Lena Rivera
The world of art is a fascinating one, filled with drama and intrigue. Some of the most expensive paintings in the world include Jackson Pollock's Number 17A, which sold for $200 million, and Paul Cézanne's The Card Players, which sold for $250 million. However, the title of the most expensive painting in the world goes to 'Salvator Mundi' by Leonardo Da Vinci, which sold for a staggering $450 million in 2017. This painting, which translates to Savior of the World, has a fascinating history, having been lost and presumed destroyed for many years before its sale.
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What You'll Learn
Salvator Mundi by Leonardo Da Vinci
Salvator Mundi, translated to "Savior of the World", is a painting by the Italian High Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is an oil-on-canvas painting sized 45 x 65 cm, done on a walnut panel. The painting depicts Jesus Christ in a blue robe, holding a crystal ball in one hand and signing the cross with the other. The painting is dated c. 1499-1510 and was commissioned by King Louis XI of France.
The painting has a rich history and was long thought to be lost or never executed by Leonardo da Vinci. In April 2005, it was purchased by Dr. Robert Simon, a dealer and art historian of Italian Renaissance painting, and his associate, Alexander Parish, at an estate sale in New Orleans. The painting was heavily overpainted and in poor condition. It underwent extensive restoration by Dianne Dwyer Modestini, who concluded that it was an autograph work by Leonardo da Vinci.
In 2011, the painting was publicly unveiled at the National Gallery in London, causing a worldwide media sensation. It was the first discovery of a painting by Leonardo da Vinci since 1909. The attribution to Leonardo da Vinci was supported by a broad consensus of international scholars and experts in his works.
In 2017, Salvator Mundi became the most expensive painting in the world when it was sold at Christie's New York auction for $450 million to an anonymous buyer. The New York Times later reported that the buyer was acting on behalf of a Saudi prince, Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan al-Saud, and the painting has since been under the ownership of the Saudi Arabian culture ministry.
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Shot Sage Blue Marilyn by Andy Warhol
The iconic "Shot Sage Blue Marilyn" by Andy Warhol is a stunning and valuable work of art, renowned for its vibrant colors and cultural significance. Created in 1964, this silkscreen painting depicts Marilyn Monroe, one of the most famous and beloved Hollywood stars of all time. With its bold hues and captivating imagery, it has secured a place in art history as one of the most recognizable and expensive paintings in the world.
This unique portrait is part of Warhol's famous "Shot Marilyns" series, which consists of four paintings, each featuring a different vibrant background color: red, orange, light blue, and sage blue. "Shot Sage Blue Marilyn," with its cool-toned backdrop, stands out for its serene yet captivating beauty. The painting measures 40 by 40 inches and showcases Marilyn's face, hair, and shoulders in a square format, creating a sense of intimacy and focus on her iconic features.
Warhol created this series using a unique technique. He first made a photograph of Marilyn taken by Gene Korman serve as the basis for the painting. He then applied a silkscreen print of the photo onto the canvas, adding vibrant colors and creating a striking, almost ghostly image. The "Shot" in the title refers to a performance artist named Billy Name, who shot the paintings with a pistol, leaving bullet holes in the canvas. This adds a layer of intrigue and a sense of danger to the already captivating work.
"Shot Sage Blue Marilyn" last sold for a staggering $195 million in 2022, making it one of the most expensive paintings ever sold. This sale set a record for the highest price paid for a 20th-century artwork at auction. The painting's value lies not only in its artistic merit but also in its cultural significance. Marilyn Monroe, a symbol of glamour and tragedy, has become an enduring icon, and Warhol's interpretation of her image has only added to her legendary status.
Over the years, "Shot Sage Blue Marilyn" has been exhibited in renowned museums and galleries worldwide, captivating audiences with its beauty and powerful message. This painting serves as a testament to Warhol's genius, forever linking his name with Monroe's in the annals of art history. Its high auction price reflects not only the work's aesthetic appeal but also its place in the cultural consciousness, making it a true masterpiece with an enduring legacy.
Today, "Shot Sage Blue Marilyn" continues to inspire and fascinate art lovers and critics alike, ensuring that its impact will be felt for generations to come. Its record-breaking auction price is a testament to the enduring power of Warhol's art and the timeless appeal of Marilyn Monroe, whose image remains as captivating as ever.
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Interchange by Jackson Pollock
Interchange is an abstract expressionist oil-on-canvas painting, measuring 97 x 130 cm. Pollock created the painting using liquid synthetic resin paints on a composition board. He employed techniques like drip painting, which included spattering oil paint across the fiberboard. Pollock is known for his 'action painting', where most of his canvases were set on the floor or laid out against a wall, rather than being fixed to an easel.
Interchange is one of the most famous works by Jackson Pollock, who is considered one of the most important figures in 20th-century American art. Pollock's work was influenced by his early life experiences, including his exposure to Native American culture on surveying trips with his father. During the early 1930s, he worked in the Regionalist style and was influenced by Mexican muralists such as Diego Rivera and certain aspects of Surrealism.
By the mid-1940s, Pollock introduced his famous 'drip paintings', which altered the course of American art. Pollock's work after 1951 became darker in colour, including his 'Black pourings', a collection painted in black on unprimed canvases. Pollock's premature death in a car crash, as well as his struggles with alcoholism, have added to his "superstar" status in the art world.
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Number 17A by Jackson Pollock
Number 17A is an abstract expressionist painting by the American painter Jackson Pollock, created in 1948. Pollock's famous drip painting technique involves dripping and pouring oil paint onto a horizontal fiberboard surface. The painting is a complex mix of colours and lines, with smudges of yellow, blue, and black, softened by three white brushstrokes that stand out and draw the viewer's gaze.
The painting measures 112 x 86 cm and is owned by hedge fund manager Kenneth C. Griffin, who purchased it in September 2015 from David Geffen for $200 million, a then-record-breaking price. Pollock created this abstract expressionist painting using liquid synthetic resin paints on a composition board. This technique, known as drip painting, involves splashing paint onto a horizontal surface. The painting was featured in the August 1949 edition of Life magazine, which propelled Pollock to celebrity status.
The work was created a year after Pollock introduced his drip technique, and it is considered one of his most important pieces. As of May 2024, Number 17A is ranked 5th on the list of the most expensive paintings ever sold. Pollock is known for his unique style, which flourished in the post-World War Two era, alongside other artists such as Hans Hofmann, Adolph Gottlieb, Lee Krasner, and Anne Ryan.
The sale of Number 17A is a notable example of the high prices that can be achieved for artworks, particularly those by famous artists who are no longer living. The demand for their unique work can drive up prices, as the supply of their paintings remains fixed. Number 17A's sale also highlights the role of wealthy investors and collectors in the art world, who may purchase such artworks as status symbols or for private collections.
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The Card Players by Paul Cézanne
The Card Players is a series of five oil paintings by the French Post-Impressionist artist Paul Cézanne, created during the early 1890s. The paintings depict Provençal peasants playing cards and smoking pipes, with their eyes cast downward, intent on the game. Cézanne adapted a motif from 17th-century Dutch and French genre paintings, which often depicted card games with rowdy, drunken gamblers. In contrast, Cézanne's portraits are notable for their lack of drama, narrative, and conventional characterization. The models for the paintings were local farmhands, some of whom worked on the Cézanne family estate.
The paintings vary in size, the number of players, and the setting. Cézanne completed numerous drawings and studies in preparation for the series. One version of The Card Players was sold in 2011 to the Royal Family of Qatar for an estimated price of $250 million ($349.4 million in 2024 currency), setting a new record for the highest price ever paid for a painting. This record was not surpassed until November 2017. The series is considered by critics to be a cornerstone of Cézanne's art and a "prelude" to his final years, when he painted some of his most acclaimed works.
The scene in the paintings has been described as balanced but asymmetrical, with the two players being each other's "partner in an agreed opposition". The man on the left is smoking a pipe, wearing a top hat with a downcast brim, and is dressed in darker, more formal clothing. He is seated upright, with his limbs detached from his tiny head, which is intent but not anxious. The man on the right is not smoking a pipe, wears a shorter hat with an upturned brim, and is dressed in lighter, more loosely fitted clothing. He is hunched over the table, with his arms converging. The cards themselves also contrast, with one player holding light cards and the other holding dark cards.
The inclusion of a standing man in the background of one of the paintings is believed to provide depth and draw the eye to the upper portion of the canvas. The absence of spectators and other "unnecessary details" in the final three versions of the series gives the paintings a sense of "suppressed storytelling", displaying only the "absolute essentials": two players immersed in their game. Writer Nicholas Wadley described a "tension in opposites" created by shifts of colour, light and shadow, shape of hat, and crease of cloth, which convey a story of confrontation through opposition. Others have commented on the sense of "alienation" displayed in the series, particularly in the version with the standing man.
Today, The Card Players is considered the most iconic post-impressionist painting, alongside Van Gogh's Night Stars.
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Frequently asked questions
The most expensive painting in the world is *Salvator Mundi* by Leonardo Da Vinci. It sold for $450 million at a Christie's auction in 2017.
Other paintings that have sold for over $200 million include Interchange by Jackson Pollock ($350 million in 2015), *The Card Players* by Paul Cézanne ($250 million), and *When Will You Marry?* by Paul Gauguin ($210 million in 2015).
The most expensive painting by a living artist is Shot Sage Blue Marilyn by Andy Warhol, which sold for $195 million in 2022.
The earliest sale of an expensive painting was in 1985 when the J. Paul Getty Museum bought Andrea Mantegna's *Adoration of the Magi* for £8.1 million, which is £23.7 million or $37.5 million in 2024 currency.
