If you are looking for the most expensive paintings at auctions, you have probably heard of Edvard Munch's Sunflowers and Pablo Picasso's Young Girl with a Flower Basket. But did you know that Sandro Botticelli's Portrait of a Young Man Holding a Roundel has been selling for more than 180 million USD? You can read on to find out what makes these works so valuable.
Edvard Munch's Sunflowers
The famous Edvard Munch painting "Sunflowers" has a very romantic subject. The artist loved the beach and often painted scenes of sun-drenched beaches. This painting was painted between 1904 and 1909. It sold for $10,766,860 in 2006 at Sotheby's London. This work was one of his best-selling pieces, with many collectors bidding for it.
During the same auction, another artist sold a work that is considered one of the most expensive in history: Edvard Munch. His "Sunflowers" paintings were incredibly popular during the 1930s and 1940s. He sold a pastel of the same image for $119.9 million, breaking the previous record set by Andy Warhol. Its popularity helped inspire the horror film "Scream".
The painting is so iconic and instantly recognisable that you might not have even heard of it. It is estimated to fetch around $80 million at Sotheby's New York auction. The painting is so popular that it is now on display at the British Museum. The work was also on display in the museum during April 2019. It was also sold for PS160 million to the Qatari royal family in 2004. You can read more about this topic on
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Van Gogh's copy of Sunflowers was made only a few months after the original painting in London. The copy sold for PS25 million in 1987 at Christie's London auction. The original painting, Sunflowers, sold at Christie's for PS25 million in 2021. The Sompo company owned it until its acquisition in 1989. And a Japanese company purchased Munch's Still Life with 15 Sunflowers at Christie's London auction in the 1970s. That was a record price at the time.
The painting is highly controversial. It has been known for its extreme realism, and many critics have argued that it is one of the most expensive paintings ever sold at auction. But despite the popularity of the work, the controversy around the work has made the painting a rare beauty. The art market has never seen such a masterpiece. The sale of Sunflowers surpassed the previous record set by the same artist, but many collectors have remained skeptical and remain cautious about selling it.
Other notable pieces from Munch include The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. This famous painting was the most expensive of all works by a female artist. The Starry Night was another piece that was sold at auction. It sold for $40 million. Sunflowers was also the most expensive painting by an artist by a Hungarian-Sikh mother. The prices are often much higher than the original price tag on Munch's Sunflowers.
Pablo Picasso's Young Girl with a Flower Basket
The artist's famous painting of a young girl holding a flower basket sold for $115 million at Christie's auction house last week. It is one of the rare works from the Rose Period, which the artist created in the early 1900s. The painting, which lacks Picasso's signature trademarks, has become one of the most valuable paintings ever sold at auction. The painting was once owned by the legendary cultural figures Gertrude Stein and Leo Rockefeller. The Steins sold it to David Rockefeller, who purchased it in 1968. Now, the Rockefeller family owns more than 300 Picasso works, including the famous Young Girl with a Flower Basket.
The Young Girl with a Flower Basket sold the highest at auction because it is one of Picasso's most popular works. The painting was painted in 1905, when the artist was still in his early twenties and lived in the Parisian district of Montmartre. He was poor and often lonely, but he did not give up on his art. His work reflected the world he was living in, and he became increasingly prolific as the years went on.
This painting was sold to an anonymous buyer over the telephone. It was the 15th lot of the evening and the highest priced Picasso painting ever sold. The Young Girl with a Flower Basket sold for $115 million at Christie's. In contrast, the Yves Saint Laurent auction sold for $484 million. It is hard to imagine any other painting of a rich artist selling for more than a half a billion dollars.
The artist's painting has a colorful history. The painting is known for its eroticism and symbolism. The work exemplifies the new style of art. It is Picasso's most well-known work of the early period. However, its success is not limited to the Renaissance period. Picasso continued to paint women in their nakedness during the Iberian period, and in 1907 he painted Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. In fact, the artist received many negative remarks about the nudity of his girls.
A painting by Pablo Picasso sold for more than $105 million at Christie's auction last week. Originally in the Stein family's collection, this painting depicts a pale pubescent girl. It had an estimated price of $100 million but ultimately sold for $105 million hammer price, plus fees. In its time, it was Picasso's first major sale. However, its popularity grew exponentially when compared to its price at auction.
In addition to being the most expensive painting of the year, Young Girl with a Flower Basket by Picasso surpassed the world record for art by over $115 million in May 2015. The work was sold for the highest price in the history of the Christie's auction house, and it broke the previous auction world record held by the same artist. A woman posed as the muse for her male contemporaries, and the result was an incredibly popular painting.
Sandro Botticelli's Portrait of a Young Man Holding a Roundel
The portrait of a young man holding a roundel by Sandro Botticelli is the most expensive painting ever sold at auction, breaking the previous record by nine times. The painting has been on display in prominent museums worldwide and is in pristine condition. It was estimated to sell for about $80 million, but sold for $92.2 million, breaking the previous record by almost nine times.
The painting was acquired by the late real estate billionaire Sheldon Solow in 1982 for PS810,000. Solow, who was the son of a banker, did not have a guarantee and thought it would sell for a lot more. Solow had started negotiations with Sotheby's shortly before his death last year.
The price of a painting at auction depends on several factors. The painting must be in perfect condition, rare, and admirable in comparison to other works by the artist. Its price must also be instinctive and match the demands of the market. The painting's estimate of $80 million puts it in the pantheon of top sellers.
The Portrait of a Young Man Holding he held before his death is a prestigious example of the artist's versatility and innovative style. The painting was painted during the height of Botticelli's career in the late 1470s and early 1480s, and while similar to many of his other works, it is a unique piece. It is attributed to Sienese painter Bartolommeo Bulgarini, who inserted the roundel into the panel before Botticelli began painting the portrait.
In 2013, the portrait sold at the Sotheby's auction for $10.4 million. Though the man's identity has not been revealed, it is believed that he was a member of the Medici family. The roundel itself is a miniature religious portrait by Bartolomeo Bulgarini. During the time of the botticelli's creation, the roundel was inserted into the canvas by Bulgarini.