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This is the list of the most expensive paintings in the world. It covers the high priced paintings from 17th century up to the present. Some of the paintings in here have assumed present values since these paintings are sold a long time ago and their values at that time where still lower than today.

Now, here is the list of the most expensive paintings in the world:

1. Mona Liza

PRICE: US$713 million (estimated present value)

Painted by: Sir Leonardo Da Vinci

Painting Type: Oil on poplar

The world’s most expensive paintings according to the Guinness Book of Records is also the most famous painting of all time. The Mona Liza is the all time most expensive painting of the world. Also known as La Gioconda or La Joconde, it was painted in the 16th (around 1503 – 1519) century by Sir Leonardo Da Vinci. The name came from Lisa del Giocondo, a member of the Gherardini family of Florence and Tuscany and the wife of a known wealthy Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo. The painting was commissioned for their new home and to celebrate the birth of their second son, Andrea.

The Mona Liza was stolen in August 22, 1911 by an Italian employee Vincenzo Peruggia who was a patriot and wanted to return this Italian painting to Italy. He was then caught when he tried to sell the painting. The work is currently owned by the Government of France and is on display at the Musée du Louvre in Paris under the title Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo

2. No. 5, 1948

PRICE: US$151.8 million (sold in auction, 2006)

Painted by: Jackson Pollock

Painting Type: oil on fiberboard

The second most expensive painting is a painting by Jackson Pollock, an American painter known for his contributions to the abstract expressionist movement. No. 5, 1948 was done on an 8' x 4' sheet of fiberboard, with thick amounts of brown and yellow paint drizzled on top of it, forming a nest-like appearance. It was sold in auction on November 2, 2006 for US$151.8 million and was considered the most expensive painting ever sold, privately or at auction.

3. Woman III

PRICE: US$149.1 million (sold in auction, 2006)

Painted by: Willem de Kooning

Painting Type: oil on canvas

The third most expensive painting is the Woman III painted by Willem de Kooning, abstract painter. It is one of the six painting had painted between the years 1951 to 1953. The painting was sold in auction by David Geffen to billionaire Steven A. Cohen for $137.5 million making it the second most expensive painting ever sold.

4. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I

PRICE: US$145.3 million (sold in auction, 2006)

Painted by: Gustav Klimt

Painting Type: Oil with silver and Gold in Canvas

The fourth most expensive painting is the Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, painted by Gustav Klimt in 1907. The painting was sold in 2006 to Ronald Lauder for $135 million and at that time it was the most expensive painting ever sold. The painting Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I was originally commission by Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer making his wife Adele Bloch-Bauer as the model in the painting. Adele’s last will was to donate the painting Austrian State Gallery but due to the Nazi occupation of Austria during the Second World War, it was confiscated. It was only return to the Bloch-Bauer family in 2006 after Maria Altmann won the case as the rightful owner of the painting.

5. Portrait of Dr. Gachet

PRICE: US$139.5 million (sold in auction, 1990)

Painted by: Vincent Van Gogh

Painting Type: Oil on canvas

Fifth most expensive painting is the first version on Portrait of Dr. Gachet by Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. The painting’s model is Dr. Paul Gachet who attended to Van Gogh in the last months of his life. Vincent Van Gogh was frequent bouts of mental illness and died by shooting himself. The Portrait of Dr. Gachet has two versions where in the model Dr. Gachet is drawn leaning on his head by his arms while the other hand is holding a flower on both portrait, but then they are not very similar. The first version was sold Ryoei Saito for $139.5 million in 1990. And the second version only known details is the owner which is Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France.

6. Bal du moulin de la Galette

PRICE: US$132 million (sold in auction, 1990)

Painted by: Pierre Auguste Renoir

Painting Type: oil on canvas

Sixth most expensive painting in the world is the Bal de Moulin dela Galette, painted by a French artist, Pierre Auguste Renoir in 1876 and was sold in auction in 1990 for $132 million to Ryoei Saito, the same person who bought Vincent Van Gogh’s Portrait of Dr Gachet version one.

7. Garcon a la pipe

PRICE: US$120.3 million (sold in auction, 1990)

Painted by: Pablo Picasso

Painting Type: oil on canvas

The painting Garcona a la pipe by Pablo Picasso is the seventh most expensive painting in the world. It was sold at auction in 1990 for $120.3 million to Guido Barilla. Picasso painted Garcona a la pipe or Boy with a pipe in 1905 when he was 24 years old.

8. Nude, Green Leaves and Bust

PRICE: US$106.6 million (sold in auction, 2010)

Painted by: Pablo Picasso

Painting Type:

Another painting by Pablo Picasso was the Nude, Green Leaves and Bust where he featured his mistress, Marie Therese Walter. It was sold in auction in 2010 for 106.6 million to unnamed buyer and was he eight most expensive painting in the world.

9. Portrait of Joseph Roulin

PRICE: US$101.7 million (sold in auction, 1989)

Painted by: Vincent Van Gogh

Painting Type: Oil on Canvas

Another portrait painting by Vincent Van Gogh is the Portrait of Joseph Roulin. Van Gogh was known for painting portraits of people, like the Portrait of Dr. Gachet. The painting was sold in auction in 1989 for $101.7 million to the Museum of Modern Art New York making it the ninth most expensive painting in the world.

10. Dora Maar au Chat

PRICE: US$102.7 million (sold in auction, 2006)

Painted by: Pablo Picasso

Painting Type: Oil on Canvas

The tenth most expensive panting in the world is the Dora Maar au Chat, painted by Pablo Picasso in honor of her lover Dora Maar. It was sold in auction in 2006 for $102.7 million to Boris Ivanishvili.

The prices of these paintings are still rising as time goes by. So do expect that the list of the most expensive paintings in the world might change in the near future.