Published on: May 7, 2014

Some would agree that being an artist is not a lucrative job. Lucky are those few famous artists who have amassed a huge amount of cash through their artwork. Majority of the artists are criticized for wasting their time in the field and end up living below the poverty line.

So, I invite you to lose a little of your time to see that it’s worth invest in art!

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1. Damien Hirst – Painter/Sculpter | Estimated Worth: $1 Billion

Death is a central theme in this British artists works. Hirst became famous for a series of artworks featuring dead animals (including a shark a sheep and a cow etc.) preserved in formaldehyde and showcased in a clear display case.

He has also created “spin paintings”- paintings created on a spinning circular surface and “spot paintings”- rows of randomly colored circles.

2. Jeff Koons– Sculpter | Estimated Worth: $500 Million

American Artist known for his reproduction of balloon animals produced in stainless steal with a reflective stainless steel mirror-like surface.

3. Jasper Johns– Painter | Estimated Worth: $300 Million

American contemporary artists who primarily works as a painter but also dabbles in sculpture and printmaking. He is best known for his painting “Flag” which he painted after having a dream of the American flag. Johns earlier works consist of flags, maps, targets, letters and numbers.

4. David Choe– Muralist/Graffiti Artist | Estimated Worth: $200 Million

Began spray-painting on the streets in his teens- Choe is now an American painter, muralist, graffiti artist and graphic novelist of Korean descent. He achieved his world success with his “dirty style” figure paintings.

5. Andre Vicari– Painter | Estimated Worth: $142 Million

Welsh painter who established his career by painting portraits of the rich and famous.

6. Takashi Murakami– Superflat Artist | Estimated Worth: $100 Million

Thought-provoking and internationally prolific contemporary Japanese artist, Murakami is known for blurring the line between high and low art. His works rage from cartoon-like paintings to quasi-minimalist sculptures, to giant inflatable balloons and much more.

7. Anish Kapoor– Sculptor | Estimated Worth: $85 Million

Best known for his sculptural architectural projects such as “Cloud Gate’- Millennium Park, Chicago, “Sky Mirror”- Rockefeller Center, NY City, “Temenos”- Middlehaven etc.

8. Antony Gormley– Sculptor | Estimated Worth: $50 Million

British sculptor best known for “Angel of the North”, “Another Place”, and “Event Horizon”.

9. Gerhard Richter– Visual Artist | Estimated Worth: $40 Million

German visual artist Richter has produced abstract and photorealistic painted works, photographs and glass pieces that are inspired by the works of Picasso and Jean Arp.

He has also become well known for his Photo-paintings and what he calls the “blur”.

10. David Hockney– Painter/Photographer | Estimated Worth: $40 Million

British painter, draughtsman, printmaker, photographer, designer and most influential British artist of the 20th century.