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Top 10 Most Expensive Paintings in the World
Some paintings are worth millions. The most expensive is about $1 billion. Here’s a list of the most expensive paintings in the world.
The most expensive paintings in the world are found in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Chicago, Norway, and Paris, among other places. Some of these paintings are worth millions and they far outrank the net worth of some wealthy celebrities. The most expensive painting in the world is about one billion dollars.
Why Are Paintings So Expensive? Many factors contribute to the price of a painting. These factors include the artist, the years the painting has endured, the significance of the painting, and auctioning. Paintings range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
In this article, RNN will highlight the top 10 most expensive paintings in the world at the moment.
10. The Standard Bearer- $198 million
Artist- Rembrandt
Location- Amsterdam, Netherlands
Year of Painting- 1636
Owner- Rijksmuseum
The Standard Bearer (1936) is a self-portrait by Dutch painter, Rembrandt. The art piece was initially in the Paris collection of Elie de Rothschild before it was purchased by Rijksmuseum for 175 million Euros ($198 million).
The painting was done on the occasion of Rembrandt’s move from Leiden to Amsterdam. The Standard Bearer has other copies in oil, but this particular piece dates as far back as the 18th century.
The Standard Bearer is now valued at $198 million.
9. Les Femmes d’Alger (Version O)- $179.4
Artist- Pablo Picasso
Location- Qatar
Year of Painting- $1955
Owner- Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani
Les Femmes d’ Alger (“Version O”) is the last of the 1954-55 15-version series from Picasso called “Les Femmes d’Alger” (“Women of Algiers”).
The series, which was considered to be a tribute to his friend Henri Matisse, was purchased by Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar. Although it was sold at $179.4, Les Femmes d’ Alger (“Version O”) is now valued at $205.
8. Pendant portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit- $180 million
Artist- Rembrandt
Location- Paris, Amsterdam
Year of Painting- 1634
Owner- Rijksmuseum and Louvre Museum
The painting was created to celebrate the wedding of Maerten and Oopjen in 1634. In 2015, it was co-purchased by Rijksmuseum and Louvre Museum as a joint venture with each party paying 50% of the price.
Both portraits are always displayed together, as a result of an agreement by art experts. The paintings were purchased at the price of $180 million but are now valued at $206 million.
7. No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red)- $186 million
Artist- Mark Rothko
Location- Private
Year of Painting- 1951
Owner- Dmitry Rybolovlev
This Painting by American painter, Mark Rothko is famous for being one of the most expensive paintings in the world despite its simple outlook.
No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red) was originally sold for $186 million but is now valued at $213 million. The piece is famous for being one of the works in the Bouvier Affair. It was bought privately by Rybolovlev in 2014 for €140 million.
6. Number 17A- $200 million
Artist- Jackson Pollock
Location- Private
Year of Painting- 1948
Owner- Kenneth C. Griffin
Number 17A is Pollock’s most expensive painting even though it is also a drip painting like many others by the artist. The painting was created by splattering paint onto a horizontal surface with oil paint on a fiberboard.
Griffin purchased the masterpiece from David Geffen at the price of $200 million, although it is now valued at $229 million. It was purchased in December 2015.
5. Nafea Faa Ipoipo- $201 million
Artist- Paul Gauguin
Location- Qatar
Year of Painting- 1892
Owner- Royal Family of Qatar
Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will you Marry) is an oil painting done by French painter, Paul Gauguin who was inspired by the Tahitian culture. Gauguin traveled to Tahiti to “find an Edenic paradise where he could create pure, ‘primitive’ art”. Upon his arrival, however, he discovered that Tahiti was not what he imagined it to be. Nonetheless, he created art.
His creation, Nafea Faa Ipoipo has become one of the most expensive paintings in the world today. It was sold for $210 million but is now valued at $240 million.
4. The Card Players- $250 million
Artist- Paul Cézanne
Location- Qatar
Year of Painting- 1892/93
Owner- Royal Family of Qatar
The Card Players is a series of oil paintings done by French artist and post-impressionist painter, Paul Cézanne.
The series consists of five paintings that vary in size, the number of players, and the game setting. One version of the series, however, was sold to The Royal Family of Qatar in 2011 at an estimated price of $250 million, now valued at $301 million.
3. Interchange- $300 million
Artist- Willem de Kooning
Location- Private
Year of Painting- 1955
Owner- Kenneth C. Griffin
Interchange is an abstract expressionist oil painting on canvas by Dutch-American artist, de Kooning. The piece depicts a transition from Kooning’s initial “women series” to abstract urban landscapes.
After going from Pittsburgh to New York and then to Tokyo, the painting was later sold to David Geffen at a loss due to the 1990s recession. Later in 2015, Geffen sold Interchange for $300 million to hedge fund manager and billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin.
2. Salvator Mundi- $450.3 million
Artist- Leonardo da Vinci
Location- Saudi Arabia
Year of Painting- 1500
Owner- Badr bin Abdullah
Although the painting was initially sold for $450.3 million in 2017, it is now valued at $497.8 million (July 2022) due to inflation.
According to Wikipedia, “the painting depicts Christ in an anachronistic blue Renaissance dress, making the sign of the cross with his right hand, while holding a transparent, non-refracting crystal orb in his left, signaling his role as Salvator Mundi and representing the ‘celestial sphere’ of the heavens”.
Salvator Mundi was sold at auction by New York’s Christie’s to Prince Badr bin Abdullah who reportedly purchased it on behalf of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism. The real owner is yet to be identified, however.
1. Mona Lisa- $900 million
Artist- Leonardo da Vinci
Location- Paris
Year of Painting- 1503-1506
Owner- The Louver Museum
The Mona Lisa painting is the most expensive painting in the world. On December 14, 1962, when it was assessed at the Louvre museum in Paris, it had a value of $100 million. However, taking inflation into consideration, the piece would be worth around $900 million dollars in 2022.
The painting was done by Italian artist, Leonardo da Vinci, and several replicas have been done by artists believed to be da Vinci’s students. Mona Lisa is the most popular and most expensive painting in the world at the moment.
Most Expensive Paintings in the World Summary
- Mona Lisa (Now Valued at $900 million)
- Salvator Mundi (Now Valued at $497.8 million)
- Interchange (Now Valued at $343 million)
- The Card Players (Now Valued at $301 million)
- Nafea Faa Ipoipo (Now Valued at $240 million)
- No 17A (Now Valued at $229 million)
- No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red)- Now Valued at $213 million
- Pendant portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit (Now Valued at $206 million)
- Les Femmes d’Alger (Now Valued at $205 million)
- The Standard Bearer (Now Valued at $198 million)