The most expensive paintings ever sold
The top 3 according to 116 votes from people: Salvator Mundi · Interchange · The Standard Bearer. (Updated Aug 17, 2026.)
The highest prices ever paid for paintings, at auction or in private sales, according to Wikipedia's list. Prices in millions of US dollars, as paid at the time.
Top 20
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1
Salvator Mundi
Leonardo da Vinci (attribution disputed). $450.3 million, 2017, Christie's New York. The most expensive painting ever sold; bought for a Saudi buyer.
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2
Interchange
Willem de Kooning. $300 million, 2015, private sale to Kenneth C. Griffin.
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3
The Standard Bearer
Rembrandt. $198 million, 2022, bought by the Rijksmuseum from the Rothschild family.
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4
Shot Sage Blue Marilyn
Andy Warhol. $195 million, 2022, Christie's New York. The most expensive 20th-century work sold at auction.
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5
Wasserschlangen II
Gustav Klimt. $183.8 million, 2013, private sale.
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6
Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will You Marry?)
Paul Gauguin. $210 million, 2014, private sale to the State of Qatar.
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7
Nu couché
Amedeo Modigliani. $170.4 million, 2015, Christie's New York.
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8
No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red)
Mark Rothko. $186 million, 2014, private sale to Dmitry Rybolovlev.
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9
Pendant portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit
Rembrandt. $180 million, 2016, bought jointly by the Louvre and the Rijksmuseum.
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10
Three Studies of Lucian Freud
Francis Bacon. $142.4 million, 2013, Christie's New York.
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11
Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer
Gustav Klimt. $236.4 million, 2025, Sotheby's New York. From the estate of Leonard Lauder.
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12
Number 17A
Jackson Pollock. $200 million, 2015, private sale to Kenneth C. Griffin.
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13
Le Rêve
Pablo Picasso. $155 million, 2013, private sale to Steven A. Cohen.
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14
Les Femmes d'Alger (Version O)
Pablo Picasso. $179.4 million, 2015, Christie's New York.
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15
Woman III
Willem de Kooning. $137.5 million, 2006, private sale to Steven A. Cohen.
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16
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I
Gustav Klimt. $135 million, 2006, bought by Ronald Lauder for the Neue Galerie. The "Woman in Gold", returned to Maria Altmann's family.
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17
The Card Players
Paul Cézanne. $250 million, 2011, private sale to the State of Qatar.
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18
Nu couché (sur le côté gauche)
Amedeo Modigliani. $157.2 million, 2018, Sotheby's New York.
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19
The Scream (pastel, 1895)
One of Munch's versions, sold at Sotheby's in 2012 for $119.9 million.
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20
Masterpiece
Roy Lichtenstein. $165 million, 2017, private sale.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 20… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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21
Garçon à la pipe
Picasso, 1905; sold at Sotheby's in 2004 for $104 million, then a record.
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22
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II
Gustav Klimt. $150 million, 2016, private sale.
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23
No. 5, 1948
Jackson Pollock. $140 million, 2006, private sale.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (1)
Salvator Mundi for 450 million, and nobody knows where it is.