Most Expensive Paintings Ever Sold: Record-Breaking Art Prices and Sales

Most Expensive Paintings Ever Sold

The highest price ever paid for a painting is about $450.3 million. That was for Salvator Mundi, a piece from around 1500. It's said to be by Leonardo da Vinci, though not everyone agrees. The painting sold in November 2017 at Christie's in New York, and the final price included the auction house commission.

Most old paintings, especially anything made before 1803, are now owned by museums. They’re not for sale. Because of that, they’re usually called priceless. A good example is Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. It’s in the Louvre in Paris and never goes on the market. Still, it holds the highest insurance value of any painting. In December 1962, it was valued at $100 million. If you adjust for inflation, that’s about $1.039 billion today.

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers Changed the Game

The first major sale that kicked off the era of big art prices happened in March 1987. That’s when Vincent van Gogh’s Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers sold for £24.75 million. In today’s money, that’s about £87.9 million. This sale shattered the old record and pushed modern paintings into the spotlight. Before this, most of the top-selling works were old master paintings.

The record before Sunflowers was set just two years earlier in April 1985. The J. Paul Getty Museum paid £8.1 million for Adoration of the Magi by Andrea Mantegna. That equals about £23.7 million now. But once van Gogh’s painting took the top spot, modern art became the big money magnet. Since then, only nine paintings made before 1875 have stayed in the top sales rankings. And none were made between 1635 and 1874.

Some Art Sales Stay Secret

Not every major art sale is public. Private deals are common, and many prices are kept quiet. A good example is from June 2019, when hedge fund manager J. Tomilson Hill bought Judith and Holofernes, a painting from 1607 that's linked to Caravaggio. He bought it just two days before it was set to be auctioned. The Louvre had already passed on it, even when it was offered at €100 million. It was expected to sell for somewhere between $110 million and $170 million. But because of a confidentiality agreement, the final sale price was never revealed.

That same year, another van Gogh piece, The Seated Zouave, was reportedly sold for $300 million. The seller was said to be Argentine collector Nelly Arrieta de Blaquier. But again, the sale wasn’t confirmed, so we don’t know the exact number.

Not All Artists Got Rich

Some of the most valuable artists today never saw real money during their lifetimes. Van Gogh, for example, only sold one painting while he was alive. That was The Red Vineyard, sold in 1890 for 400 francs, which is roughly $2,000 in today’s money. It was bought by Anna Boch, a Belgian painter and heiress. Compare that to Picasso and Warhol, who both made fortunes while they were still alive.

Women and Living Artists in the Record Books

Georgia O’Keeffe holds the record for the most expensive painting sold by a woman. Her 1932 work Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 sold at Sotheby’s in November 2014. It went for $44.4 million, which equals about $59 million today. The buyer was the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

As for living artists, Jeff Koons holds the record. In 2019, his Rabbit sculpture sold for $91.1 million. As of 2025, that record still stands.

Non-European Art Is Rare in Top Sales

Of all the top-selling paintings, very few are by non-Western artists. Only six are included. Five are traditional Chinese works by artists like Qi Baishi, Wu Bin, Wang Meng, and Xu Yang. One of the biggest sales came in 2017, when Qi Baishi’s Twelve Landscape Screens sold for $140.8 million.

The only non-Western modern painting on the list is Juin-Octobre 1985 by Zao Wou-Ki, a Chinese-French artist. It sold for $65 million in 2018. One more worth noting, though not officially on the list, is Wang Shaofei’s The High Sun, which was valued at $74 million back in 2017.

A Wild Outlier: David Choe and Facebook

One strange case is street artist David Choe. Instead of cash, he took stock shares as payment for painting murals inside Facebook’s offices. Back then, the shares were worth very little. But by the time Facebook went public, they were worth about $200 million. That made Choe one of the richest artists overnight, even though it wasn’t a sale in the usual sense.

The Market Keeps Evolving

Today’s art market is driven by scarcity, prestige, and private wealth. Public auctions make headlines, but many big deals happen in private, with no announcement. Modern and contemporary pieces now dominate the top sales, while older masterworks have faded from the top rankings.

And for every record-breaking sale, there are others that stay hidden. Between silent deals, growing interest in non-Western art, and artists turning to new platforms and media, the list of the most expensive paintings will keep changing. But for now, Salvator Mundi sits at the top.

 

Most Expensive Paintings Ranked by Inflation-Adjusted Prices (2024 USD)

This section breaks down the top-selling paintings based on their current value after adjusting for inflation using the 2024 consumer price index. The figures here show how much each piece would be worth today. Where needed, prices were first converted to US dollars at the exchange rate on the date of sale. Since inflation numbers can change slightly with new updates, rankings may change over time. Also, because only the highest sale per painting is counted, duplicates don’t appear:

 

Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci (about 1500)
Sold for $450.3 million in November 2017 at Christie’s in New York, this piece is now valued at $577.7 million in 2024 dollars. Dmitry Rybolovlev sold it to Badr bin Abdullah Al Saud. Though widely linked to da Vinci, the attribution is still debated.

 

Interchange by Willem de Kooning (1955)
Bought in a private sale around September 2015 for roughly $300 million, this work now sits near $398 million after inflation. The David Geffen Foundation sold it to Kenneth C. Griffin.

 

The Card Players by Paul Cézanne (1892-1893)
This sale, made in April 2011 to the State of Qatar, reached an estimated $250 million at the time. Adjusted to 2024, it’s valued over $349 million. George Embiricos was the seller in this private deal.

 

Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will You Marry?) by Paul Gauguin (1892)
Sold in 2014 by the heirs of Rudolf Staechelin, this piece brought in $210 million. Now it's worth about $279 million. The buyer was again the State of Qatar, and it was a private transaction.

 

Number 17A by Jackson Pollock (1948)
In another major private sale from September 2015, this piece went for about $200 million. After adjustment, that figure rises to around $265 million. Like Interchange, this work came from the David Geffen Foundation and was also bought by Kenneth C. Griffin.

 

Wasserschlangen II by Gustav Klimt (1904-1907)
Sold in 2013 for $183.8 million, this work now stands at $248.1 million. Dmitry Rybolovlev bought it in a private sale from Yves Bouvier.

 

No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red) by Mark Rothko (1951)
Another Bouvier-to-Rybolovlev deal, this sale happened in August 2014. The original price was around $186 million (or €140 million), now valued at $247 million in 2024.

 

Pendant Portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit by Rembrandt (1634)
These dual portraits sold together in February 2016 for €160 million, or about $180 million at the time. They’re now worth around $239 million. Éric de Rothschild sold them to the Rijksmuseum and the Louvre in a shared private acquisition.

 

Les Femmes d'Alger ("Version O") by Pablo Picasso (1955)
Sold at Christie’s New York in May 2015 for $179.4 million, this piece now adjusts to $237.9 million. A private collector sold it to Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani.

 

The Standard Bearer by Rembrandt (1636)
In February 2022, this painting sold for €175 million, or about $198 million. That puts its current value at $229.8 million. The Rothschild family sold it to the Rijksmuseum in a private deal.

 

Shot Sage Blue Marilyn by Andy Warhol (1964)
This portrait of Marilyn Monroe fetched $195 million at Christie’s New York in May 2022. It hasn’t needed an adjustment, for that’s still its inflation-adjusted price. Thomas and Doris Ammann sold it to Larry Gagosian.

 

Nu Couché by Amedeo Modigliani (1917-1918)
Christie’s New York sold this painting in November 2015 for $170.4 million. Today, that equals about $226.1 million. Laura Mattioli Rossi sold the piece to Liu Yiqian.

 

No. 5, 1948 by Jackson Pollock (1948)
Sold in 2006 for $140 million, this painting’s current value is $218.4 million. The sale happened through Sotheby’s, with David Geffen selling to David Martinez.

 

Woman III by Willem de Kooning (1953)
Another 2006 private sale, this piece sold for $137.5 million and is now worth $214.5 million. David Geffen again was the seller, and the buyer was Steven A. Cohen, with the deal handled by Larry Gagosian.

 

Masterpiece by Roy Lichtenstein (1962)
In January 2017, Agnes Gund sold this work privately to Steven A. Cohen for $165 million. Adjusted for inflation, it now stands at $211.7 million.

 

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustav Klimt (1907)
Sold privately on June 18, 2006, this piece went for $135 million at the time. In 2024 dollars, that’s $210.6 million. Maria Altmann sold it to Ronald Lauder for his Neue Galerie, with Christie’s handling the deal.

 

Le Rêve by Pablo Picasso (1932)
Steve Wynn sold this painting in March 2013 to Steven A. Cohen. The price was $155 million, now adjusted to $209.2 million.

 

Portrait of Dr. Gachet by Vincent van Gogh (1890)
On May 15, 1990, this portrait sold at Christie’s in New York for $82.5 million. The buyer was Ryoei Saito. Today, that sale equals $198.6 million.

 

Nu couché (sur le côté gauche) by Amedeo Modigliani (1917)
Sold through Sotheby’s in May 2018, this painting brought in $157.2 million at the time. The updated value is now $196.8 million. It came from the collection of Ezra and David Nahmad.

 

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II by Gustav Klimt (1912)
Oprah Winfrey sold this Klimt piece in a 2016 private deal via Larry Gagosian. It went for $150 million and is now worth about $196.5 million. The buyer remains unknown but is believed to be in China.

 

Three Studies of Lucian Freud by Francis Bacon (1969)
This triptych sold at Christie’s in November 2013 for $142.4 million. The 2024 value is $192.2 million. It later ended up in the hands of Elaine Wynn.

 

Bal du moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1876)
Sold at Sotheby’s in New York on May 17, 1990, this classic painting fetched $78.1 million. Now it would be worth $188 million. Ryoei Saito bought it from Betsey Whitney.

 

Twelve Landscape Screens by Qi Baishi (1925)
In December 2017, this work sold at Beijing Poly Auction for ¥931.5 million, or $140.8 million. Today, that’s equal to $180.6 million. This is one of the highest sales for traditional Chinese painting.

 

Garçon à la pipe by Pablo Picasso (1905)
Sotheby’s auctioned this painting in May 2004. It sold for $104.2 million and now adjusts to $173.4 million. The Whitney family’s Greentree Foundation was the seller. The buyer is believed to be Guido Barilla.

 

Les Poseuses, Ensemble (Petite version) by Georges Seurat (1888)
This smaller version of Seurat’s famous group portrait sold at Christie’s in November 2022. It was part of Paul G. Allen’s collection and brought in $149.2 million. Its 2024 value is now $173.2 million.

 

The Scream by Edvard Munch (1895)
On May 2, 2012, Sotheby’s sold this pastel version of The Scream for $119.9 million. It now equals $164.2 million. The buyer was Leon Black.

 

Otahi by Paul Gauguin (1893)
Yves Bouvier sold this painting to Dmitry Rybolovlev in a 2013 private sale for $120 million. It remains valued at $162 million today.

 

Reclining Nude With Blue Cushion by Amedeo Modigliani (1916)
Another private sale from 2012 involving Yves Bouvier and Dmitry Rybolovlev, this Modigliani piece sold for $118 million. Its value today is $162 million. Steven A. Cohen was the previous owner.

 

La Montagne Sainte-Victoire by Paul Cézanne (1888-1890)
Also sold from Paul G. Allen’s collection at Christie’s in November 2022, this Cézanne landscape brought in $137.7 million at the time. Its 2024 value is $160 million.

 

Flag by Jasper Johns (1958)
This piece sold privately in March 2010 for $110 million. With inflation, it now equals $158.6 million. Jean-Christophe Castelli sold it to Steven A. Cohen. The deal was handled outside auction houses.

 

Nude, Green Leaves and Bust by Pablo Picasso (1932)
Sold in May 2010 at Christie’s New York, this painting fetched $106.5 million. It’s now worth $153.5 million. The seller was from the Frances Lasker Brody estate, and the buyer is suspected to be Leonard Blavatnik.

 

Portrait of Joseph Roulin by Vincent van Gogh (1889)
This painting was sold privately on August 1, 1989. The price was $58 million plus a few exchanged artworks. Today, the sale value is estimated at $152.2 million. It came from a private Zurich collection and was sold to the Museum of Modern Art in New York through dealer Thomas Ammann.

 

L’Homme assis au verre by Pablo Picasso (1914)
Sold in May 2011 through Yves Bouvier, this painting went to Dmitry Rybolovlev in a private sale. Originally priced at $107.5 million, it's now worth around $150.3 million.

 

Femme à la montre by Pablo Picasso (1932)
This piece sold at Sotheby’s New York in November 2023 for $139.3 million. That remains its current adjusted value. It came from the estate of Emily Fisher Landau and went to an anonymous buyer.

 

Irises by Vincent van Gogh (1889)
One of the most well-known van Gogh paintings, Irises sold for $53.9 million in 1987 at Sotheby’s New York. Adjusted for inflation, it's now valued at about $149.2 million. The seller was John Whitney Payson, and the buyer was Alan Bond.

 

Dora Maar au Chat by Pablo Picasso (1941)
In May 2006, this piece sold for $95.2 million at Sotheby’s New York. Its current value is around $148.5 million. The Gidwitz family sold it, and it was purchased by Boris Ivanishvili.

 

Eight Elvises by Andy Warhol (1963)
Sold privately in October 2008 for $100 million, this work is now worth $146 million. It was sold by Annibale Berlingieri, and while the exact buyer is unknown, it’s believed to have gone to the State of Qatar.

 

Young Girl with a Flower Basket by Pablo Picasso (1905)
At Christie’s New York in May 2018, this painting sold for $115 million. That figure is now $144 million in today’s money. It was part of the Rockefeller estate and sold to the Nahmad family.

 

Anna’s Light by Barnett Newman (1968)
Originally sold in Japan in October 2013 for ¥10.3 billion (about $105.7 million at the time), this painting’s value today is about $142.7 million. The seller was DIC Corporation.

 

Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster) by Andy Warhol (1963)
Auctioned in November 2013 at Sotheby’s New York, this piece sold for $105.4 million. That now comes to about $142.3 million after inflation.

 

Untitled by Jean-Michel Basquiat (1982)
This iconic work by Basquiat sold for $110.5 million in May 2017 at Sotheby’s New York. Its adjusted value today is about $141.7 million. The buyers were Yusaku Maezawa and the sellers were Emily and Jerry Spiegel.

 

Portrait de l'artiste sans barbe by Vincent van Gogh (1889)
In 1998, this rare self-portrait sold for $71.5 million at Christie’s New York. That’s now equivalent to about $137.9 million. It came from the heirs of Jacques Koerfer.

 

Meules by Claude Monet (1890)
Sold in May 2019 at Sotheby’s New York, this work brought in $110.7 million. After adjustment, that value is now $136.1 million. The buyer was Hasso Plattner.

 

Verger avec cyprès by Vincent van Gogh (1888)
This painting, part of Paul G. Allen’s collection, sold in November 2022 for $117.1 million at Christie’s. Adjusted for inflation, it’s now worth $136 million.

 

La Montagne Sainte-Victoire vue du bosquet du Château Noir by Paul Cézanne (1904)
In a 2013 private sale, this landscape painting was sold for $100 million. That would equal about $135 million in 2024 dollars. The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House sold the piece to the State of Qatar.

 

Massacre of the Innocents by Peter Paul Rubens (1611)
This historic work sold at Sotheby’s London in July 2002 for £49.5 million (about $76.7 million at the time). That now comes out to $134.1 million. The seller was an Austrian family, and the buyer was Kenneth Thomson.

 

Nurse by Roy Lichtenstein (1964)
At Christie’s New York in November 2015, Nurse sold for $95.4 million. In 2024 dollars, that’s around $126.5 million.

 

Triptych, 1976 by Francis Bacon (1976)
Sold in May 2008 for $86.3 million at Sotheby’s New York, this large triptych now carries a value of $126 million. The sellers were the heirs of Jean-Pierre Moueix, and the buyer was Roman Abramovich.

 

The Empire of Light by René Magritte (1954)
Auctioned at Christie’s in November 2024, this surrealist painting sold for $121.2 million. That’s also its current adjusted value. The seller was Mica Ertegun.

 

Maternité II by Paul Gauguin (1899)
Another from Paul G. Allen’s collection, this piece sold in November 2022 at Christie’s for $105.7 million. Its value today is around $122.7 million.

 

Birch Forest by Gustav Klimt (1903)
Also part of Allen’s collection, this painting sold on the same day for $104.5 million. It now adjusts to $121.3 million.

 

Femme assise près d’une fenêtre (Marie-Thérèse) by Pablo Picasso (1932)
Sold at Christie’s in May 2021 for $103.4 million, this portrait of Picasso’s muse Marie-Thérèse Walter is now valued at $120 million in today’s dollars.

 

More Record-Breaking Art Sales (Inflation-Adjusted to 2024 USD)

This next group includes more of the world’s most expensive paintings, updated to reflect their value in 2024 dollars. Like before, prices were adjusted using the Consumer Price Index, and conversions from other currencies used the exchange rates at the time of each sale. Each painting appears only once, based on its highest confirmed sale price.

 

Les Noces de Pierrette by Pablo Picasso (1905)
This painting was sold in Paris on November 30, 1989, for around $49.3 million (300 million francs). Adjusted to today’s dollars, it’s now worth $125.1 million. Swedish collector Fredrik Roos sold it to Japanese businessman Tomonori Tsurumaki through Binoche et Godeau.

 

False Start by Jasper Johns (1959)
David Geffen sold this work to Kenneth C. Griffin in a private deal on October 12, 2006, for $80 million. That’s now about $124.8 million. The sale was arranged through art dealer Richard Gray.

 

Te Fare by Paul Gauguin (1892)
Sold in June 2008 for around $85 million (or €54 million), this painting now sits at $124.1 million. The seller was Yves Bouvier, and the buyer was Dmitry Rybolovlev.

 

A Wheatfield with Cypresses by Vincent van Gogh (1889)
In May 1993, this piece sold for $57 million. That’s now worth $124.1 million. Emil Georg Bührle’s son sold it to Walter H. Annenberg through a private deal managed by art dealer Steven Mazoh.

 

Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump by Jean-Michel Basquiat (1982)
This 2020 private sale moved the painting from Peter Brant to Ken Griffin for $100 million. With inflation, it’s now valued at $123 million.

 

Yo, Picasso by Pablo Picasso (1901)
Sold on May 9, 1989, at Sotheby’s New York, this piece brought in $47.8 million at the time. Now it’s worth $121.4 million. Wendell Cherry sold it to Stavros Niarchos.

 

Turquoise Marilyn by Andy Warhol (1964)
In May 2007, Stefan Edlis sold this iconic portrait to Steven A. Cohen for $80 million. That figure now stands at $121.3 million. The sale was managed privately by Larry Gagosian.

 

Portrait of Alfonso d'Avalos with a Page by Titian (1533)
This classic painting was sold in a private deal in November 2003 for $70 million. Adjusted for inflation, it’s now worth $119.7 million. The seller was Axa insurance, and the buyer was the Getty Museum, with help from dealer Hervé Aaron.

 

Orange, Red, Yellow by Mark Rothko (1961)
In May 2012, this work was sold at Christie’s New York for $86.9 million. Its 2024 value is now around $119 million. It came from the estate of collector David Pincus.

 

Le Bassin aux Nymphéas by Claude Monet (1919)
Sold at Christie’s London in June 2008 for $80.5 million (or £40.9 million), this water lily painting now sits at $117.6 million. The sellers were J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller, and the buyer was Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko.

 

Lady with a Fan by Gustav Klimt (1917-1918)
This painting sold in June 2023 for £85.3 million, which converts directly to $108.4 million. The buyer was represented by Patti Wong and is known to be based in Hong Kong. The sale happened through Sotheby’s London.

 

Chop Suey by Edward Hopper (1929)
Sold in November 2018 for $91.9 million, this piece is now worth $115.1 million. It came from the Barney A. Ebsworth estate and was sold at Christie’s New York.

 

Rideau, Cruchon et Compotier by Paul Cézanne (1894)
In May 1999, Sotheby’s New York sold this still life for $60.5 million. Its value has since grown to $114.2 million. The painting was once owned by the Whitney family.

 

Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) by David Hockney (1972)
This piece sold in November 2018 for $90.3 million. Adjusted, it’s now worth $113.1 million. The buyer was Taiwanese businessman Pierre Chen, and it sold at Christie’s New York.

 

Rabbit by Jeff Koons (1986)
This sculpture was auctioned at Sotheby’s in May 2019 and sold for $91.1 million. In today’s dollars, it’s worth $112 million. The buyer wasn’t disclosed.

 

Black Fire I by Barnett Newman (1961)
Sold at Christie’s New York in May 2014 for $84.2 million, this piece now sits at $111.8 million. The seller was listed as a private collector. The buyer stayed anonymous.

 

White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender on Rose) by Mark Rothko (1950)
This Rothko painting sold in May 2007 for $72.8 million. Its current value is $110.5 million. It came from the estate of David Rockefeller Sr. and was purchased by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani at Sotheby’s New York.

 

Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh (1889)
This sale happened at Christie’s London in March 1987 for £24.75 million, or about $39.7 million at the time. Now worth $109.8 million, it marked a major change in the art market. Helen Beatty sold the painting to Yasuo Goto, linked to Yasuda and Sompo Holdings.

 

Buffalo II by Robert Rauschenberg (1964)
Sold at Christie’s New York in May 2019 for $88.8 million, this painting’s 2024 value is $109.2 million. The piece came from the estate of Robert and Beatrice Mayer and was bought by Alice Walton.

 

Triple Elvis by Andy Warhol (1963)
Sold at Christie’s New York in November 2014 for $81.9 million, this piece is now worth about $108.8 million. The seller was the German casino group WestSpiel.

 

Green Car Crash (Green Burning Car I) by Andy Warhol (1963)
Sold in May 2007 at Christie’s for $71.7 million, this painting now stands at around $108.8 million. It was acquired by Philip Niarchos from a private Zurich collection.

 

No. 10 by Mark Rothko (1958)
Christie’s New York handled this sale in May 2015, with the final price at $81.9 million. After inflation, its current value is close to $108.7 million. Buyer and seller remain private.

 

In This Case by Jean-Michel Basquiat (1983)
Sold in May 2021 at Christie’s for $93.1 million, this painting is now worth about $108 million. The seller was Giancarlo Giammetti, and the buyer was a private collector.

 

Suprematist Composition by Kazimir Malevich (1916)
In May 2018, the Nahmad family sold this abstract work at Christie’s New York for $85.8 million. It now carries a value of $107.5 million. The buyer remained anonymous.

 

Three Studies for a Portrait of John Edwards by Francis Bacon (1984)
Sold for $80.8 million in May 2014 at Christie’s, this triptych is now worth around $107.3 million. Both buyer and seller identities are private.

 

Portrait of a Young Man Holding a Roundel by Sandro Botticelli (around 1480)
In January 2021, this rare Renaissance piece sold at Sotheby’s New York for $92.2 million. It’s now valued at roughly $107 million. The seller was from the Sheldon Solow estate. The buyer was a Russian collector.

 

Meule by Claude Monet (1891)
This painting sold at Christie’s in November 2016 for $81.4 million. Its adjusted value is $106.7 million. Buyer details weren’t released.

 

Nymphéas en fleur by Claude Monet (1914-1917)
Sold in May 2018 at Christie’s, this painting fetched $84.7 million. Adjusted for inflation, it’s now valued at $106 million. The Rockefellers were the sellers. The buyer was Xin Li-Cohen.

 

Darmstadt Madonna by Hans Holbein (1526)
Sold in July 2011 in a private deal, this piece went for an estimated €50-60 million, or roughly $75 million. Its current value is close to $105 million. Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse, sold it to Reinhold Würth, with Christoph Graf Douglas brokering the deal.

 

Laboureur dans un champ by Vincent van Gogh (1889)
In November 2017, this painting was sold by the Bass estate through Christie’s for $81.3 million. It now carries a value of $104.3 million. The buyer’s name wasn't made public.

 

Triptych Inspired by the Oresteia of Aeschylus by Francis Bacon (1981)
Sold in June 2020 at Sotheby’s New York for $84.55 million, the painting is now worth about $104 million. Hans Rasmus Astrup was the seller. The buyer’s name remains private.

 

Diana and Actaeon by Titian (1556-1559)
This joint purchase by the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Gallery, London, happened in February 2009 for £50 million, or $70.6 million. Today, it's worth around $103.5 million. The Duke of Sutherland was the seller.

 

Au Lapin Agile by Pablo Picasso (1904)
Sold at Sotheby’s New York in November 1989 for $40.7 million, this painting now adjusts to $103.2 million. Linda de Roulet, daughter of Joan Whitney Payson, was the seller. The buyer was Walter H. Annenberg.

 

The Gross Clinic by Thomas Eakins (1875)
Sold privately in April 2007 for $68 million, this iconic American painting is now worth $103.1 million. Thomas Jefferson University sold it to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

 

No. 1 (Royal Red and Blue) by Mark Rothko (1954)
This Rothko work sold for $75.1 million in November 2012 at Sotheby’s. Its 2024 value is about $102.9 million. It was previously owned by John and Anne Marion.

 

Acrobate et jeune arlequin by Pablo Picasso (1905)
This painting sold at Christie’s in London on November 28, 1988, for £20.9 million, about $38.5 million at the time. Adjusted for inflation, it's worth around $102.5 million today. It was possibly sold by the heirs of Roger Janssen to Mitsukoshi, a Japanese department store company.

 

Odalisque couchée aux magnolias by Henri Matisse (1923)
Sold at Christie’s New York on May 8, 2018, this painting brought in $80.8 million. It came from the David and Peggy Rockefeller collection and was purchased by Xin Li-Cohen. Now it’s valued at $101.1 million.

 

Femme aux Bras Croisés by Pablo Picasso (1902)
This 2000 sale at Christie’s New York closed at $55 million. The seller was from the Chauncey McCormick estate. In today’s money, it’s worth about $100.4 million.

 

Nude Sitting on a Divan by Amedeo Modigliani (1917)
Sold at Sotheby’s New York on November 2, 2010, for $69 million, this painting now adjusts to roughly $99.4 million. The seller was Halit Cıngıllıoğlu.

 

Police Gazette by Willem de Kooning (1955)
David Geffen sold this work in a private sale for $63.5 million in 2006. Richard Gray handled the transaction, and Steven A. Cohen was the buyer. Its value today is about $99 million.

 

Untitled by Jean-Michel Basquiat (1982)
Sold on May 18, 2022, at Phillips in New York, this piece went for $85 million. The seller was Yusaku Maezawa, and it was purchased by a private Taiwanese collector. Adjusted to 2024, the value stands at $98.6 million.

 

Diana and Callisto by Titian (1556-1559)
This old masterwork sold in March 2012 for £45 million, or about $71.7 million at the time. The Duke of Sutherland sold it to the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Gallery in London. Now it's worth $98.2 million.

 

No. 7 by Mark Rothko (1951)
A recent private sale in February 2023 put this painting at $82.5 million. It’s now valued at around $95.7 million. The seller was a private collector, and Laurence Escalante was the buyer.

 

Untitled (New York City) by Cy Twombly (1968)
Sold at Christie’s New York on November 11, 2015, for $70.5 million, this work now adjusts to $93.6 million. It came from the Sydney M. Irmas estate.

 

Ten Views of Lingbi Rock by Wu Bin (1610)
Sold at Beijing Poly Auction on October 20, 2020, this traditional Chinese scroll fetched ¥512.9 million, or about $77 million then. The seller was the estate of William Bernard Ziff Jr. Its current value is $93.6 million.

 

Femme assise dans un jardin by Pablo Picasso (1938)
This piece sold for $49.5 million at Sotheby’s New York on November 10, 1999. The seller was Robert Saidenberg. Today, it’s worth $93.4 million.

 

Portrait of George Dyer Talking by Francis Bacon (1966)
Christie’s London auctioned this painting on February 13, 2014. It sold for £42.2 million, which was about $70.2 million then. Adjusted, it now stands at $93.2 million.

 

Peasant Woman Against a Background of Wheat by Vincent van Gogh (1890)
In a 1997 private sale brokered by Acquavella Galleries in New York, this work went for $47.5 million. Steve Wynn was the buyer. Its value today is $93 million.

 

Untitled by Cy Twombly (1970)
Sold on November 12, 2014, at Christie’s New York for $69.6 million, this work is now worth $92.5 million. The seller was Nicola del Roscio

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Four Marlons by Andy Warhol (1966)
Also sold on the same date, November 12, 2014, this work brought in the same amount: $69.6 million. It came from WestSpiel, a German casino group, and is now valued at $92.5 million.

 

The Empire of Lights by René Magritte (1961)
Sotheby’s London handled this sale on February 3, 2022. The painting sold for $79.45 million and was originally owned by the heirs of Anne-Marie Crowet Gillon. It now sits at a value of $92.2 million.

 

Eagle Standing on Pine Tree by Qi Baishi (1946)
Sold at China Guardian Auctions on May 22, 2011, this piece brought in ¥425.5 million, or about $65.5 million at the time. It was sold by Liu Yiqian and purchased by Hunan TV & Broadcast Intermediary Company. Today, it’s worth $91.5 million.

 

Men in Her Life by Andy Warhol (1962)
Sold for $63.4 million at Phillips de Pury in November 2010, this portrait of Elizabeth Taylor now sits at around $91.4 million. It was sold by Jose Mugrabi to Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

 

Contraste de formes by Fernand Léger (1913)
This bold abstract painting sold at Christie’s New York in November 2017 for $70.1 million. Its inflation-adjusted value is now $89.9 million. The seller was the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation.

 

La Gommeuse by Pablo Picasso (1901)
Sold at Sotheby’s New York in November 2015 for $67.45 million, this early-period Picasso now stands at about $89.5 million. The seller was William I. Koch.

 

Buste de femme (Femme à la résille) by Pablo Picasso (1938)
This portrait of Marie-Thérèse Walter sold at Christie’s New York in May 2015 for $67.4 million. With inflation, that brings it to $89.4 million. Steve Wynn was the seller. Joseph Lau was the buyer.

 

Portrait of a Halberdier by Pontormo (1537)
This Renaissance painting went for $35.2 million in May 1989 at Christie’s New York. Its 2024-adjusted value is $89.3 million. Chauncey Stillman sold the piece to the Getty Museum. At the time, it set a major record for an Old Master painting.

 

L’Allée des Alyscamps by Vincent van Gogh (1888)
Sold for $66.3 million at Sotheby’s New York in May 2015, this work now stands at $88 million. It’s one of van Gogh’s most recognizable landscapes.

 

Untitled by Mark Rothko (1952)
This deep color field painting sold for $66.2 million at Christie’s New York in May 2014. Now it holds a value of $88 million.

 

Untitled XXV by Willem de Kooning (1977)
This vibrant abstract work brought in $66.3 million at Christie’s New York in November 2016. Its value has since grown to $86.9 million.

 

Zhichuan Resettlement by Wang Meng (1350)
This classical Chinese landscape painting sold for ¥402.5 million at Beijing Poly Auction in June 2011, which converts to about $62.1 million at the time. Now it sits at $86.8 million adjusted.

 

Femme au béret et à la robe quadrillée (Marie-Thérèse Walter) by Pablo Picasso (1937)
This portrait sold in February 2018 at Sotheby’s London for $69.2 million. It’s now worth about $86.7 million. The seller was a private collector, and the buyer was Harry Smith.

 

Spring by Édouard Manet (1881)
Sold at Christie’s New York in November 2014 for $65.1 million, this impressionist work now holds a value of $86.5 million. The Oliver Hazard Payne heirs sold it to the Getty Museum.

 

Woman as Landscape by Willem de Kooning (1955)
This painting was sold at Christie’s New York in November 2018 for $68.9 million. Its current value is $86.3 million. The work came from the estate of Barney A. Ebsworth.

 

1949-A-No. 1 by Clyfford Still (1949)
This bold abstract expressionist piece sold at Sotheby’s New York in November 2011 for $61.7 million. That value has risen to $86.2 million. The painting was previously owned by the City and County of Denver.

 

Cabanes de bois parmi les oliviers et cyprès by Vincent van Gogh (1889)
Sold at Christie’s New York in November 2021 for $71.4 million, this painting is now valued at $82.8 million. It came from the collection of Edwin L. Cox.

 

Le Bassin aux Nymphéas by Claude Monet (1917-1919)
This impressionist water lily painting sold in May 2021 at Sotheby’s New York for $70.35 million. Adjusted to 2024 dollars, it stands at $81.6 million. It came from a New York private collection.

 

Juin-Octobre 1985 by Zao Wou-Ki (1985)
Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in September 2018 for about $65.23 million (HK$510.371 million), this abstract modern work now values at $81.7 million. It was sold by Chang Qiu Dun.

 

Earliest Recorded High-Value Sale: Magdalen in the Desert by Antonio da Correggio
This painting from the 1700s changed hands in 1746. The buyer was Augustus III of Poland, and the price paid was about $30,000 at the time, which today would be seen as modest. It marks one of the first known high-dollar art purchases in recorded history.

 

Sistine Madonna by Raphael (circa 1513-1514)
Back in 1759, this masterpiece sold for just 110,000 French francs. That’s around $40,000 today. The buyer was Augustus III of Poland, and the painting came from Piacenza in a private deal.

 

Adoration of the Mystic Lamb by Hubert and Jan van Eyck (1432)
Sold in 1821 to Frederick William III of Prussia for £16,000, or about $80,000 today. Edward Solly was the seller, and the transaction was handled privately.

 

The Immaculate Conception of Los Venerables by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (around 1678)
Sold in 1852 for 615,300 French francs, equal to roughly $120,000 now. Jean-de-Dieu Soult sold it to the Louvre in Paris.

 

Ansidei Madonna by Raphael (1505-1507)
In 1885, this painting was sold for £70,000. That equals about $350,000 in today’s money. George Spencer-Churchill, the 8th Duke of Marlborough, sold it to London’s National Gallery.

 

Colonna Altarpiece by Raphael (circa 1503-1505)
Sold privately in 1901 for half a million dollars. The buyer was J. P. Morgan, and the seller was Charles Sedelmeyer.

 

Portrait of Elena Grimaldi Cattaneo by Anthony van Dyck (circa 1623)
This portrait was purchased in 1906 for around $510,000. Knoedler sold it privately to Peter Arrell Browne Widener.

 

The Mill by Rembrandt (1645-1648)
Also sold for $510,000, this Rembrandt was bought in 1911 by Peter Arrell Browne Widener from Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, the 6th Marquess of Lansdowne.

 

Small Cowper Madonna by Raphael (circa 1504-1505)
In 1913, Joseph Joel Duveen sold this piece to Widener for $600,000 in a private sale.

 

Benois Madonna by Leonardo da Vinci (circa 1478-1480)
This painting went for $1.6 million in 1914. The Benois family sold it to Russian Emperor Nicholas II.

 

Study of a Young Woman by Johannes Vermeer (circa 1665-1667)
Sold in 1959 for $2 million by Prince d'Arenberg to collector Charles Wrightsman. This was another private deal.

 

Aristotle Contemplating a Bust of Homer by Rembrandt (1653)
On November 15, 1961, this painting sold for $2.3 million at Parke-Bernet in New York. It came from the estate of Mrs. Alfred Erickson and went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

 

Ginevra de' Benci by Leonardo da Vinci (circa 1474-1478)
The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. bought this piece privately in February 1967 for between $5 million and $6 million. It came from Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein.

 

Portrait of Juan de Pareja by Diego Velázquez (circa 1650)
This painting was sold at Christie’s London on November 27, 1970, for $5.5 million, or £2.3 million at the time. Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie, the 8th Earl of Radnor, sold it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

 

Juliet and her Nurse by J. M. W. Turner (1836)
Sold for $6.4 million on May 29, 1980, by the trustees of the Whitney Museum. The buyer was María Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat. The auction was held by Sotheby Parke Bernet in New York.

 

Seascape: Folkestone by J. M. W. Turner (circa 1845)
In July 1984, the estate of Kenneth Clark sold this piece for $10 million, or £7.47 million, through Sotheby’s London. The buyer was not publicly named.

 

Adoration of the Magi by Andrea Mantegna (1462)
This painting sold on April 18, 1985, for $10.5 million at Christie’s New York. The seller was Spencer Compton, 7th Marquess of Northampton, and the buyer was the J. Paul Getty Museum.

 

Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh (1889)
Sold on March 30, 1987, at Christie’s in London, this painting went for £24.75 million, which was about $39.7 million at the time. It was sold by Helen Beatty, the daughter-in-law of Chester Beatty. The buyer was Yasuo Goto, purchasing for the Yasuda insurance group, now part of Sompo Holdings. This sale marked a turning point in art auctions, breaking records and drawing global attention to modern art.

 

Irises by Vincent van Gogh (1889)
This work sold on November 11, 1987, at Sotheby’s in New York. The seller was John Whitney Payson, son of art collector Joan Whitney Payson. The painting went for $53.9 million and was bought by Australian businessman Alan Bond. The sale drew wide media coverage and helped fuel the late 1980s art boom.

 

Portrait of Joseph Roulin by Vincent van Gogh (1889)
Sold privately on August 1, 1989, this piece changed hands in a deal between a private collector in Zürich and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The transaction included $58 million and an exchange of other artworks. It was arranged through Swiss dealer Thomas Ammann. This deal was one of the first high-profile art trades that involved both cash and assets.

 

Portrait of Dr. Gachet by Vincent van Gogh (1890)
Auctioned on May 15, 1990, at Christie’s in New York, this painting sold for $82.5 million. It was previously owned by the heirs of Siegfried Kramarsky. The buyer was Ryoei Saito, a Japanese industrialist who also bought other major works around the same time. His purchases added fuel to Japan’s presence in the global art market during that era.

 

Garçon à la Pipe by Pablo Picasso (1905)
This rose period painting by Picasso sold for $104.2 million on May 5, 2004, at Sotheby’s in New York. The seller was the Greentree Foundation, tied to the Whitney family. Though the buyer was never officially confirmed, it’s widely believed to have been Guido Barilla, the Italian food magnate. This sale shocked many, as it made Garçon à la Pipe the first painting to pass the $100 million mark at auction.

 

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustav Klimt (1907)
On June 18, 2006, this piece was sold privately by Maria Altmann, the niece of the subject. It went to Ronald Lauder for his Neue Galerie in New York. The deal, arranged through Christie’s, totaled $135 million. The sale followed a landmark legal case over Nazi-looted art and played a major role in changing how restitution cases were handled.

 

No. 5, 1948 by Jackson Pollock (1948)
This iconic drip painting sold on November 2, 2006, in a private sale handled by Sotheby’s. David Geffen sold it to David Martinez for $140 million. At the time, it was one of the highest-known prices paid for a contemporary work.

 

The Card Players by Paul Cézanne (1892-1893)
In April 2011, this painting was sold for more than $250 million in a private transaction. The seller was collector George Embiricos. The buyer was the State of Qatar, which was rapidly building its national art collection. This purchase set a new high bar for post-Impressionist works.

 

Interchange by Willem de Kooning (1955)
Sold in September 2015 for roughly $300 million, this abstract expressionist work came from the David Geffen Foundation. It was bought by billionaire hedge fund manager Kenneth C. Griffin. The deal was done privately and also included another major Pollock painting.

 

Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci (circa 1500)
Sold at Christie’s in New York on November 15, 2017, this is the most expensive painting ever sold, at $450.3 million. Dmitry Rybolovlev sold it to Badr bin Abdullah Al Saud. The painting’s authenticity has been debated, but it is still generally tied to Leonardo. Its record-breaking price made global headlines and cemented its place in art history.