fascinating mix of history, culture, and the growing value of creativity. From classic masterpieces by artists like Rembrandt and Van Gogh to modern pieces by Picasso and Warhol, these expensive paintings continue to attract collectors and art lovers. Whether showcased in museums or kept in private collections, each painting has its own story and holds great value.

As the art market expands, the prices of these remarkable works will likely increase, keeping them among the most expensive paintings ever sold.

Saisuman Revankar

Saisuman is a talented content writer with a keen interest in mobile tech, new gadgets, law, and science. She writes articles for websites and newsletters, conducting thorough research for medical professionals. Fluent in five languages, her love for reading and languages led her to a writing career. With a Master’s in Business Administration focusing on Human Resources, Saisuman has worked in HR and with a French international company. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and singing classical songs. At Coolest Gadgets, Saisuman reviews gadgets and analyzes their statistics, making complex information easy for readers to understand.

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