8/8/2019 The Most Expensive Paintings Ever Sold

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The Most Expensive Paintings ever sold

1. JACKSON POLLOCK - "Number 5, 1948", 1948 - $140 millionPrivate sale, 2006. Seller: David Geffen. Buyer: Unknown (rumored to be Mexican businessmanDavid Martinez).

Right now, this stunning "drip" by Jackson Pollock is the most expensive painting ever sold,though the exact price was never confirmed (but the price displayed here is generally accepted tobe true). The exorbitant sum demonstrates not only the strength of the Art market, but also theincreasing interest for the contemporary works of Art.

2. WILLEM DE KOONING - "Woman III", 1952-53 - $137.5 millionPrivate sale, 2006. Seller: David Geffen. Buyer: Steven Cohen

Pollock first. De Kooning second. The immediate conclusion is that American abstractexpressionism has displaced Impressionism as the most sought-after Art period. This painting isthe only "Woman" by Willem de Kooning still in private hands. One of this woman - described by T. Hess as "black goddesses" - has been chosen by theartwolf.com as one of the 50masterworks of the history of painting.

3. GUSTAV KLIMT - "Adele Bloch-bauer I", 1907 - $135 millionPrivate sale, 2006. Buyer: Ronald Lauder.

The acquisition of this iconic work by cosmetic magnate Ronald Lauder caused a shock in theArt world, not only for the spectacular sum paid for it, but also for the way it was sold, far awayfrom the noisy auction houses. The painting was part of a group of five canvases which had beenrecently returned to the heirs of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer. The Nazis confiscated his paintingsduring the World War II, and after the war, the canvases were placed at the National Gallery ofAustria in 1948.

4. PABLO PICASSO - "Nude, Green Leaves and Bust", 1932 - $106.5 millionChristie's New York, May 2010. Buyer: anonymous

This sensual and colorful masterpiece by Picasso is the most expensive painting ever sold atauction. The work, formerly in the collection of Mrs. Sidney F. Brody, had been never exhibitedin public since 1961.

5. PABLO PICASSO - "Garon a la pipe", 1904 - $104.1 millionSotheby's New York, May 2004. Buyer: anonymous

The sale of this young smoker was a milestone in the Art auctions world. It broke the recordthat Vincent van Gogh held since 1990, and it was the first time that the $100 million barrier wasbroken. Although the name of the buyer was not revealed, some sources says that he could beGuido Barilla, the Italian pasta magnate.

6. ANDY WARHOL - "Eight Elvises", 1963 - $100 millionPrivate sale, 2008. Buyer: anonymous

This unique work by Warhol, measuring over 12 feet long, had been at the collection ofRoman collector Annibale Berlingieri for over 40 years. It surpassed the previous world recordfor a work by Warhol, the $71.7 million paid at Christie's New York in 2007 for"Green CarCrash (Green Burning Car I)"

8/8/2019 The Most Expensive Paintings Ever Sold

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7. PABLO PICASSO - "Dora Maar au chat", 1941 - $95.2 millionSotheby's New York, May 2006. Buyer: anonymous

Dora Maar (1907-1997) met Picasso in 1930, and their relationship lasted until 1946. Anative from Paris, raised in Argentina and therefore fluent in Spanish, Maar was one of Picasso'sfavourite models. This painting, measuring 130- 97 cm, was recently rediscovered andauthenticated by Picasso's daughter, Maya Widmaier Picasso.

8. TITIAN - "Diana and Actaeon", 1556-1559 - $91 millionPrivate sale, February 2009. Buyer: United Kingdom

This work has all the splendor and glory of the best of Titian's 'painted poetries'. It waspreviously at the Duke of Sutherland collection, who offered it to the U.K. It has a "sisterpicture", "Diana and Callisto"

9. GUSTAV KLIMT - "Adele Bloch-bauer II ", 1912 - $87.9 millionChristie's New York, November 2006. Buyer: unknown

Sold only a few months later than Klimt's first version of Adele, this extremely appealing

canvas was the star lot in a highly successful auction in which four works by Klimt -includingthis- totaled a stunning $192 million

10. FRANCIS BACON - "Triptych 1976" - $86.3 millionSotheby's New York, May 2008. Buyer: European private

Francis Bacon is one of the most sought-after names in the Art market, and this work easilysurpassed its impressive $70 million pre-sale estimate