Most people know that Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa is among the most expensive paintings ever created, but did you know other modern artists can also command high prices for their works?
Discover the 5 Most Expensive Abstract Artworks of 2024 :
1. Jackson Pollock’s “No. 5” - $140 million dollars
Jackson Pollock was an iconic figure of American abstract expressionism, best known for his technique known as drip painting. He created it during his formative years to express his emotions and relieve anxiety - the practice has since become synonymous with the New York School movement that emerged post World War Two.
Though drip paintings may appear disregarded, they represent an influential movement that will forever alter how we perceive art and its worth.
Pollock's paintings that set auction records create a powerful cycle that drives demand. News of their record sales circulated, prompting more art enthusiasts and investors to seek these masterpieces out - creating high demand with limited supply; making these paintings very valuable investments; status symbols worth owning and showing off; thus creating a strong connection between aesthetic, historical significance, and financial value that makes these pieces the most costly in existence - yet some critics still view them as mere splatters of paint!
Discover similar artworks in the style of Jackson Pollock :
2. Willem de Kooning’s “Woman III” - $137.5 million
This oil on canvas expressionist painting by de Kooning dates from 1953. It forms part of his Women series depicting female naked bodies and caused considerable debate due to de Kooning's nervous and aggressive style as well as nonstandard depiction of female nudity.
David Geffen sold it privately to hedge-fund billionaire Steven Cohen for $49.5 million, in 2006. Today it ranks third most expensive artwork globally and stands as a rare representation of Willem de Kooning's Woman series held privately - its value would increase with inflation to around $189 million today.
This abstract oil-on-fiberboard painting by Jackson Pollock is an unparalleled masterpiece of color and texture, showcasing his distinctive drip art painting technique which used hardened brushes, sticks, and other tools to drip paint onto canvas in layers. Considered one of the most influential influences in modern art history, the painting sold at auction for a record breaking $142.4 million price in 2006 -- until Francis Bacon's portrait of Lucian Freud by Francis Bacon came along and broke that record again!
Discover similar artworks in the style of Willem de Kooning :
3. Pablo Picasso’s “Les Femmes d’Alger (Version ’O’)” - $179.4 million
At Christie's auction house in New York City, Pablo Picasso's "Les Femmes d'Alger (Version 'O')" brought in $179 Million - making it the world's most expensive painting ever sold at auction. Depicting women in various provocative poses painted using his signature Cubist style.
The painting was expected to fetch approximately $120 million. It was sold by Emily Fisher Landau's estate - which amassed one of the largest single-owner blue-chip art collections ever seen in recent times - during an evening sale that also featured 13 works by Picasso.
Picasso's "Buste de Femme," painted in 1938 and sold at auction for an astounding $130 Million, depicting their intense emotional relationship. Its extraordinary Fauve style pays homage to both Matisse and Delacroix while its unease hints towards impending war; purchased by a private European collector as the third highest sale of the night - it may have even been inspired by events surrounding Algerian War of Independence onset.
Discover similar artworks in the style of Pablo Picasso :
4. Cy Twombly’s “Blackboard” - $70.5 million
Cy Twombly, known for his distinctive paintings that resemble white chalk scribbles on a surface, broke a world auction record last night when one of his 1968 canvasses known as Blackboard series went for $70.5 Million (PS47 Million). Sotheby's Contemporary evening sale hosted its Contemporary evening sale where 44 out of 54 pieces found buyers.
While Twombly's Blackboard series predated his later paintings like those found in his Bacchus series, this particular canvas stands out by featuring umber marks among the white loops - creating an engaging dance of movement that is both precise and chaotic, expressing his subjectivity through dynamic movements akin to automatism of surrealism but with organic self-elaborations of de Kooning and Gorky. At times his lines become tight and dense while at others they loose control in frenetic mark-making that recalls surrealism but with organic self-elaborations like de Kooning and Gorky.
Discover similar artworks in the style of Cy Twombly :
5. Robert Motherwell’s “No. 110” - US$400,000
Motherwell was one of the foremost exponents of abstract expressionism and, over three decades, produced an extraordinary body of work spanning visual art, writing and printmaking. He expanded upon themes explored earlier while developing new techniques - his artistic career spanned an astounding thirty years!
One notable example of his unique style can be seen in his Elegy to the Spanish Republic series. These paintings represent tragic events of Spain's Civil War, in which 700,000 civilians were executed through mass executions. According to the artist, these depictions represent "a terrible death occurred and must not be forgotten".
Motherwell's Elegy to the Spanish Republic paintings combine elements of Surrealism and Modernism, heavily influenced by Symbolist artists like Vasily Kandinsky and Pablo Picasso. These contrasting styles create a dynamic tension within his artwork that is distinct to Motherwell. His paintings often include heavy texturing with dynamic balances between restrained brushwork and bold gestural strokes as well as between round shapes and rectilinear ones - elements unique to his artistic style.
Discover similar artworks in the style of Robert Motherwell :
