Top 37 Most Expensive Paintings & Art Collections of the Decade (as of 2024)

January 5, 2021

 

The world of art collecting is constantly changing and evolving. The last decade has seen many exciting developments, from record-breaking sales to new forms of artwork like NFTs and incredible and extensive collections coming onto the market. 

Before we share our list of the costliest paintings in the world over the last decade, it’s time to look at what has been happening in the market since 2014.

 

Highlights from the last decade of art auction sales

The last decade has been fascinating. From the sale of the most expensive art piece in the world to the emergence of new favorites and Asia’s growing relevance, the landscape of the artwork looks very different than it did in 2014. 

 

Let’s explore some of these big trends.

 

1. Salvador Mundi became the most expensive art painting of all time

The Salvador Mundi was rediscovered in 2005. The canvas was overpainted, and many experts claimed it to be a copy of a Leonardo di Vinci work. However, other art historians believe it was by the master himself. The painting was restored and put up for sale in 2017. Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made it the most expensive art piece in the world when he bid a staggering $450 million for the work.

This sale highlights how the art world still has the capacity to surprise us, both in terms of rediscovered paintings coming to the market and the record prices they can receive.

2. The $69 million NFT

In 2021, Beeple’s “Everydays: The First 5000 Days” sold for a scarcely believable $69 million. It was a huge headline moment for Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT), which is something like a blockchain version of a provenance document that directs users to a piece of digital art. 

The sale at Christie’s auctioneers in New York created a lot of buzz. Indeed, it led to incredible speculation within the broader NFT market, which was almost entirely extinguished by 2023 as projects were exposed as fraudulent, useless, or pumped by artificial demand.

There are a few ways to look at this. It’s good that the art world is ready to embrace new forms of ownership and give space to digital art. But, it also exposed the seedy underbelly of the art world and how some auction houses seem to pay no heed to money laundering and fraud. 

3. Online art markets 

Digital transformation has happened across the art world, with online art markets exploding in popularity. According to business analysts, the global market was worth around $14 billion in 2023. However, thanks to a steady CAGR of 6%, the market will grow to approximately $23 billion by 2030.

There are a few casual factors that have caused this shift in recent years. Online auction platforms offer convenience and accessibility alongside lower barriers to entry. What’s more, with the glut of data available to almost anyone, the opaque and mysterious world of art has gained a new level of transparency. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic sped up this process when lockdown measures forced auction houses to seek alternatives.

 

The most expensive painting in the world sold at an online auction is Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1983 masterwork “In This Case,” which sold for $93 million.

 

4. More market diversity

Another notable trend over the last decade is the growth of new regions, and in particular, Asia’s growth as an art-buying powerhouse. Hong Kong and Mainland China have been the headline-grabbing markets since the late 2010s. Indeed, it’s now the second biggest art market outside the US. However, they are not the only movers in the Asian region.

Taiwan and South Korea have also made big inroads thanks to the growth of high-net-worth individuals. Alongside Japan, they are some of the secondary players in the region. A big part of this trend is due to economic growth in the area. Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines have also seen significant developments and could be relevant markets in the near future. 

 

5. New faces emerge

There are a number of works produced in the 1980s that have sold for hefty sums in the last decade. Zao Wou-KI’s Juin-Octobre 1985 sold for $65 million in 2018, two Francis Bacon works have gone for in excess of $80 million, and four different Jean-Michel Basquiat paintings have sold for over $85 million. Basquiat’s Untitled became the highest cost painting from the 1980s when it sold for $110 million in 2017.

In terms of very contemporary pieces, The Sunflowers in 1937 by Adrian Ghenie was produced in 2014. It is a reinterpretation of a legendary Van Gogh piece, and it sold for more than $4 million in 2016. Canadian artist Matthew Wong’s piece called The Night Watcher was produced in 2018 and sold for almost $6 million at Sotheby’s in 2021. Finally, Baba Diop by Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo went for over a million at a 2020 auction. 

Some of these names or pieces could become the classics of tomorrow. Indeed, if these are the prices they are fetching today, they are good candidates for the Most expensive paintings list of the future.

 

6. The old masters are still at the top of the tree

Of course, while new faces have emerged in the art world, their work lacks the history, prestige, notoriety, and scarcity to command eight and nine-figure sums. 

A quick glance through out list of the costliest paintings in the world proves that the top sales still belong to masters like Da Vinci, Gauguin, Picasso, Pollock, and Rembrandt.

 

Notable sales from the last decade

We’ve already talked about Salvador Mundi and Beeple’s wild NFT sale. However, there are other notable sales from the last decade that deserve our attention.

For example, when Jeff Koons’ sculpture Rabbits was sold for over $91 million in 2019, it became the costliest painting in the world by an artist who was still alive. Only a year before, the title of most expensive artwork by a living artist was held by British artist David Hockley, when his piece, Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), went for just $1 million less. 

Another landmark sale occurred in 2022 when Shot Sage Blue Marilyn (1964) by Andy Warhol became the most expensive art painting from a 20th-century artist.

 

Most expensive artwork collections that were sold in the last ten years

The last decade also saw some notable collections featuring some of the most expensive paintings in the world go for sale.

Before we reveal our list of the costliest paintings in the world, let’s explore three fascinating and historic collections that we sold over the last 10 years.

 

1. The Paul G. Allen Collection – $1.5 billion

Paul G. Allen was the co-founder of Microsoft. He died in 2018, and his wish was that his vast art collection be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to a variety of philanthropic causes. 

Allen’s collection, which featured some of the most valuable artwork in the world, went for sale at Christie’s in November 2022 in an event titled  “Visionary: The Paul G. Allen Collection.”

The event was a huge success and became the most expensive artwork collection sale of all time. Five pieces went for over $100 million, with the highest cost painting on the day selling for around $150 million. Total sales were a staggering $1.5 billion, which is a testament to Allen’s generosity and taste in the most expensive paintings in the world.

 

The three most expensive art painting sales at the event were:

• Georges Seurat – Les Poseuses, Ensemble (Petite version) – $149.2 million
• Paul Cézanne – La Montagne Sainte-Victoire – $137 million
• Vincent van Gogh – Verger avec cyprès – $117 million

2. The Collection of Harry & Linda Macklowe – $900 million

Harry and Linda Macklowe’s acrimonious divorce was sad news for the couple and their friends. However, it was good news for art collectors the world over because it offered a chance to buy some of the costliest paintings in the world.

The couple were considered among the most discerning art collectors in the world and had amassed an incredible collection of 65 paintings from some of the biggest names in 20th-century art. 

Over the course of two events  — in November 2021 and May 2022 — some of the most expensive paintings in the world went under the hammer and achieved a total sale of $922 million. 

 

Some of the most notable pieces sold at the event included: 

• Mark Rothko – No.7 – $82.5 million
• Alberto Giacometti’s – Le Nez – $78.4 million
• Andy Warhol – Nine Marilyns – $61.1 million

It’s not every day that the most valuable artwork in the world comes up for sale in such quantities, making this one of the biggest art industry events of the 21st century.

 

3. The Collection of David and Peggy Rockefeller – $835 million

The Rockefeller art collection, amassed over generations by the American banking dynasty, featured some of the most valuable artwork in the world. When David Rockefeller died, he wanted his collection to be sold and for the proceeds to go to charities and initiatives that were close to his heart. 

At Christie’s auction house in New York City in 2018, the diverse collection went up for sale. Featuring a mix of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists like Monet, Gauguin, Manet, and Renoir, alongside Modern pieces from Picasso and Matisse and significant works by American artists like Edward Hopper and Georgia O’Keefe, experts suggested the collection could fetch $1 billion. However, while it fell short of that excited estimate, the works sold for a total of $835 million. 

 

The three most notable sales from the event were:

• Pablo Picasso – Young Girl with a Flower Basket – $115 million
• Claude Monet – Water Lilies in Bloom – $85 million
• Henri Matisse – Reclining Odalisque with Magnolias – $80 million.

Now that you’re all caught up on the last decade of the art market, it’s time to share our most expensive paintings list from the same period. While the most priceless painting won’t be a big surprise to many, there are plenty of unexpected pieces that have commanded incredible sums over the last decade.

 

35. A B, ST JAMES – Gerhard Richter : $22.7 mil

 

 

The first of two appearances in this list of the most expensive painting in the world ever sold as of 2024 belong to German artist Gerhard Richter.

His abstract painting A B, ST JAMES sold for $22.7m at Sotheby’s in New York. While Richter may be more notable for paintings that use his eerily accurate photorealism technique, his portfolio of work in abstract is also well-loved and sought after.

The interesting effect of the painting was created by using a squeegee – a long, flat metal surface with a handle – to lay down base colours, before placing detail on top.

 

34. Rigide et courbé – Wassily Kandinsky : $23.3 mil

 

 

Selling for $23.3m at Christie’s in New York, Rigide et courbé (Rigid and Curved) by Wassilly Kandinsky was painted in 1935. Kandinsky created the piece while he was living in Paris, and – seeing as he was born in Russia – it’s fair to assume that the French title was chosen in homage to his adopted homeland.

Stylistically, it’s similar to a lot of Kandinsky’s other work at the time; abstracts that are characterized by non-geometric lines, and rustic colour palettes. A worthy entry on our 2024 list of the most expensive paintings and art in the world ever sold on auction.

 

33. Les Grandes Artères – Jean Dubuffet: $23.76 mil

 

 

Les Grandes Artères, selling for $23.76m at Christie’s in New York, was part of the French artist’s Paris Circus collection, considered by many to be among his finest and most accomplished works.

Indeed, the lion’s share of this collection is on show in some of the world’s most famous art galleries in Paris, New York, and Washington D.C. Therefore, it’s little surprise that this piece fetched such a high price when it went up for auction.

The vibrant, colourful canvas is an abstract depiction of Paris, the city where Dubuffet spent much of his adult life.

 

32. SELF PORTRAIT (FRIGHT WIG) – Andy Warhol: $24.4 mil

 

Warhol is one of those names that’s near enough guaranteed to be a massive asset to any piece that it’s attached to, and regularly delivers some of the most expensive paintings and pieces of art ever sold in the world as of 2024.

This self-portrait may not have commanded a figure as high as some – such as Eight Elvises which sold for a reported $100m in 2009 – but it still sold for $24.4m at Sotheby’s in New York.

The piece is a polaroid picture, taken in 1986, and this sale surely puts it in contention  for the most expensive polaroid of all time

 

31. Dϋsenjäger – Gerhard Richter : $25.56 mil

 

 

The second piece by Gerhard Richter in this list of the most expensive paintings in the world ever, Dϋsenjäger sold for $25.56m at Phillips in New York.

Perhaps the most famous of Richter’s well-loved warplane series, Dϋsenjäger depicts a jet fighter, using a blur technique that Richter became famous for.

While Richter is known for his photorealistic depictions of people and objects, he uses blur in many pieces to give it a unique artistic quality. For Dϋsenjäger, painted in 1963, Richter used a liberal application of his oft-used blur effect to give the impression that the plane is in flight.

 

30. Radha in the Moonlight –  Raja Ravi Varma: $29.4 mil

 

 

Selling for the equivalent of $29.4m in Pundole’s, Mumbai, Varma’s Radha in the Moonlight was the only painting on this list of the most expensive paintings in the world, to sell outside New York.

Though his name may fall on deaf ears in the west, Raja Ravi Varma is a widely celebrated artist in India, often considered among the greatest the country has ever produced. He was a learned man, studying the art techniques of European greats while infusing what he had learned with a truly Indian zeal.

The painting techniques used in Radha in the Moonlight are noticeably western, yet its subject is unmistakably Indian.

 

29. A B, STILL – Gerhard Richter: $33 mil 

 

The third piece by Gerhard Richter to appear in this 2024 list of the most expensive paintings and fine art in the world ever, A B, STILL sold for $33m at Sotheby’s New York.

It was sold as part of the same sale as the other Richter abstract in this list, AB, ST JAMES. It is done in a similarly abstract style as AB, ST JAMES, although the colour palette used to create it is much more vibrant and striking.

As with many of Richter’s abstracts, a squeegee was used to apply the base coat paint, resulting in broad colour blocks which were then painted over with detail.

 

28. Untitled (2005) – Cy Twombly – $46.4m

 

This piece by American abstractionist Cy Twombly sold for $46.4m at Christie’s in New York, part of the same sale as Leonardo Da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi (c. 1500). The piece, painted in 2005, is said to be one of the artist’s last truly great works, ahead of his death in 2011. Another worthy entry on our list of the most expensive paintings and artwork in the world, ever sold as of 2024.

 

27. Leda and the Swan (1962) – Cy Twombly – $52.9m

 

The second entry for Twombly in this year’s list, Leda and the Swan (1962) was from much earlier in the artist’s career. The piece was part of a private collection for much of the late 20^th Century, which will no doubt have been a factor in its high sale price.

 

26. PIKENE PÅ BROEN – Edvard Munch : $54.4 mil

 

 

PIKENE PÅ BROEN (or The Girls on the Bridge) by Edvard Munch sold for $54.4m at Sotheby’s in New York.

The piece by the Norwegian painter, whose famous painting ‘Scream’ made him a household name, was painted in 1900 and – as the name suggests – depicts a group of women standing on a bridge.

Munch was something of a nomad, living in various cities around Europe throughout a long career. The piece was created while was living in Berlin; it’s likely that the city provided his inspiration.

Painted in 1902 in bright colours, and depicting an outdoors scene – unlike much of his earlier work – many regard this piece to be one of Munch’s greatest, hence its hefty price tag recommending it as one of the most expensive paintings in the world ever sold as of 2024.

 

25. La Muse Endormie (1910) – Constantin Brancusi – $57.4m 

This sculpture by Romanian artist Constantin Brancusi sold for $57.4m when the hammer fell at Christie’s New York. The piece, created in 1910 while the artist was living in Paris, was heavily inspired by the Egyptian, Assyrian, Iberian, and Asian art and artifacts at some of the French capital’s most revered museums.

 

24. Blumengarten (1907) – Gustav Klimt – $59m 

Klimt’s Blumengarten became the third most expensive piece of art to sell in Europe when it sold at Sotheby’s in Mayfair. Only Alberto Giacometti’s Walking Man, and Peter Paul Rubens’ The Massacre of the Innocents have fetched a higher price on European soil, selling for $87m and $66.5m in 2010 and 2002 respectively.

 

23. Sixty Last Suppers (1986) – Andy Warhol – $60.9m

 Warhol is a name that commands high prices in the art market, and it’s never a shock to see one of his pieces in the top 10 art sales of the year worldwide.

The 32ft painting was among the artist’s final works before his death in 1987, and features 60 black and white silkscreen prints of Da Vinci’s The Last Supper.

Sold alongside Leonardo Da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi at Christie’s in Manhattan (more on that later), Sixty Last Suppers proves that the market for Warhol remains as strong as ever.

 

22. Untitled XXV – Willem de Kooning : $66 mil

 

 

Willem de Kooning’s Untitled XXV – an abstract created in the midst of a flurry of creativity in the 1970s – sold for a cool $66m at Christie’s in New York.

The piece had broken a record for the most expensive post-war piece of art when it was sold for $40m in 2005, and has improved upon that sale price by $26m.

The Dutch-American artist claimed that, from 1975-1978, pictures flowed out of him “like water.” One small part of that stream of art was Untitled XXV, painted in 1977.

 

 

21. Contraste de Formes (1913) – Fernand Léger – $70.1m

 

Setting a new record price for a piece by Léger, Contraste de Formes – or ‘shape contrast’ in English – sold at Christie’s in Manhattan last month for $70.1m. The piece’s rarity was surely a factor in the eventual sale price; it had never previously been put up for sale at auction.

 

20. Meule – Claude Monet : $81.4 mil

 

 

As far as artists go, few are elevated to true household name status. Warhol, previously mentioned in this piece, is one. Claude Monet is surely another.

The value of that name is often proven when the hammer drops at auctions too; this piece in particular sold for a monumental $81.4m at Christie’s in New York.  Famed for his paintings of water lilies, the French artist pioneered a style that would help provide the basis for the impressionism movement.

Meule is painted in this style, depicting a haystack in a field in the artist’s native France.

 

 

19. Laboureur dans un Champ (1889) – Vincent Van Gogh – $81.3m

Like Warhol, Van Gogh is always a guaranteed winner in the art market, and is often producing some of the most expensive paintings in the world ever sold, even at the time of this writing in 2024.

The Dutch painter is a household name well beyond the narrow confines of the art world, and any collector would be proud to have one of his pieces sit in their collection. Laboureur dans un Champ was painted in 1889, less than a year before the artist’s death. It was sold as part of the same sale as Contraste de Formes by Fernand Léger, but outstripped the sale price of that piece by more than $10m when the hammer fell.

 

18. IN THIS CASE – JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT – $91M 

Jean-Michel Basquiat was the darling of the Neo-Expressionist movement. His life was sadly cut short in 1988 at 27 from a heroin overdose. However, he still managed to produce some incredible works, including the arresting In This Case.

Many of Basquiat’s stunning works appear on the most expensive paintings list in modern times. His bold, vibrant, and chaotic style offers something totally different. In 2021, In This Case, went for sale at Christie’s auction house an commanded an incredible $93 million. 

 

17. Untitled (1982) – Jean-Michel Basquiat – $110.5m 

Grafitti artist turned fine artist Jean-Michel Basquiat probably would have balked at the prospect of one of his paintings selling for such a fee, had he been alive to witness it.

The Brooklyn native was a key part of the thriving New York art scene in the 1980s, when street art and hip hop were at the forefront of the city’s cultural landscape. Untitled was bought by a private collector at a sale in Sotheby’s New York in May.

 

16. Vincent van Gogh – Verger avec cyprès – $117m

Verger avec cyprès became Vincent van Gogh’s most priceless painting when it sold for $117 million in 2022. The 1888 masterpiece is considered the high point of Post-Impressionist art. The bright piece fuses color, symbolism, and composition to create something otherworldly and energetic. Of course, the cypress tree is considered a symbol of death in some cultures, leading critics to suggest the piece is about Van Gogh’s grappling with his own mortality.

 

15. Paul Cézanne – La Montagne Sainte-Victoire –  $137m

Paul Cézanne’s La Montagne Sainte-Victoire is an early 20th-century painting of the southern French limestone mountain called Montagne Sainte-Victoire. Cézanne produced around 80 paintings of the mountain over his career, with this version considered one of the most beautiful. The color has a pastel peacefulness and incredible light and atmosphere. 

This version of the range was sold at the Paul G. Allen auction in 2022 for a stunning price of $137 million, making it the most expensive art painting of all time by Cézanne.

 

14. PABLO PICASSO – FEMME À LA MONTRE – $139M

Femme à la montre, or Woman with a Watch, is a 1932 oil on canvas by Pablo Picasso. It depicts his mistress and muse, Marie-Thérèse Walter, against a vibrant blue background. The painting is widely considered one of the most important works in the Surrealist style.

When it was sold at Christie’s auction house in 2022 for $139 million, it became the second most costly painting by the Spanish master. 

 

13. QI BAISHI – TWELVE LANDSCAPE SCREENS -$140M

Qi Baishi (1864 – 1957) is one of the masters of Modern Chinese art. This Ink and color on paper was created in 1925 and depicts twelve different landscapes across China, featuring mountains, rivers, waterfalls, flowers and vegetation, and quaint villages.

In 2017, it became the most expensive art piece in the world produced by a Chinese artist when it sold for $140 million at the Beijing Poly Auction.

 

12. GEORGES SEURAT – LES POSEUSES, ENSEMBLE (PETITE VERSION) – $149M

Les Poseuses, Ensemble, which translates to The Models, Together, is the most valued painting that Georges Seurat has ever produced. This Neo-Impressionism masterpiece was created with Seurat’s Pointillism style and was considered at the time to be a shot across the bows of critics who claimed his world lacked emotion and warmth.

In 2022, it was sold as part of the Paul G. Allen collection and fetched $149 million. Interestingly, it was sold in the 1970s for $1 million, making it one of the costliest paintings in the world at the time.

 

11. Masterpiece (1962) – Roy Lichtenstein – $165m 

It’s little surprise that Masterpiece fetched such a commanding sum and is by far one of the top most expensive painting and work of art in the world, ever sold as of 2024; as one of the most notable early examples of pop art, it would be the dream of any modern art collector to own this piece.

Making use of the classic Ben-Day dots art style, along with a speech bubble, is a classic example of the style that made Lichtenstein famous.

The painting hung on the wall of a private collector’s Manhattan apartment for decades, before finally being put on sale earlier this year. That rarity factor will no doubt have contributed to the high sale price.

 

10. AMEDEO MODIGLIANI NU COUCHE – $170M

Nu couché, translated as Red Nude, is a 1917 portrait by Amedeo Modigliani. While it might not be the most expensive painting on earth, it certainly was one of the most controversial at the time when it was included as part of a Modigliani exhibition that was shut down by police.

When it went up for sale at Christie’s New York in 2015, it was the most priceless painting at the event when it was sold to Chinese businessman Liu Yiqian for $170 million.

 

9.  PABLO PICASSO – Les Femmes d’Alger (“Version O”) – $179.4M

Les Femmes d’Alger is the most expensive art painting in Pablo Picasso’s incredible oeuvre. Painted in 1955, it’s a bold and bright homage to Eugène Delacroix’s beguiling The Women of Algiers in their Apartment.

In May 2015, the piece went up for grabs at Christie’s in New York. After a long and arduous bidding process, it was sold to Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani for almost $180 million.

 

8. REMBRANDT – PENDANT PORTRAITS OF MAERTEN SOOLMANS AND OOPJEN COPPIT – $180M

These full-size wedding portraits depicted wealthy Amsterdam merchant Maerten Soolmans and his wife Oopjen Coppit. It is a painting of great rarity because it wasn’t the typical work that Rembrandt engaged in. However, it does have his characteristic master of light and dynamic movement.

The painting was held in the Rothschild family collection for many years. However, in 2015, a joint purchase by the Louvre and the Rijksmuseum saw the piece change hands for $180 million. The portraits are now rotated between these two iconic European galleries, making it one of the most expensive art painting joint purchases of all time.

7. MARK ROTHKO NO. 6 (VIOLET, GREEN AND RED): $186 MIL

Mark Rothko is a treasured American abstract expressionist celebrated for his Color Field paintings. His work is simple yet emotionally affecting and has fascinated audiences for decades. No.6 of this Color Field collection was painted in 1951, a period that art historians often describe as the peak of Rothko’s powers

In August 2014, the painting was sold via private collection to Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev for $186 million, making it the most expensive art piece in the world at the time.

Indeed, much controversy surrounds the sale because it was one of 38 paintings that were part of what is known as the “Bouvier Affair,” which was a series of legal battles brought by Rybolovlev against the art dealer Yves Bouvier, who was convicted of fraudulently inflating the prices of artwork while pretending to act as an intermediary, and not an interested party, during their sale.

 

6. Andy Warhol’s Sage Blue Marilyn: $195 mil

One of the biggest names in 2022 has been Andy Warhol’s Sage Blue Marilyn which became at the time the world’s most expensive 20th-century artwork /painting in the world ever sold at auction.

Warhol’s Sage Blue Marilyn is easily one of the most iconic and recognizable pieces of Pop Art. The 1964 silkscreen is a pointed comment on celebrity, mortality, and consumerism. 

The 2020 sale at Christie’s auction house in New York for $195 million saw this important work change hands from the prominent Swiss art collectors Thomas and Doris Ammann to the legendary art dealer Larry Gagosian. It remains the most valued painting in Warhol’s oeuvre.

 

5. REMBRANDT THE STANDARD BEARER – $198M

Rembrandt van Rijn is one of the best-known Dutch Golden Age masters. This 1636 oil on canvas self-portrait is a perfect representation of his incredible abilities. Painted in his typical chiaroscuro style, the interplay between light and subject is breathtakingly real. What’s more, he injects a sense of movement into the painting thanks to a billowing flag and active stride. 

The Standard Bearer is an important cultural treasure for the Netherlands. As such, they took great pains to bring the piece back home from its place at the Louvre in Paris. The Rijksmuseum put together a nearly $200 million package in February 2022 to secure this stunning work.

 

4. JACKSON POLLOCK – NO.17 – $200M

Jackson Pollock’s 1949 oil on fibreboard masterwork is one of the best-known examples of drip-painted Abstract Expressionism. His unusual technique brought a sense of energy and creativity to the art world that dared the viewer to reimagine the very meaning of art.

The work was an instant hit. It was featured in Life Magazine, along with an editorial that made the case that Pollock was the greatest living painter of the era.

Sold in September 2015, it briefly became the second-most expensive painting on Earth when it was purchased alongside Willem De Kooning’s Interchange.

 

3. PAUL GAUGUIN -NAFEA FAA IPOIPO (WHEN WILL YOU MARRY?) -$210M

Paul Gaugin traveled to Haiti in 1891, seeking to take a break from Europe. He wanted to find something real and create a more “primitive art.” While there, he produced the Post-Impressionism masterpiece, Nafea Faa Ipoipo. 

The painting features two Haitian women drawn in a flat style with bold and vibrant colors against a lush background. One woman is in traditional garbs, while the other is dressed in Western missionary clothes. Experts suggest Gaugin’s work is a comment on the clash of cultures. 

In 2014, the heirs of legendary Swiss art collector Rudolf Staechelin sold the painting to the State of Qatar for over $200 million, briefly securing its place as the most expensive painting on earth.

 

2. WILLEM DE KOONING – INTERCHANGE – $300M

Willem De Kooning (1904-1997) was a Dutch-American Abstract Expressionist. He painted Interchange in 1955 as part of his broader move into abstract landscapes. Though the work received a mixed critical reception at the time, appreciation for the piece gradually grew. 

In September 2015, the music industry mogul David Geffen sold the piece in a private sale to hedge fund manager David C. Griffin for $300 million. For a brief period, Interchange was the most costly painting in the world. 

If you want to see Interchange in all its vast and chaotic glory, the artwork is hung in the Art Institute of Chicago, on loan from the Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Foundation for the foreseeable future.

 

1. Salvator Mundi (c. 1500) – Leonardo da Vinci – $450.3m

 

Where to start?

Simply one of the most stunning sales of a luxury item of all time. The Salvator Mundi – not universally agreed upon by scholars to have actually been painted by Leonardo Da Vinci – was expected to command a fee of around $100m.

After the buyer’s premium was added, that fee was more than quadrupled by a Saudi prince following an intense bidding stage between a number of interested parties.

This sale is significant for a number of reasons. Chiefly, it is the highest amount ever paid for a single painting, smashing the previous record for the most expensive painting in the world ever sold – the $300m paid for William de Kooning’s Interchange (1955) – by $150m. This sale will live long in memory, and it will probably hold the world record for some time.

 

The impact of the war in Ukraine

The art world has had no time to recover from the effects of the pandemic (which are still being felt) and now suffers from the effects of the war in Ukraine. There have been many impacts on the art world due to the conflict, not least many ties with Russian art galleries and artists being cut by worldwide collectors and Ukrainian art being kept under protection.

But how has all this affected prices?

Many Russian art auctions have been called off, including the annual auction of Russian art held by both Sotheby’s and Christie’s in June, which will see them losing profits of £17.7 million, based on last year’s performance when some very niche, yet expensive paintings and art has been sold.

There is a complete ban on art exports to Russia by the UK and many other countries, and Sotheby’s has also announced that they will ban some Russian buyers and people whose income derives from Russia from participating in their sales. German auction house Ketterer Kunst also no longer communicates with Russian clients.

Russian oligarchs are well known for supporting the fine art industry with large donations, so these moves all indicate significant losses. There have been many fundraising attempts from artists around the world to support Ukraine, which has seen large profits, however, nothing necessarily notable on our list of the most expensive art and paintings in the world ever sold as of 2024.

 

To quickly sum up the 5 most expensive paintings & modern art ever sold in the last 10 years, you can also watch our short video below:

 

If art is your forte and you have pieces in your collection that you believe to be of value and that you are willing to part with, then valuation and consideration for auction may well be your best option. Here at New Bond Street Pawnbrokers, our knowledgeable experts can provide art collectors like yourself with a quality service and discrete valuations that allow you to stay in control.

As a luxury pawnbroker, we understand the value of your items and work alongside specialists who are amongst the most knowledgeable in their respective fields, giving you the assurance that all information we provide to you will be both accurate and representative of the true value of your items.

New Bond Street Pawnbrokers are a discreet, luxury pawnbroking service in London including loans against fine art and a variety of artists like Andy Warhol, Bernard Buffet, Damien Hirst, David Hockney, Marc Chagall, Raoul Duffy, Sean Scully, Tom Wesselmann, Tracey Emin, Banksy, and Roy Lichtenstein to name just a few.

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