10 Most Expensive Paintings Ever Sold

I have been trying to find Gustave Klimt's "The Kiss" as my wallpaper when I came across a list of 10 Most Expensive Paintings Ever Sold in artwolf.com. This site gives a more comprehensive list than those that were based primarily from reports of paintings sold in auctions. You might be surprised to know that the most expensive around $140 million is one that hardly shows anything that is recognizable. But one thing is certain that there is an increasing interest in contemporary art. Read more to get a bird's eye view of these pricey treasures. Are these masterworks currently displayed in distinguished museums or are most of them owned by billionaires?


# 10 PIERRE AUGUSTE RENOIR: "Le moulin de la Galette", 1876





This is most probably the happiest of Renoir's paintings who was very much delighted in `the people of Paris'. Moulin de la Galette is a notable place of entertainment where the spectacle of working girls, young men, artists and unprofessional models inspired Renoir to create this Impressionist creation.


"Le Moilin de la Galette" was owned by John Hay Whitney on May 17, 1990, which was later sold by his widow for US $78 million at Sotheby's, New York City to Ryoei Saito. In 1997, the Japanese collector sold it to a "European private collector" for $50 million.


# 9 JASPER JOHN: "False Start", 1959




This iconic work was sold in autumn 2006 to a private buyer who preferred to remain anonymous. John's painting is known to be the "second most expensive painting" by a contemporary artist.


# 8 VINCENT VAN GOGH: "Portrait of Doctor Gachet", 1890 for $82.5 million

During the"Japanese buyer boom" in the late 80s and early 90s, this great painting was sold for an astounding amount of money to Ryoei Saito, a Japanese businessman who later experienced great financial peril.

Japanese art enthusiast Saito threatened to have the van Gogh painting cremated with him after his death. Later Saito considered giving the paintings to his government or a museum.


The whereabouts of this painting are currently unknown. Don't you think Saito was indeed serious about being cremated with Van Gogh's masterpiece after his death?

# 7 FRANCIS BACON: "Tryptich 1976" for $86.3 million

At Sotheby's New York in May 2008, a European private buyer claimed ownership on this masterpiece by most sought-after artist, Francis Bacon.

# 6 GUSTAV KLIMT: "Adele Bloch-bauer II ", 1912 for $87.9 million

Sold at Christie's New York , November 2006 to a private owner. At Christie's, Klimt's four paintings were sold that amounted to $192 million.

# 5 PABLO PICASSO: "Dora Maar au chat", 1941 for $95.2 million

Dora Maar who met Picasso in 1930 was one of the artist's favorite models. This painting was again sold to a private owner at Sotheby's New York in May 2006.


# 4 PABLO PICASSO: "Garçon a la pipe", 1904 for $104.1 million

This young smoker painting by Picasso is still the most expensive painting ever sold at auction. The sale of Klimt's masterpieces were on the other hand done privately. This broke the $100 million record that Vincent van Gogh got since 1990. Although the name of the buyer was never revealed, some sources name Guido Barilla, the Italian pasta magnate, as the owner of this record breaking masterpiece.

# 3 GUSTAV KLIMT: "Adele Bloch-bauer I", 1907 for $135 million

This iconic work by Gustav Klimt was acquired privately by Ronald Lauder, a cosmetic magnate. This painting one of the five paintings returned to the heirs of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer. His paintings were taken by the Nazis during the World War II, which was later displayed at the National Gallery of Austria in 1948.

# 2 WILLEM DE KOONING: "Woman III", 1952-53 for $137.5 million

"Woman III" was sold privately to Steven Cohen.

THE MOST EXPENSIVE PAINTINGS EVER SOLD IS....

# 1 JACKSON POLLOCK: "Number 5, 1948" for $140 million

"Number 5" was reportedly sold to David Martínez. This is a living proof that there is a growing trend in contemporary art.