Top 20 Most Expensive Paintings of All Time

Mona Lisa, or La Gioconda- La Joconde, is the portrait of Lisa del Giocondo, a member of the Gherardini family, the wife of a wealthy silk merchant in Florence and Tuscany- Italy named Francesco del Giocondo. The painting was commissioned for their new home and to commemorate the birth of their second son.

Da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa around 1503, during the Italian Renaissance, but for some reason, he abandoned the painting for four years, leaving it unfinished? And only resumed painting it three years after moving to France and completed it shortly before his death in 1519. This is a portrait measuring 77x53cm vertically, painted with oil on a 1.3cm thick poplar wood panel. The work is currently owned by the French government and is displayed at the Louvre Museum, Paris, France under the title “Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo”.

After 5 centuries, with just this small painting, the glory of the author has reached its peak. This is the most valuable, most meticulously protected, and most viewed painting in the world. The more controversies, the more it adds to Mona Lisa's legendary status.

The painting contributes to creating a huge tourism source for France and indirectly generates profits comparable to those of a major factory. In terms of expertise, the painter Leonardo da Vinci left behind some miraculous technical lessons such as the effectiveness and durability of his self-made paint, the breakthrough in daring to depict nature as a backdrop for portraits, the cunning creation of illusions... and above all, the viewers who come to see the painting without realizing that: on the contrary, they are always looked through by the character with a gaze that is always gentle, serene.

Value: $670 million

In early 2015, the oil painting Two Tahitian Women (When You Marry) by French artist Paul Gauguin was purchased for $300 million. The artwork was originally owned by a Swiss individual named Rudolf Staechelin. Staechelin did not disclose the identity of the buyer, but many sources suggest it was someone from Qatar.

Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will You Marry) depicts two young Tahitian women, one wearing traditional local attire and the other dressed in Western missionary style clothing. Gauguin painted this piece in 1892. He first visited Tahiti in 1891 with the hope of finding a paradise for his work, but Tahiti at that time was no longer 'primitive' and had been colonized.

Nafea Faa Ipoipo - a painting that blends two cultural identities through the imagery of two Tahitian women. However, many believe that the message of the painting goes beyond this, which is why it fetched such an astronomical price. Nafea Faa Ipoipo was displayed at the Kunstmuseum Basel art museum in Switzerland until it was sold for $300 million.

Value: $300 million

Leonardo da Vinci's Savior of the World holds the record for the world's most expensive painting. In mid-November 2017, the artwork was auctioned in New York for $450,312,500 (over 10 trillion VND). The price includes the hammer price for the artwork and transaction fees. According to documents collected by The New York Times, Saudi Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan al-Saud was the buyer of this masterpiece.

In the painting, Christ is looking forward, holding a glass orb in his left hand and raising his right hand as if in prayer and blessing. Similar to the Mona Lisa, the Savior of the World is an oil painting and is painted on wood. The most mysterious aspect lies in the crystal orb that the great master wanted to conceal, a subject of much debate in the art world today.

Art analysts consider Leonardo's painting to be one of the rarest things on this planet. Meanwhile, Christie's auction house praises the artwork as the 'greatest artistic discovery of the 21st century.'

Value: $450 million

The Card Players is a series of five oil paintings by French artist Paul Cézanne, considered by critics as a cornerstone of Cézanne's art in the 1890s. One of them was sold to a royal family in Qatar by Greek collector George Embiricos for over $250 million.

Considered the father of modern art, Paul Cézanne painted The Card Players around 1893. This is one of a series of five paintings depicting peasants sitting playing cards. This series is considered one of the most important works of post-impressionist art. The other four paintings are part of the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Musée d'Orsay, Courtauld, and Barnes Foundation - these four paintings are currently in large collections, while the one recently purchased by the Qatar royal family belongs to a private owner.

Value: $250 million

The abstract painting titled Interchange was created by Willem de Kooning in 1955 and was acquired by American billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin for a staggering $300 million in 2015. Currently, this oil painting on canvas is displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago.

The masterpiece Interchange, painted by De Kooning since 1955, is a groundbreaking work with a significant influence on abstract expressionism. To this day, Kooning's work remains among the enigmatic yet highly valued paintings.

Value: $300 million USD

In 2014, Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev spent $186 million to acquire Mark Rothko's No. 6 (Violet, Green, and Red), setting a record price at the time. This artwork is hailed for offering a completely fresh perspective on abstract painting.

Utilizing three shades of violet, green, and red arranged vertically, the painting evokes a sense of immersion into contemplations of life and spirituality.

Value: $186 million USD

The abstract painting Number 17A by American artist Jackson Pollock was purchased by billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin at the same time as Interchange, for $200 million USD, and is also displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Many argue that the name Number 17A lacks uniqueness and creativity. However, the artist explained that he deliberately chose a non-unique name because he wanted to fully illuminate the essence of the painting rather than focus on its title.

Value: $200 million USD

Picasso painted 'Les femmes d'Alger' in 1955, marking one of the master painter's last monumental artworks that still remains in private hands.

At an auction in New York, USA, in May 2015, Pablo Picasso's Les Femmes d’Alger (Version O) was sold for over 179 million USD to a mysterious buyer. Christie’s auction house kept the identity of the painting's owner strictly confidential, although some sources suggest that the mysterious figure is the former Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani.

Value: 179 million USD

The duo of portrait paintings Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit by Dutch painter Rembrandt, created in 1634. The Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam) and the Louvre (Paris) jointly acquired this painting from the Rothschild family in 2015 for 180 million USD.

These rare and precious portrait paintings, masterpieces by the great Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn, after being displayed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, will soon be auctioned off, which is sad news for art enthusiasts: they will no longer have the opportunity to see the two aforementioned masterpieces. These are the portrait paintings of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit, a famous couple in the aristocratic circles of Amsterdam in the first half of the 17th century.

Value: 180 million USD

Painted by Gustav Klimt (1862 - 1918), the Austrian symbolist painter. His portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer was created in 1907 using oil, gold, and silver, which may be one of the reasons why this painting commands such an exorbitant price.

In Gustav Klimt's portraits of her, it is difficult to decipher what is happening within the clear black eyes of Adele, the woman depicted multiple times in his paintings. Adele in Gustav Klimt's painting is a woman of depth and mystery.

In 2006, this painting was sold for 135 million USD.

Value: 135 million USD

This is currently the world's most expensive piece of art, created by the American abstract expressionist artist Jackson Pollock (1912 - 1956) in 1948. No. 5 is composed with shades of brown and yellow, interpreted by experts as an abstract representation of a bird's nest.

His work made waves in the late 20th-century art world. 'No. 5' was painted on a large canvas measuring 120 x 120 cm by dripping paint onto it. Rumors suggest it was bought by David Martinez, although his lawyers have consistently denied this. In November 2006, this masterpiece was acquired by David Geffen for $140 million USD.

Value: $140 million USD

The Dance at Moulin de la Galette is a masterpiece by Pierre Auguste Renoir, the French painter who made significant contributions to the Impressionist art movement. His painting captures a vibrant dance scene at Moulin de la Galette, with many participants joyfully engaged and convivial.

Looking at the painting, one can feel the lively atmosphere depicted by Renoir. The artwork was sold for $78.1 million USD on May 17, 1990, to Ruoei Saito at Sotheby's auction house in New York. Today, art critics value this painting at around $110.4 million USD.

Value: $110.4 million USD

Portrait of Dr. Gachet is another masterpiece by Vincent van Gogh that ranks among the world's most expensive paintings, also acquired by Ryoei Saito. Despite leaving a will to burn the painting with him under the grave, his descendants did not do so and preserved this exquisite artwork intact.

In the painting, Dr. Gachet is seated beside a red table, on which lie various herbs and two yellow-bound books. Gachet's blue coat against the backdrop of pale green hills lends a melancholic air to the doctor's countenance, with hints of weariness evident in his translucent blue eyes. The 'sensitive face' of the doctor is tinged with sadness yet exudes compassion and gentleness.

This painting was sold for $82.5 million USD on May 15, 1990, at Christie's auction house in New York. According to art critics, this masterpiece is currently valued at $116.7 million USD.

Value: $116.7 million USD

This is another masterpiece by the renowned painter Pablo Picasso, depicting his lover, Dora Maar, who later became a celebrated artist herself, during the twilight years of his life in 1941.

A rather peculiar painting to those not well-versed in art. However, it is highly esteemed by critics and fetched a staggering price of 95.2 million USD in a May 2006 auction by Sotheby's.

Value: 95.2 million USD

One of the world's top-priced paintings created by the artist Pablo Picasso when he was 24 years old. This painting depicts a Parisian boy holding a pipe with his left hand. When presented to the public, everyone was surprised at how a painter from the cubist movement could create such an extraordinary piece.

This painting was sold for 104 million USD in 2004. However, critics argue that this price is still too low considering the painting's inherent value and significance. It portrays a bleak, desolate social reality, plagued by disease (during the time of the plague epidemic).

Value: 104 million USD

Peter Paul Rubens (1577 - 1640) was a talented Flemish painter of the 17th century, known for pioneering the Baroque style - a style characterized by dynamic, colorful, and ornate paintings.

He painted the famous masterpiece Massacre of the Innocents in 1611, considered one of the top ten masterpieces of world painting. The painting depicts a chapter from the Bible. Interestingly, there are two versions of this painting, with the second version painted between 1636 and 1638.

On 10/7/2012, the first version of the painting was auctioned at Sotheby's, London. It was sold for £49.5 million (equivalent to $77.9 million USD) to Canadian art collector Kenneth Thomson.

Value: $77.9 million USD

Another masterpiece by Vincent van Gogh, painted during his asylum stay in Saint Paul-de-Mausole. This is one of his final paintings, created shortly before his death. Unlike his later works, this painting lacks the intense tension often found in his art. He referred to it as a 'lightning conductor for his illness,' believing that he could prevent madness by continuing to paint.

In 1987, the painting was sold for $54 million. It once held the title of the world's most expensive painting for many years. Today, it is valued at around $78.4 million.

Value: $78.4 million USD

Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890) was a Dutch painter of the post-impressionist movement, known for his influence on modern art.

His famous self-portrait was created in 1889 while he was in France, shortly after shaving his beard and a year before his death. Painted with oil on canvas, it measures 40 x 30 cm. In 1998, this self-portrait was sold for $71.6 million (approximately 1.5 trillion VND), making it the most expensive self-portrait of all time and the most expensive painting of that time.

Value: $71.6 million USD

Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973) was a talented painter, a skilled sculptor from Spain, regarded as one of the most prominent artists of the 20th century, and one of the co-founders of the Cubist movement in painting and sculpture.

The painting Pierrette's Wedding was created by him in 1905, one of his early works, which also established his reputation. On November 30, 1989, it was sold for $51.67 million at Binoche & Godeau, Paris. However, to date, it has reached a price of $72.6 million.

Value: $72.6 million USD

The Drapery, The Pitcher, and the Fruit Bowl is a painting by French artist Paul Cézanne (1839 - 1906) belonging to the post-impressionist movement, which he created from 1893 to 1894. The painting demonstrates the subtlety of color patches along with his skillful blending of colors.

On May 10, 1999, the painting was acquired by the Whitney media tycoon family for $60.5 million (approximately 1.3 trillion VND).

Value: $60.5 million