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- Some paintings go on private display after being sold.
- Every painting on this list has sold for over $100 million.
- Multiple buyers on this list own more than one of the most expensive works of art.
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Art is among the most collectible things the rich and famous can buy. Alongside yachts, the price tag on paintings can also hit astronomical levels, with many selling for well over $100 million. According to What a Portrait, the value of these paintings goes up significantly decades, if not centuries after they are finished.
When these paintings are sold, the buyers take ownership and then lend them out for display at museums worldwide. Alternatively, some buyers hold these paintings dearly and keep them in private collections. The good news is that museums or state bodies also own some of these paintings, so they will forever be on display for art lovers to enjoy.
20. Woman III
Willem de Kooning painted Woman III in 1953, which depicts the full figure of a standing woman. It was once displayed at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art before being sold to entertainment tycoon David Gefeen. It’s currently in the hands of Steven A. Cohen, who paid $137.5 million in a private sale.
19. No. 5
The famous painter completed another Jackson Pollock masterpiece, No 5, in 1948. After being owned by David Geffen, the painting was sold privately through Sotheby’s to Mexican financier David Martinez in 2006 and is on private display.
18. Twelve Landscape Screens
The Twelve Landscape Screens, painted by Qi Baishi in 1925, is considered the most important 20th-century painting by a Chinese painter. After he died, two unknown parties traded private ownership at the Poly Beijing Auction in December 2017, where it was sold for $140.8 million.
17. Three Studies of Lucien Freud
Known as the Three Studies of Lucien Freud, Francis Bacon completed his famous painting in 1969, though it’s broken into three separate panels. Elaine Wynn, wife of casino mogul Steve Wynn, purchased the paintings for $142.2 million in 2013 at a Christie’s auction and remains in private hands.
16. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II
Gustav Klimt’s masterpiece, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II, was painted in 1912 and once belonged to Oprah Winfrey. However, she sold the painting for $150 million to a private Chinese buyer, and it was displayed at the Neue Galerie in New York before returning to the private collection.
15. Le Reve
The famous painter completed another Pablo Picasso masterpiece, Le Reve, in 1932. After being owned by casino mogul Steve Wynn for years, he sold it privately for $155 million to hedge fund billionaire Steven A. Cohen in the largest private art sale in history.
14. Nu Couché (Sur le côté Gauche)
One of two Renaissance-inspired nudes painted by Amedeo Modigliani, Nu Couche (Sur le côté Gauche), was completed in 1962. The painting was sold to a private collector at a Sotheby’s auction in 2017 for $170 million and is in a private collection.
13. Masterpiece
Masterpiece, completed in 1962 by Roy Lichenstein, replicates the look of a comic book panel. In 2017, it was sold to Steven A. Cohen of SAC Capital for his private collection for $165 million after being on private display in Agnes Gund’s Upper East Side apartment for years.
12. Nu Couche
Known as the “Reclining Nude,” Nu Couche was painted by Amedeo Modigliani in 1917. Chinese billionaire Liu Yiqian purchased the painting for $170.4 million in November 2015, which has been loaned to various museums at various times.
11. Les Femmes d’ Alger
One of Pablo Picasso’s most famous works, Les Femmes d’ Alger, was completed in 1955. The name translates to “Women of Algiers.” The painting was sold in May 2015 for $179 million to the ex-Prime Minister of Qatar and hangs in a private museum.
10. Portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit
Famously, two oil paintings finished by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1634 depict Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit before their marriage. The two paintings are displayed together after being sold to the Louvre and Rijksmuseum for $180 million, with the museums sharing the work.
9. Water Serpents II
One of Gustav Klimt’s most famous works, this 1907 masterpiece was reportedly captured in World War II before resurfacing for auction in 2015. The painting sold for $183 million to a private buyer and is displayed at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
8. No. 6 (Violet, Green, and Red)
Selling for $186 million, No 6. (Violet, Green, and Red), Mark Rothko’s famous picture was completed in 1951. The price tag was a new record for the painter’s work after being sold to Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev.
7. Shot Sage Blue Marilyn
Andy Warhol’s most famous painting, the 1964 Shot Sage Blue Marilyn of Marilyn Monroe, is his signature work. The painting was sold for $195 millionaire to billionaire art dealer Larry Gagosian, who has it on private display.
6. The Standard-Bearer by Rembrandt
Sold for $198 million, The Standard-Bearer is one of Rembrandt’s masterpieces after being finished in 1636 as a self-portrait of the artist. The painting was sold to the Netherlands in 2022 and is on rotating display at museums nationwide.
5. Number 17A
The most expensive Jackson Pollock ever sold, Number 17A, was finished in 1948 and was most recently sold to hedge fund manager Kenneth C. Griffin for approximately $200 million. Its last known location was the Art Institute of Chicago after Griffin agreed to loan the painting.
4. Nafea Faa Ipoipo
A Paul Gauguin masterpiece, Nafea Faa Ipoipo, was completed in 1892 and sold for $210 million to the royal family of Qatar for display in one of their private museums. After it was last on display in 2015 at the Fondation Beyeler Riehen in Switzerland 2015, its current whereabouts are unknown.
3. The Card Players
Painted by Paul Cezanne around 1892/1893, The Card Players is considered the third most expensive painting ever. The Royal family of Qatar bought the painting in 2011 for $250 million and its whereabouts are unknown.
2. Interchange
Sold for around $300 million in September 2015, the Willem de Kooning painting was finished in 1955. Acquired by hedge fund manager Kenneth C. Griffin, the painting is currently on loan at the Art Institute of Chicago.
1. Salvator Mundi
Leonardo Da Vinci completed Salvator Mundi in 1500, and in 2017, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman purchased it for $450.3 million. The painting’s current whereabouts are a mystery.
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