Art has always been agitated people’s minds and imagination. There are many fine artists, but what makes a painting famous and popular? It’s an idea, which could be understood by everyone, be it a rich or a poor person, illiterate or well-educated. The most expensive and world-known paintings make people look at them again to find a new sense.
Not surprisingly, that those masterpieces are sold for great deal money. The price depends on the name of the artist, style, even on the history of the picture. Look at these 10 paintings, which cost as a luxurious house on the seashore.
Salvator Mundi
Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
Location: Saudi Arabia
Year of painting: 1500 Ac
Materials: Oil painting on Walnut
Dimension: 25.8*18.2 inch
Year Sold: 2017
Owner: Mohammed bin Salman (Prince of Saudi Arabia)
Price: 450.3 Million USD
The paintings where the saints are drawn on are one of the most appreciated. Jesus Christ is portrayed in the classical renaissance robe. The sign he makes with his right hand means benediction. A crystal sphere is held by him in his left hand. The picture gives an impression as if Christ’s glance is directed right at the beholder. “Saviour of the World” is the English translation of “Salvator Mundi”.
Leonardo Da Vinci’s paintings are usually not sold, because they belong to the world’s artistic heritage so that everyone has the right to get familiar with them. But “Salvatore Mundi” was purchased by the Saudi Prince for more than $450 million.
Interchange
Artist: Willem de kooning
Location: Art Institute of Chicago
Year of Painting: 1995
Dimension: 79 * 69 inch
Material: Oil painting on Canvas
Year sold: 2015
Owner: Kenneth Griffin
Price: $300 million USD
This abstract expressionist painter is a highly appreciated among the modern painters. This mysterious painting reflects the period of a spiritual quest in the life of this Dutch artist. Created in 1955, it was acquired 60 years later by a rich art connoisseur for his art collection.
The Card Players
Artist: Paul Cézanne
Location: Qatar
Year of Painting: 1895
Material: Oil painting on Canvas
Year sold: 2011
Owner: Royal Family of Qatar
Price: 250 million USD
This masterpiece belongs to the post-impressionism genre. It’s one of 5 pictures representing peasants who spend time playing cards. Interesting, that the models were from the Cezanne family estate. The four paintings are in different places (New York, London, Paris, Pennsylvania), and one was bought by the Royal Family of Qatar for their private collection.
Nafea Faa Ipoipo
Artist: Paul Gaugain
Location: Qatar
Year of Painting: 1892
Material: Oil on Canvas
Dimension: 30*40 in
Year sold: 2015
Owner: Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani
Price: $210 Million USD
This masterpiece was bought by the Royal Family of Qatar at a huge price. However, at the time this work was met with indifference. Paul Gaugain had an idea to capture his travel experience in paintings. He went to Tahiti, where he found these young women. They are high likely mother and daughter. The first one is wondering, when her child is going to marry.
Number 17a
Artist: JACKSON Pollock
Location: Private
Year of Painting: 1948
Material: Oil painting on Fibreboard
Year sold: 2015
Owner: Kenneth C. Griffin
Price: $200 Million USD
Though the picture seems chaotic and weird, the artist had a strong idea in his mind. Painted in the genre of abstract expressionism, it was one of the first works of this direction in the last century. “Number 17a” is displayed on one of the Kenneth Griffin’s houses, who purchased it in 2016. Unlike other famous artists, he got recognition during his life.
No.6 Violet, Green and Red
Artist: Mark Rothko
Location: Private
Year of Painting: 1951
Material: Oil painting on Canvas
Year sold: 2014
Owner: Dmitry Rybolovlev
Price: 186 Million USD
No.6 looks very plain, but the idea is quite complicated. This abstract expressionist tried to catch the beholder’s eye and cause various emotions simply by looking at the color’s combination. Mark Rothko was inspired by Greek mythology and Nietzsche to create his pictures. This painting is in the art collection of a rich Russian enterpriser, whose art collection has several most pricey pieces of art.
Pendant portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit
Artist: Rembrandt van Rijn
Dimension: 83*53 in
Location: Paris and Amsterdam
Year of Painting: 1634
Material: Oil painting on Canvas
Year sold: 2016
Owner: Rijksmuseum and the Louvre
Price: $180 Million USD
The portraits of newly married couple astonish with their realistic images. They wear traditional Dutch wedding attire. The couple looks solemn and happy at the same time. Painted separately, they used to be together all the time. Although the portrait traditional meaning assumes only a face to be drawn, these show the spouses in full size. They were bought together by France and the Netherlands. Earlier they belonged to Rothschild family.
Les Femmes d’ Alger (Version O)
Artist: Pablo Picasso
Dimension: 45*57.6 in
Location: Doha, Qatar
Year of Painting: 1955
Material: Oil painting on Canvas
Year sold: 2015
Owner: Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani
Price: $179 Million USD
Spanish painter was known in life, but now he’s extremely popular. This painting, showing an exotic oriental scene, was known for its revolutionary cubistic genre, to which it belongs. These Algerian women, smoking hookah, were an unusual plot for the 19th century. They are relaxed and confident. “The Women of Alger” is owned by the Royal Family of Qatar.
Wasserschanglen II
Artist: Gustav Klimt
Year of Painting: 1955
Material: Colour painting on Canvas
Year sold: 2012
Owner: Dmitry Rybolovlev
Price: $183 Million USD
This work, showing two beautiful silhouettes, is the second painting of Klimt, devoted to women’s love and relationship. Klimt had to give this name to the picture and claim its allegorical theme because the straight meaning would be unacceptable at the time. The previous one was very similar, but the bodies were not covered with the colorful leaves. The women look like young mermaids, enjoying their water kingdom and each other. This painting took its place in the collection of Dimitry Rybolovlev.
Nu couche
Artist: Amedeo Modigliani
Year of Painting: 1917
Dimension: 24*36 in
Material: Oil painting on Canvas
Year sold: 2015
Owner: Liu Yiqian
Price: $170.4 Million USD
The nu genre was always beloved among the artists, but the creation of such pictures caused some problems to Modigliani, after showing it to the wide public. The painting shows a very self-confident woman, who gazes at the beholder without any shame or shyness. However, the artist wanted to emphasize the beauty of the human body more, than cause a public flame-out. This nude was is owned by a Chinese billionaire Liu Yiqian.