10 Most Expensive Paintings

While art is subjective but when it comes to auction there is definitely a price tag on how much a person is willing to pay and here are the 10 most expensive paintings. This list does not include the “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo Di Vinci or “The Persistence of Memory” by Salvador Dali as those works of art considered priceless. However works of art by Picasso and Van Gogh that did make it to auction did make this list. Some paintings are in private collections while others exhibited in museums.

1. No. 5 by Jackson Pollack - $140 million. Pollack’s painting is completely abstract art with brown and yellow tones. This painting is a drip and splash of enamel, oil and aluminum paint.
2. Woman III by Willem de Kooning - $137 million. Abstract expressionism a woman with huge breast and distorted torso. You can’t keep your eyes off of her. This painting is a series of six women paintings by the artist and the only one in a private collection.
3. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustav Klimt - $135 million.  A mix of Egyptian art, gold and mosaic elements with Freudian symbols. As one of the most complicated ten most expensive paintings is also one of the most controversial that it was overpriced.
4. Nude, Green Leaves and Bust by Pablo Picasso – 106.5 million. This painting was not seen in the public for almost 60 years. It is called the “lost Picasso.” It is an abstract painting of man, woman and leaves.
5. Garçon à la pipe by Pablo Picasso - $104.2 million.  Considered as representational art one of the highest modern art pieces ever sold at auction. This piece was done during Picasso’s “rose” period which was before his “blue” period.
6. Eight Elvises by Andy Warhol - $100 million. This screenprint by American modern artist features eight Elvis in the same exact pose, in black and white. Has not been view in public since 1963.
7. Dora Maar au Chat by Pablo Picasso – 95.2 million. This sets Picasso as one of the most important artists of all time having three of his paintings in the ten most expensive paintings in the world. Cubists style which Picasso is most famous for, painting of a mistress, seated on a chair with a small cat perched on her shoulders.
8. Portrait of Adele Block-Bauer II by Gustav Klimt - 87.9 million. In this second portrait of this woman by Klimt he drops the uses of gold and uses more vibrant colors. This second portrait effort occurred five years after his first portrait of Adele
9. Triptych by Francis Bacon - 86.3 million.  Contemporary art and is considered the most important and complex work of the artist Bacon. It's so complex that this painting can't be described in words, but experienced. Good luck as it's now in a private collection, chance for viewing 
10. Portrait of Dr. Gachetby Vincent Van Gogh - $ 83.5 million. This is the second portrait of Van Gogh’s psychiatrist before Vincent died. Post impressionism this painting portrays the doctor’s “heartbroken expression.”