The Most Expensive Paintings ever sold

1. JACKSON POLLOCK - "Number 5, 1948", 1948 - $140 million

Private sale, 2006. Seller: David Geffen. Buyer: Unknown (rumored to be Mexican businessman
David Martinez).
Right now, this stunning "drip" by Jackson Pollock is the most expensive painting ever sold,
though the exact price was never confirmed (but the price displayed here is generally accepted to
be true). The exorbitant sum demonstrates not only the strength of the Art market, but also the
increasing interest for the contemporary works of Art.

2. WILLEM DE KOONING - "Woman III", 1952-53 - $137.5 million

Private sale, 2006. Seller: David Geffen. Buyer: Steven Cohen
Pollock first. De Kooning second. The immediate conclusion is that American abstract
expressionism has displaced Impressionism as the most sought-after Art period. This painting is
the only "Woman" by Willem de Kooning still in private hands. One of this woman - described
by T. Hess as "black goddesses" - has been chosen by theartwolf.com as one of the 50
masterworks of the history of painting.

3. GUSTAV KLIMT - "Adele Bloch-bauer I", 1907 - $135 million

Private sale, 2006. Buyer: Ronald Lauder.
The acquisition of this iconic work by cosmetic magnate Ronald Lauder caused a shock in the
Art world, not only for the spectacular sum paid for it, but also for the way it was sold, far away
from the noisy auction houses. The painting was part of a group of five canvases which had been
recently returned to the heirs of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer. The Nazis confiscated his paintings
during the World War II, and after the war, the canvases were placed at the National Gallery of
Austria in 1948.

4. PABLO PICASSO - "Nude, Green Leaves and Bust", 1932 - $106.5 million
Christie's New York, May 2010. Buyer: anonymous
This sensual and colorful masterpiece by Picasso is the most expensive painting ever sold at
auction. The work, formerly in the collection of Mrs. Sidney F. Brody, had been never exhibited
in public since 1961.

5. PABLO PICASSO - "Garçon a la pipe", 1904 - $104.1 million

Sotheby's New York, May 2004. Buyer: anonymous
The sale of this young smoker was a milestone in the Art auctions world. It broke the record
that Vincent van Gogh held since 1990, and it was the first time that the $100 million barrier was
broken. Although the name of the buyer was not revealed, some sources says that he could be
Guido Barilla, the Italian pasta magnate.

6. ANDY WARHOL - "Eight Elvises", 1963 - $100 million

Private sale, 2008. Buyer: anonymous
This unique work by Warhol, measuring over 12 feet long, had been at the collection of
Roman collector Annibale Berlingieri for over 40 years. It surpassed the previous world record
for a work by Warhol, the $71.7 million paid at Christie's New York in 2007 for "Green Car
Crash (Green Burning Car I)"
 7. PABLO PICASSO - "Dora Maar au chat", 1941 - $95.2 million
Sotheby's New York, May 2006. Buyer: anonymous
Dora Maar (1907-1997) met Picasso in 1930, and their relationship lasted until 1946. A
native from Paris, raised in Argentina and therefore fluent in Spanish, Maar was one of Picasso's
favourite models. This painting, measuring 130- 97 cm, was recently rediscovered and
authenticated by Picasso's daughter, Maya Widmaier Picasso.

8. TITIAN - "Diana and Actaeon", 1556-1559 - $91 million

Private sale, February 2009. Buyer: United Kingdom
This work has all the splendor and glory of the best of Titian's 'painted poetries'. It was
previously at the Duke of Sutherland collection, who offered it to the U.K. It has a "sister
picture", "Diana and Callisto"

9. GUSTAV KLIMT - "Adele Bloch-bauer II ", 1912 - $87.9 million

Christie's New York, November 2006. Buyer: unknown
Sold only a few months later than Klimt's first version of Adele, this extremely appealing
canvas was the star lot in a highly successful auction in which four works by Klimt -including
this- totaled a stunning $192 million

10. FRANCIS BACON - "Triptych 1976" - $86.3 million

Sotheby's New York, May 2008. Buyer: European private
Francis Bacon is one of the most sought-after names in the Art market, and this work easily
surpassed its impressive $70 million pre-sale estimate