From Modigliani to Gauguin: The 15 most expensive paintings in the world

Today, canvases of legendary artists are sold for cosmic sums, and real battles are fought for them at auctions. We are talking about the 10 most expensive paintings in art history.

10. Lying Nude, Amedeo Modigliani

Price: $170 million (about 12.6 billion rubles)

Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani is one of the clearest examples of an unrecognized genius. His paintings were almost unsold during his lifetime, and he died at the age of 35 in utter poverty. His wife once said of him: “He is a genius and an angel. When he dies, everyone will immediately understand that.” This sentence became prophetic, immediately after the death of the artist, interest in his paintings began to increase exponentially. And in 2015, Reclining Nude was sold at Christie’s for $170 million by Chinese billionaire Liu Yiqian.

9. Algerian Women, Pablo Picasso

Price: $179 million (about 13.3 billion rubles)

“Women from Algeria” is a series of 15 paintings. Pablo Picasso was inspired by French artist Eugene Delacroix’s work “Algerian women in their rooms”. The painting was purchased by Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar, for $179 million.

8. “Portrait of Martin Solmans” and “Portrait of Opien Coppit”, Rembrandt

Price: 180 million dollars (about 13.3 billion rubles)

The double portraits of Martin Solmans and Opjen Coppit were painted by a Dutch artist commissioned by a wealthy family in 1634. Meanwhile, Rembrandt was paid only 500 guilds (about 230 euros) to work. The paintings were first offered for sale in 1798 and were purchased by the Rothschild family in 1877. They say they were hanging around in the Baron’s bedroom and his condition got worse because he smoked a lot. In 2015, the sale of the masterpieces was announced, they were purchased by the French government for $180 million.

7. “Water Snakes II” by Gustav Klimt

Price: $183 million (about 13.6 billion rubles)

From 1904 to 1907, the Austrian artist simultaneously created several paintings on legendary themes. During this period, “Moving Water”, “Silver Fish”, “Medicine”, “Goldfish” and “Water Snakes II” were written, in which Klimt portrayed girls in the form of fairies. The title of the last picture points to the fact that the cold essence of a person can be hidden behind a beautiful appearance. It was sold to Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev for $183 million in 2015.

6. Purple, Green, and Red by Mark Rothko

Price: $186 million (about 13.8 billion rubles)

Such a cosmic amount for avant-garde artist Mark Rothko’s work confuses many. Many of you now say, “Yes, I can draw this myself!” We’re sure you will. (Remember the scene in the cult movie “1+1”, where the character Omar Sy gets angry when he learns the price of the painting). The artist argued that the viewer here should not only see a bright color combination, but also experience emotions. Maybe that’s why in 2014 Purple, Green and Red were bought by the aforementioned Dmitry Rybolovlev for $186 million.

5. Number 17A, Jackson Pollock

Price: 200 million dollars (about 14.8 billion rubles)

Jackson Pollock became a symbol of the radicalism and innovation of the younger generation of American artists. What mattered to him was not always the result of the work, but the process itself. All his work is a kind of performance. They say that in a moment of inspiration, he can spray paint on the canvas and even dance at the same time. This is how the artist’s masterpieces were born. True, during Pollock’s life his paintings did not have any special value. And in 2015, the abstract “17A” was sold to American billionaire Kenneth Griffin for $ 200 million.

4. “When is the wedding?” Paul Gauguin

Price: 210 million dollars (about 15.6 billion rubles)

Paul Gauguin is another artist who barely made a living and sold his paintings for a dime. “When is the wedding?” His work is post-impressionist, he wrote it during a trip to Tahiti in 1892. It was long owned by the Rudolf Stechelin family and is presented in the Basel Art Museum. It was sold to the Qatar Museum Administration for $210 million in 2015.

3. The Card Players by Paul Cezanne

Price: 250 million dollars (about 18.7 billion rubles)

“The Card Players” is a series of five paintings created by a French painter at the end of the 19th century. All the canvases shown are (as you might guess from the name) card players. Four of them are still represented in museums in Europe and America, but the last was in a private collection for a long time, until it was purchased by Qatari authorities for $250 million in 2012. At that time, he took first place in the ranking of the most expensive paintings in the world, and now takes an honorable third place. Apparently, the authorities of Qatar know a lot about art, and the budget of one of the richest Arab countries allows it.

2. Exchange, Willem de Kooning

Price: 300 million dollars (about 22 billion rubles)

The Dutch abstract artist wanted to reflect all the ugliness of the post-war world in this work. Until 2015, the painting belonged to an employee of the Sotheby’s Rudolf Shtechelin auction house and was later bought by an anonymous buyer for $300 million. The Exchange is now on display at the Art Institute of Chicago.

1. “Savior of the World” by Leonardo da Vinci

Price: $450.3 million (about 33 billion rubles)

This painting by Leonardo da Vinci was considered lost for a long time. It is known that the heirs to the French throne were the owners until 1763 (in the 15th century, King XII. “Savior of the World” was kept in the Baronet Cook’s house all this time, until 1900. Meanwhile, the heirs of the baronet were sold by Leonardo da Vinci at an auction in 1958. The painting was bought by a Russian billionaire for $127 million in 2011, and in 2017 he sold the painting to a Saudi Arabian prince for $450 million. .