Salvator Mundi – Leonardo da Vinci – Sold for $450.3 million (2017)
Painted around 1500, Salvator Mundi (“Savior of the World”) depicts Christ holding a crystal orb. Once lost for centuries, it became the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction in 2017, purchased by Saudi Prince Badr bin Abdullah on behalf of the Saudi crown prince.
Interchange – Willem de Kooning – Sold for $300 million (2015)
Created in 1955, this abstract expressionist masterpiece captures de Kooning’s transition from figures to landscapes. It was purchased by hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin in a private sale, setting a record at the time for the highest price ever paid for a painting.
The Card Players – Paul Cézanne – Sold for $250 million (2011)
One of five versions painted between 1890–1895, this work shows Provençal peasants quietly playing cards. It was acquired by Qatar’s royal family and is considered one of Cézanne’s greatest masterpieces, bridging Impressionism and modern art.
Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will You Marry?) – Paul Gauguin – Sold for $210 million (2015)
Painted in 1892 during Gauguin’s first visit to Tahiti, the work portrays two Tahitian women—one in traditional dress, one in Western clothing—symbolizing cultural tension and beauty. It was sold privately to a Qatari buyer.
Number 17A – Jackson Pollock – Sold for $200 million (2015)
Pollock’s 1948 drip painting exemplifies the peak of abstract expressionism. Its chaotic energy and layered paint structure revolutionized modern art, and it now resides in a private collection after being purchased by Ken Griffin.
Water Serpents II – Gustav Klimt – Sold for $183.8 million (2013)
Created between 1904 and 1907, this sensuous painting celebrates the beauty of female form and mythological fantasy. Once looted by Nazis, it was later restituted and sold privately, showcasing Klimt’s hallmark use of gold and color.
No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red) – Mark Rothko – Sold for $186 million (2014)
Painted in 1951, this color field composition represents Rothko’s emotional depth through minimalism. It was sold in a controversial private deal involving Swiss dealer Yves Bouvier and Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev.
Pendant Portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit – Rembrandt – Sold for $180 million (2016)
Painted in 1634 as wedding portraits, these full-length Rembrandt works are among the few of their kind. Purchased jointly by the Louvre and the Rijksmuseum, they remain together and symbolize the union of Dutch and French cultural heritage.
Les Femmes d’Alger (“Version O”) – Pablo Picasso – Sold for $179.4 million (2015)
Painted in 1955 as a tribute to Delacroix, this Cubist explosion of color and form was the final piece in Picasso’s series. It set a world auction record when sold at Christie’s in 2015.
The Standard Bearer – Rembrandt – Sold for $198 million (2022)
Painted around 1636, this self-portrait shows Rembrandt in historical costume, symbolizing his pride in the Dutch Republic. It was purchased by the Rijksmuseum with support from the Dutch government.
Shot Sage Blue Marilyn – Andy Warhol – Sold for $195 million (2022)
Warhol’s 1964 portrait of Marilyn Monroe became one of the most iconic images of pop art. The “Shot” series got its name when a visitor literally fired a gun through the stack of canvases in Warhol’s studio.
No. 5, 1948 – Jackson Pollock – Sold for $140 million (2006)
One of Pollock’s most famous drip paintings, No. 5 exemplifies his “action painting” style. The sale marked one of the earliest examples of nine-figure art transactions.
Woman III – Willem de Kooning – Sold for $137.5 million (2006)
Part of de Kooning’s Women series, this 1953 work blends abstraction and raw human emotion. It was once held by Tehran’s Museum of Contemporary Art before being sold privately to billionaire Steven A. Cohen.
Masterpiece – Roy Lichtenstein – Sold for $165 million (2017)
Painted in 1962, this comic-style pop art piece humorously predicts its own fame with the line “Why, Brad darling, this painting is a masterpiece!” It was sold by Agnes Gund to fund criminal justice reform.
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I – Gustav Klimt – Sold for $135 million (2006)
Known as “The Woman in Gold,” this glittering 1907 portrait became a symbol of Nazi-looted art restitution. It was purchased by Ronald Lauder for the Neue Galerie in New York.
Le Rêve – Pablo Picasso – Sold for $155 million (2013)
Painted in 1932, Le Rêve (“The Dream”) portrays Picasso’s mistress Marie-Thérèse Walter. Casino magnate Steve Wynn famously damaged it with his elbow before selling it to Steven A. Cohen years later.
Portrait of Dr. Gachet – Vincent van Gogh – Sold for $82.5 million (1990)
Painted in 1890, this emotional portrait depicts the doctor who cared for van Gogh in his final months. It sold for a record-breaking sum at the time to a Japanese collector, reflecting the intense global fascination with van Gogh’s life and art.
Bal du moulin de la Galette – Pierre-Auguste Renoir – Sold for $78.1 million (1990)
Painted in 1876, this lively Impressionist scene captures Parisians dancing under dappled sunlight in Montmartre. It’s considered one of Renoir’s most joyous and atmospheric masterpieces.
Garçon à la pipe – Pablo Picasso – Sold for $104.2 million (2004)
Created in 1905 during Picasso’s Rose Period, the painting of a Parisian boy holding a pipe blends innocence and melancholy. It was the first painting to surpass $100 million at auction.
The Scream – Edvard Munch – Sold for $119.9 million (2012)
Perhaps one of the most recognizable images in the world, The Scream captures raw human anxiety. This pastel-on-board version sold at Sotheby’s and remains among the most expensive artworks ever sold at auction.
