The 10 most expensive paintings ever sold: from Leonardo’s Salvator Mundi to Warhol’s Marilyn

Some paintingsin the history of humanity, have transcended simple aesthetic appeal to become gods true artistic and cultural icons. This is the case of paintings that we will see in this article, which are currently the ones that have been sold to highest figures in history. From the Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vincithe most expensive painting ever (450.3 million dollars), passing through the dripping by Jackson Pollock and the Marilyn by Andy Warhol, everyone has exceeded 100 million dollars in value.

1. The Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci

The record-breaking sale of Christie’s New York of November 15, 2017the one in which the panel painting of Salvator Mundicataloged as a “rediscovered masterpiece” of Leonardo da Vinci. The painting was awarded for $450.3 million with feesmore than four times its $100 million estimate. A sum never seen before, as well as the work, which should be exhibited at the Louvre in Abu Dhabi but of which there is still no trace. The painting had caused a worldwide media sensation after its rediscovery in 2005, 200 years after its disappearance, becoming the subject of much debate in the art world: had the restoration been too heavy to consider it an original? More importantly, is this really an original work of art by da Vinci?

2. Exchange by Willem de Kooning

Not all sales take place at auction, on the contrary. For example Exchangean abstract expressionist work by the New York School painter Willem de Kooningwas sold by music mogul David Geffen to billionaire Kenneth Griffin, founder of the company hedge funds Citadel, in September 2015. The 1955 painting, according to rumors at the time of the sale, would have cost 300 million dollarsmaking it the most valuable work of modern art in the world.

3. Les Joueurs de cartes by Paul Cézanne

It was the rich nation of Qatar to buy from the Greek tycoon George Embiricos Les Joueurs de cartes (The card players) of 1892-93 by Paul Cézanne for further 250 million dollars. The work, sold in 2011, is a landmark of Post-Impressionist art and is part of a series of which only five paintings exist (housed in major institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Musée d’Orsay).

4. Nafea Faa Ipoipo? by Paul Gauguin

In 2014, Paul’s 1892 painting Gauguin Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When will you get married?) was sold by the Swiss collector Rudolf Staechelin for 210 million dollars to a company run by British art dealer Guy Bennett on behalf of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

5. 17A by Jackson Pollock

The work in fifth place in the ranking of the most expensive paintings in history was also sold in 2015 to Ken Griffin by David Geffen’s foundation. This is a drip painting irregular and intensely colored Jackson Pollock called 17A and made in 1948. The sale is certified on 200 million dollars.

6. Shot Blue Sage Marilyn by Andy Warhol

Immortalizing the iconic image of Marilyn Monroe in a composition of five identical portraits, Shot Sage Blue Marilyn (1964) by Andy Warhol was created two years after the death of the actress, born Norma Jeane Baker. In 2022, at auction at Christie’s in New York this piece sparked a flurry of bids lasting just four minutes, ultimately selling for 195 million dollars setting a record as the most expensive work by a twentieth-century artist ever sold at auction. The competition was won by the famous art dealer Larry Gagosian.

7. No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red) by Mark Rothko

The 1951 painting No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red) Of Mark Rothko it is considered among the best ever made by the artist, famous for his contribution to Abstract Expressionism and color field painting, a movement that emerged in the United States in the 1940s. The work was auctioned in 2014 for 186 million dollars and acquired by the Russian tycoon Dmitry Rybolovlev: it is one of the many works that the billionaire believes were sold to him at too high a price, as we will also see for the next painting.

8. Wasserschlangen II by Gustav Klimt

The prized one Wasserschlangen II (Water Snakes II), dated 1904-06/7 of Gustav Klimtis one of the 37 works that the billionaire Rybolovlev claims were sold to him at an excessive price between 2003 and 2014 by the former art dealer Yves Bouvier (as in reality also the Salvator Mundi). Rybolovlev’s company, Accent Delight, paid $183.8 million for this work by the Viennese master in 2012: the billionaire had asked for at least 190 million dollars in damages from Sotheby’s in relation to the agreements with Yves Bouvier, later denied by a ruling by the American courts in January.

9. De vaandeldrager by Rembrandt

At this point in the list there is a slight disconnect because the next works we will talk about were sold in euros, and therefore their price seems lower, but if considered in dollars they are fully among the most expensive paintings ever sold. De vaandeldrager(The standard bearer) Of Rembrandt to 175 million euros (198 million dollars) was bought by the Dutch government in 2020 to be exhibited at the large Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam: the self-portrait is considered the last major work by the Dutch artist to enter a public museum from private owners, including the British king King George IV and one of the French Rothschilds, from whom the painting was purchased.

10. I portraits by Maerten Soolmans And Oopjen Coppit by Rembrandt

The dozen most expensive paintings of all time close with a pair of works by Rembrandt, i portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit (made in 1634). This double wedding portrait also belonged to the Rothschild family before becoming the joint property of the Louvre Museum and the Rijksmuseum in 2015, after both museums managed to contribute half the purchase price of 160 million eurosthe equivalent of approximately $180 million.

And many other works sold for a similar value are left out, such as Les Femmes d’Alger (“Version O”) Of Pablo Picassosold for 179.4 million dollars, or the beautiful Nu couché Of Amedeo Modiglianisold for 170.4 million dollars, and many other masterpieces.