These Artworks Sold for How Much?!

         What would you do if you were a among the worlds richest people and had billions to spend? Would you spend it on artwork from famous artists? Some might think no and come up with a million different and better things for all that money could buy. However some people do just this, they spend millions at auctions for artwork for reasons that could range from love, to reputation, to greediness, etc. For reasons unknown to me seven bidders fought for three beautiful pieces by Francis Bacon. It’s a triptych of Bacon’s friend and rival Lucian Freud. 

Bacon, Francis. Triptych of Lucian Freud. 1969. Oil on canvas

98 cm × 147.5 cm for each canvas. Private collection

The winner was William Acquavella who paid $142.4 million. It’s said that Acquavella bought these pieces on behalf of someone else but whether he did or not he still outbid everyone else for it. It currently holds the record for the most expensive piece of art sold at an auction. Originally Christies predicted the piece would sell for $85 million. Christies has been advertising the sale of this piece and the other 69 that were put for sale. The saleroom was very full and a lot of the space became standing room only. The previous record was held by the painting The Scream by Edward Munch. 

Munch, Edvard. The Scream. 1893. Oil, tempura, and pastel on cardboard

91 cm × 73.5 cm. National Gallery, Oslo, Norway.

This sale had five bidders and it went for $119.9 million to an unknown buyer in 2012 at Sotheby’s in New York. When this sale held the record it also was named the most expensive drawing that was publically sold. The location in this drawing is of Ekberg hill which was a popular spot for suicides. Another artwork sold for a large sum is Picasso’s 1932 Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust sold at Christies. 

Picasso. Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust. 1932. Oil on canvas

162 cm × 130 cm. Private collection 

Six bidders battled for this masterpiece only for it to be won by Nicholas Hall for $106.5 million. This picture is about Picasso’s Marie Therese reclining naked and it was sold by Christies in New York. Boy with a Pipe by Picasso was sold at Christies in New York. 

Picasso, Pablo. Boy with a Pipe. 1905. Oil on canvas

00 cm × 81.3 cm. Private Collection

It sold for $104.1 million to an anonymous buyer. This work was part of Picasso’s rose period and was done in 1905. There were other Picasso works for sale the day this one was up but none sold for such a staggering amount as this one. Van Gogh’s Portrait of Dr. Gachet was another big seller. 

Van Gogh, Vincent. Portrait of Dr. Gachet. 1890. Oil on canvas

67 cm × 56 cm. Private Collection

The Kobayashi Gallery of Tokyo bought this piece for $82.5 million at Christies in New York. This gallery jumped into the war for this piece at around $40 million and applause rang out when the piece was won. This piece depicts the doctor that helped van Gogh and encouraged him to continue painting. Besides public sales there are also private sales and the highest paid private sale was for a Picasso’s La Reve for $155 million. 

Picasso, Pablo. Le Reve. 1932. Oil on canvas. 130 cm × 97 cm

 Private collection of  Steven A. Cohen

Steven Cohen bought this piece from Steve Wynn. It’s the highest paid price by a U.S. collector for an artwork. The piece is about Marie Therese Walter who was the artist’s mistress, model and muse. She was supported financially by Picasso. She was one of Picasso’s greatest loves for nearly a decade and for years she inspired a lot of his works from paintings to sculptures.