The 10 most expensive paintings in the world
In the diverse world of art, some works are truly priceless, with no commodity capable of replacing them. In other cases, brushstrokes become investments, and creativity transforms into currency, prompting many to pay astronomical sums to own them. For countless collectors, there is no price too high for a remarkable piece of art.
Year after year, auction houses and private galleries buy and sell artworks from a wide range of sources, spanning painters like Leonardo da Vinci and Titian to more contemporary artists such as Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko. Here, we present the most expensive works in the history of art.
Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci
This work by the Italian master, dated around 1500, is one of the most controversial in the history of art. The painting has been attributed to various artists, including Bernardino Luini and Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio. However, many agree it is a work by Leonardo da Vinci. Discovered in 2005 and restored in 2006, the painting was sold at auction by Christie’s in New York in 2017 for a staggering $450 million to an anonymous buyer. It was later revealed that the buyer was acting on behalf of Saudi Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al Saud.
Interchange by Willem de Kooning
The work was created in 1955 by the Dutch-American painter. This oil on canvas, part of the Abstract Expressionism movement, was sold in 2015 by the David Geffen Foundation and purchased by Kenneth C. Griffin for 300 million euros. The work remained in Griffin’s private collection until it was loaned to the Art Institute of Chicago.
The Card Players by Paul Cézanne
The work is part of a series created by the post-impressionist painter during Cézanne’s final artistic period, between 1894 and 1895. While the other works in this series are displayed in various museums around the world, this one is in the private collection of the Qatari royal family. It was sold in 2011 by Greek tycoon Georges Embiricos for 250 million to the Qatari royal family.
Nafea Faa Ipoipo? by Paul Gauguin
When Will You Get Married?, translated from Tahitian, is one of the first works painted by Gauguin during his initial stay in Tahiti in 1891. The painting depicts two native women from the island, a mother and her daughter. The daughter wears a white flower on her head, which, in their culture, signifies that the person is ready for marriage. The work was sold in 2014 by Swiss businessman Rudolf Staechelin to a Qatari buyer for 210 million.
Number 17A by Jackson Pollock
The American painter, deeply influential in the Abstract Expressionism movement, created Number 17A in 1948. Pollock rose to fame for his drip technique, using it as a means of expressing emotion through movement. Number 17A is an abstract work featuring a kaleidoscope of colors made with oil paint on fiberboard. It was sold in 2015 by the David Geffen Foundation and purchased by Kenneth C. Griffin for $200 million. Currently, it cannot be seen, as it is in Geffen’s private collection.
The Standard Bearer by Rembrandt
This work by the Dutch painter is considered one of the best in his repertoire. Rembrandt created it on the occasion of his move from Leiden, his hometown, to Amsterdam. Many consider this work a self-portrait. It was part of the Elie de Rothschild collection until it was purchased by the Dutch government for 198 million dollars. Today, the work can be seen in the Rijksmuseum.
Shot Sage Blue Marilyn by Andy Warhol
This work is part of Warhol’s famous Shot Marilyns series, created by the American artist in 1964 using the silkscreen technique and a cropped publicity photo. It was sold for $195 million to art dealer Larry Gagosian during Christie’s auction in 2022.
No. 6 Violet, Green and Red by Mark Rothko
Created by the Latvian-American painter in 1951, the work consists of long blocks of color outlined by blurred and uneven hues. It was sold by Cherise Moueix in 2014 at a private sale and purchased by Dmitry Rybolovlev for $186 million.
Water Serpents II by Gustav Klimt
This oil on canvas was created by the Austrian artist in 1907. It follows Water Serpents I. The painting has been the subject of controversy several times: it was stolen by the Nazis during World War II and later became a topic of discussion after its record sale in 2013. It was sold by Yves Bouvier and purchased by Russian tycoon Dmitry Rybolovlev for $183 million.
Rembrandt’s The Wedding Portraits of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit
These are the largest portraits created by the Dutch painter, each measuring two meters high and one and a half meters wide. They were painted by Rembrandt in 1634, and unlike other portrait pairs of the time, they have remained together since their creation. The pair of paintings was sold in 2016 by Éric de Rothschild and purchased for $180 million—one by the Louvre Museum and the other by the Rijksmuseum. The two museums take turns displaying both paintings, ensuring that they are never separated.
