Paintings of the 21st century by famous artists. Paintings by famous contemporary artists

Art is constantly evolving, like the whole world around us. Modern artists of the 21st century and their paintings are not at all similar to those that existed in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. New names, materials, genres, and ways of expressing talents appear. In this rating we will meet ten innovative artists of our time.

10. Pedro Campos. In tenth place is a Spaniard, whose brush can easily compete with a camera, he paints such realistic canvases. For the most part, he creates still lifes, but it is not so much the themes of his paintings that inspire amazing admiration, but the masterful execution. Textures, highlights, depth, perspective, volume - Pedro Campos subordinated all this to his brush, so that reality, and not fiction, looked at the viewer from the canvas. Without embellishment, without romanticism, only reality, this is precisely the meaning of the photorealism genre. By the way, the artist acquired his attention to detail and scrupulousness while working as a restorer.

9. Richard Estes. Another fan of the photorealism genre, Richard Estes, started with ordinary painting, but later went into painting city landscapes. Today's artists and their creations do not need to adapt to anyone, and this is wonderful, everyone can express themselves the way they want in what they want. As in the case of Pedro Campos, the work of this master can easily be confused with photographs, the city from them is so similar to the real one. You rarely see people in Estes’s paintings, but there are almost always reflections, highlights, parallel lines and perfect, ideal composition. Thus, he does not just sketch the city landscape, but finds perfection in it and tries to show it.

8. Kevin Sloan. There are an incredible number of contemporary artists of the 21st century and their paintings, but not every one of them is worth attention. American Kevin Sloan stands, because his works seem to transport the viewer to another dimension, a world full of allegories, hidden meanings, and metaphorical riddles. The artist likes to paint animals, because, in his opinion, this way he gets more freedom than with people to convey the story. Sloan has been creating her “reality with a catch” in oils for almost 40 years. Very often a clock appears on canvases: either an elephant or an octopus is looking at it; this image can be interpreted as time passing or as the limitations of life. Each of Sloan’s paintings amazes the imagination; you want to figure out what the author wanted to convey to her.

7. Laurent Parselier. This painter is one of those contemporary artists of the 21st century whose paintings received recognition early, even during their studies. Laurent's talent manifested itself in published albums under the general title “Strange World”. He paints in oils, his style is light and tends towards realism. A characteristic feature of the artist’s works is the abundance of light, which seems to be pouring from the canvases. As a rule, he depicts landscapes and some recognizable places. All works are unusually light and airy, filled with sun, freshness, and breath.

6. Jeremy Mann. The San Francisco native loved his city and most often depicted it in his paintings. Modern artists of the 21st century can find inspiration for their paintings anywhere: in the rain, wet sidewalks, neon signs, city lamps. Jeremy Mann imbues simple landscapes with mood, history, and experiments with techniques and color choices. The main material of Manna is oil.

5. Hans Rudolf Giger. In fifth place is the inimitable, unique Hans Giger, the creator of Alien from the film of the same name. Today's artists and their works are diverse, but each is brilliant in its own way. This gloomy Swiss does not paint nature and animals; he prefers “biomechanical” painting, in which he excels. Some compare the artist to Bosch in the gloom and fantasy of his paintings. Although Giger’s paintings emanate something otherworldly and dangerous, you can’t deny his technique and skill: he is attentive to details, competently selects shades, thinks through everything to the smallest detail.

4. Will Barnett. This artist has his own unique author’s style, which is why his works are readily accepted by the great museums of the world: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, the British Museum, the Ashmolean Museum, and the Vatican Museum. Contemporary artists of the 21st century and their works, in order to be recognized, must somehow stand out from the rest of the masses. And Will Barnett can do it. His works are graphic and contrasting; he often depicts cats, birds, and women. At first glance, Barnett's paintings are simple, but upon further examination you realize that their genius lies in this simplicity.

3. Neil Simon. This is one of the contemporary artists of the 21st century, whose works are not as simple as they seem at first glance. It’s as if the boundaries between Neil Simon’s subjects and works are blurred; they flow from one to another, dragging the viewer along with them, drawing them into the illusory world of the artist. Simon's creations are characterized by bright, saturated colors, which gives them energy and strength and evokes an emotional response. The master loves to play with perspective, the size of objects, with unusual combinations and unexpected shapes. There is a lot of geometry in the artist’s works, which is combined with natural landscapes, as if bursting inside, but not destroying, but harmoniously complementing.

2. Igor Morski. Today's 21st century artist and his paintings are often compared to the great genius Salvador Dali. The works of the Polish master are unpredictable, mysterious, exciting, evoke a strong emotional response, and are sometimes crazy. Like any other surrealist, he does not strive to show reality as it is, but shows facets that we will never see in life. Most often, the main character of Morski's works is a person with all his fears, passions, and shortcomings. Also, metaphors in the works of this surrealist often concern power. Of course, this is not an artist whose work you would hang above your bed, but one whose exhibition is definitely worth going to.

1. Yayoi Kusama. So, in first place in our ranking is a Japanese artist who has achieved incredible success all over the world, despite the fact that she has some mental illnesses. The artist’s main feature is polka dots. She covers everything she sees with circles of various shapes and sizes, calling it all infinity networks. Kusama’s interactive exhibitions and installations are a success, because everyone sometimes wants (even if he doesn’t admit it) to be inside the psychedelic world of hallucinations, childish spontaneity, fantasies and colorful circles. Among contemporary artists of the 21st century and their paintings, Yayoi Kusama is the best-selling.

"Card Players"

Author

Paul Cezanne

A country France
Years of life 1839–1906
Style post-impressionism

The artist was born in the south of France in the small town of Aix-en-Provence, but began painting in Paris. Real success came to him after a personal exhibition organized by collector Ambroise Vollard. In 1886, 20 years before his departure, he moved to the outskirts of his hometown. Young artists called trips to him “a pilgrimage to Aix.”

130x97 cm
1895
price
$250 million
sold in 2012
at private auction

Cezanne's work is easy to understand. The artist’s only rule was the direct transfer of an object or plot onto the canvas, so his paintings do not cause bewilderment to the viewer. Cezanne combined in his art two main French traditions: classicism and romanticism. With the help of colorful textures, he gave the shape of objects amazing plasticity.

The series of five paintings “Card Players” was painted in 1890–1895. Their plot is the same - several people enthusiastically play poker. The works differ only in the number of players and the size of the canvas.

Four paintings are kept in museums in Europe and America (Museum d'Orsay, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Barnes Foundation and the Courtauld Institute of Art), and the fifth, until recently, was an adornment of the private collection of the Greek billionaire shipowner Georg Embirikos. Shortly before his death, in the winter of 2011, he decided to put it up for sale. Potential buyers of Cezanne’s “free” work were art dealer William Acquavella and world-famous gallery owner Larry Gagosian, who offered about $220 million for it. As a result, the painting went to the royal family of the Arab state of Qatar for 250 million. The largest art deal in the history of painting was closed in February 2012. Journalist Alexandra Pierce reported this in Vanity Fair. She found out the cost of the painting and the name of the new owner, and then the information penetrated the media around the world.

In 2010, the Arab Museum of Modern Art and the Qatar National Museum opened in Qatar. Now their collections are growing. Perhaps the fifth version of The Card Players was acquired by the sheikh for this purpose.

The mostexpensive paintingin the world

Owner
Sheikh Hamad
bin Khalifa al-Thani

The al-Thani dynasty has ruled Qatar for more than 130 years. About half a century ago, huge reserves of oil and gas were discovered here, which instantly made Qatar one of the richest regions in the world. Thanks to the export of hydrocarbons, this small country has the largest GDP per capita. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani seized power in 1995, while his father was in Switzerland, with the support of family members. The merit of the current ruler, according to experts, is in a clear strategy for the country's development and in creating a successful image of the state. Qatar now has a constitution and a prime minister, and women have the right to vote in parliamentary elections. By the way, it was the Emir of Qatar who founded the Al-Jazeera news channel. The authorities of the Arab state pay great attention to culture.

2

"Number 5"

Author

Jackson Pollock

A country USA
Years of life 1912–1956
Style abstract expressionism

Jack the Sprinkler - this was the nickname given to Pollock by the American public for his special painting technique. The artist abandoned the brush and easel, and poured paint over the surface of the canvas or fiberboard during continuous movement around and inside them. From an early age, he was interested in the philosophy of Jiddu Krishnamurti, the main message of which is that the truth is revealed during a free “outpouring.”

122x244 cm
1948
price
$140 million
sold in 2006
on the auction Sotheby's

The value of Pollock's work lies not in the result, but in the process. It is no coincidence that the author called his art “action painting.” With his light hand, it became the main asset of America. Jackson Pollock mixed paint with sand and broken glass, and painted with a piece of cardboard, a palette knife, a knife, and a dustpan. The artist was so popular that in the 1950s imitators were found even in the USSR. The painting “Number 5” is recognized as one of the strangest and most expensive in the world. One of the founders of DreamWorks, David Geffen, purchased it for a private collection, and in 2006 sold it at Sotheby's auction for $140 million to Mexican collector David Martinez. However, the law firm soon issued a press release on behalf of its client stating that David Martinez was not the owner of the painting. Only one thing is known for certain: the Mexican financier has indeed recently collected works of modern art. It is unlikely that he would have missed such a “big fish” as Pollock’s “Number 5”.

3

"Woman III"

Author

Willem de Kooning

A country USA
Years of life 1904–1997
Style abstract expressionism

A native of the Netherlands, he immigrated to the United States in 1926. In 1948, the artist’s personal exhibition took place. Art critics appreciated the complex, nervous black and white compositions, recognizing their author as a great modernist artist. He suffered from alcoholism for most of his life, but the joy of creating new art is felt in every work. De Kooning is distinguished by the impulsiveness of his painting and broad strokes, which is why sometimes the image does not fit within the boundaries of the canvas.

121x171 cm
1953
price
$137 million
sold in 2006
at private auction

In the 1950s, women with empty eyes, massive breasts, and ugly facial features appeared in de Kooning’s paintings. "Woman III" was the last work from this series to be auctioned.

Since the 1970s, the painting was kept in the Tehran Museum of Modern Art, but after the introduction of strict moral rules in the country, they tried to get rid of it. In 1994, the work was exported from Iran, and 12 years later its owner David Geffen (the same producer who sold Jackson Pollock’s “Number 5”) sold the painting to millionaire Steven Cohen for $137.5 million. It is interesting that in one year Geffen began to sell off his collection of paintings. This gave rise to a lot of rumors: for example, that the producer decided to buy the Los Angeles Times newspaper.

At one of the art forums, an opinion was expressed about the similarity of “Woman III” with the painting “Lady with an Ermine” by Leonardo da Vinci. Behind the toothy smile and shapeless figure of the heroine, the connoisseur of painting saw the grace of a person of royal blood. This is also evidenced by the poorly drawn crown crowning the woman’s head.

4

"Portrait of AdeleBloch-Bauer I"

Author

Gustav Klimt

A country Austria
Years of life 1862–1918
Style modern

Gustav Klimt was born into the family of an engraver and was the second of seven children. Ernest Klimt's three sons became artists, but only Gustav became famous throughout the world. He spent most of his childhood in poverty. After his father's death, he became responsible for the entire family. It was at this time that Klimt developed his style. Any viewer freezes in front of his paintings: frank eroticism is clearly visible under the thin strokes of gold.

138x136 cm
1907
price
$135 million
sold in 2006
on the auction Sotheby's

The fate of the painting, which is called the “Austrian Mona Lisa,” could easily become the basis for a bestseller. The artist’s work caused a conflict between an entire state and one elderly lady.

So, “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” depicts an aristocrat, the wife of Ferdinand Bloch. Her last wish was to donate the painting to the Austrian State Gallery. However, Bloch canceled the donation in his will, and the Nazis expropriated the painting. Later, the gallery with difficulty bought the Golden Adele, but then an heiress appeared - Maria Altman, the niece of Ferdinand Bloch.

In 2005, the high-profile trial “Maria Altmann against the Republic of Austria” began, as a result of which the film “left” with her for Los Angeles. Austria took unprecedented measures: negotiations were held on loans, the population donated money to buy the portrait. Good never defeated evil: Altman raised the price to $300 million. At the time of the proceedings, she was 79 years old, and she went down in history as the person who changed Bloch-Bauer’s will in favor of personal interests. The painting was purchased by Ronald Lauder, owner of the New Gallery in New York, where it remains to this day. Not for Austria, for him Altman reduced the price to $135 million.

5

"Scream"

Author

Edvard Munch

A country Norway
Years of life 1863–1944
Style expressionism

Munch’s first painting, which became famous throughout the world, “The Sick Girl” (there are five copies) is dedicated to the artist’s sister, who died of tuberculosis at the age of 15. Munch was always interested in the theme of death and loneliness. In Germany, his heavy, manic painting even provoked a scandal. However, despite the depressive subjects, his paintings have a special magnetism. Take "Scream" for example.

73.5x91 cm
1895
price
$119.992 million
sold in 2012
on the auction Sotheby's

The full title of the painting is Der Schrei der Natur (translated from German as “the cry of nature”). The face of either a human or an alien expresses despair and panic - the same emotions the viewer experiences when looking at the picture. One of the key works of expressionism warns of themes that have become acute in the art of the 20th century. According to one version, the artist created it under the influence of a mental disorder that he suffered from all his life.

The painting was stolen twice from different museums, but was returned. Slightly damaged after the theft, The Scream was restored and was again ready for display at the Munch Museum in 2008. For representatives of pop culture, the work became a source of inspiration: Andy Warhol created a series of print copies of it, and the mask from the film “Scream” was made in the image and likeness of the hero of the picture.

Munch wrote four versions of the work for one subject: the one that is in a private collection is made in pastels. Norwegian billionaire Petter Olsen put it up for auction on May 2, 2012. The buyer was Leon Black, who did not spare a record amount for “Scream”. Founder of Apollo Advisors, L.P. and Lion Advisors, L.P. known for his love of art. Black is a patron of Dartmouth College, the Museum of Modern Art, the Lincoln Art Center, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It has the largest collection of paintings by contemporary artists and classical masters of past centuries.

6

"Nude against the background of a bust and green leaves"

Author

Pablo Picasso

A country Spain, France
Years of life 1881–1973
Style cubism

He is Spanish by origin, but by spirit and place of residence he is a true Frenchman. Picasso opened his own art studio in Barcelona when he was only 16 years old. Then he went to Paris and spent most of his life there. That is why his surname has a double accent. The style invented by Picasso is based on the denial of the idea that an object depicted on canvas can only be viewed from one angle.

130x162 cm
1932
price
$106.482 million
sold in 2010
on the auction Christie's

During his work in Rome, the artist met dancer Olga Khokhlova, who soon became his wife. He put an end to vagrancy and moved into a luxurious apartment with her. By that time, recognition had found the hero, but the marriage was destroyed. One of the most expensive paintings in the world was created almost by accident - out of great love, which, as always with Picasso, was short-lived. In 1927, he became interested in the young Marie-Therese Walter (she was 17 years old, he was 45). Secretly from his wife, he left with his mistress to a town near Paris, where he painted a portrait, depicting Marie-Therese in the image of Daphne. The canvas was purchased by New York dealer Paul Rosenberg, and in 1951 he sold it to Sidney F. Brody. The Brodys showed the painting to the world only once and only because the artist was turning 80 years old. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Brody put the work up for auction at Christie’s in March 2010. Over six decades, the price has increased more than 5,000 times! An unknown collector bought it for $106.5 million. In 2011, an “exhibition of one painting” took place in Britain, where it was released for the second time, but the name of the owner is still unknown.

7

"Eight Elvises"

Author

Andy Warhole

A country USA
Years of life 1928-1987
Style
pop Art

“Sex and parties are the only places where you need to appear in person,” said the cult pop art artist, director, one of the founders of Interview magazine, designer Andy Warhol. He worked with Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, designed record covers, and designed shoes for the I.Miller company. In the 1960s, paintings appeared depicting symbols of America: Campbell's and Coca-Cola soup, Presley and Monroe - which made him a legend.

358x208 cm
1963
price
$100 million
sold in 2008
at private auction

The Warhol 60s was the name given to the era of pop art in America. In 1962, he worked in Manhattan at the Factory studio, where all the bohemians of New York gathered. Its prominent representatives: Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, Truman Capote and other famous personalities in the world. At the same time, Warhol tested the technique of silk-screen printing - repeated repetition of one image. He also used this method when creating “The Eight Elvises”: the viewer seems to be seeing footage from a movie where the star comes to life. Here there is everything that the artist loved so much: a win-win public image, silver color and a premonition of death as the main message.

There are two art dealers promoting Warhol's work on the world market today: Larry Gagosian and Alberto Mugrabi. The former spent $200 million in 2008 to acquire more than 15 works by Warhol. The second one buys and sells his paintings like Christmas cards, only at a higher price. But it was not they, but the modest French art consultant Philippe Segalot who helped the Roman art connoisseur Annibale Berlinghieri sell “Eight Elvises” to an unknown buyer for a record amount for Warhol – $100 million.

8

"Orange,Red Yellow"

Author

Mark Rothko

A country USA
Years of life 1903–1970
Style abstract expressionism

One of the creators of color field painting was born in Dvinsk, Russia (now Daugavpils, Latvia), into a large family of a Jewish pharmacist. In 1911 they emigrated to the USA. Rothko studied at the Yale University art department and won a scholarship, but anti-Semitic sentiments forced him to leave his studies. Despite everything, art critics idolized the artist, and museums pursued him all his life.

206x236 cm
1961
price
$86.882 million
sold in 2012
on the auction Christie's

Rothko's first artistic experiments were of a surrealist orientation, but over time he simplified the plot to color spots, depriving them of any objectivity. At first they had bright shades, and in the 1960s they became brown and purple, thickening to black by the time of the artist’s death. Mark Rothko warned against looking for any meaning in his paintings. The author wanted to say exactly what he said: only color dissolving in the air, and nothing more. He recommended viewing the works from a distance of 45 cm, so that the viewer would be “drawn” into the color, like into a funnel. Be careful: viewing according to all the rules can lead to the effect of meditation, that is, the awareness of infinity, complete immersion in oneself, relaxation, and purification gradually come. The color in his paintings lives, breathes and has a strong emotional impact (they say, sometimes healing). The artist declared: “The viewer should cry while looking at them,” and such cases actually happened. According to Rothko's theory, at this moment people live the same spiritual experience as he did while working on the painting. If you were able to understand it on such a subtle level, you will not be surprised that these works of abstract art are often compared by critics to icons.

The work “Orange, Red, Yellow” expresses the essence of Mark Rothko’s painting. Its initial price at Christie’s auction in New York is $35–45 million. An unknown buyer offered a price twice the estimate. The name of the lucky owner of the painting, as often happens, is not disclosed.

9

"Triptych"

Author

Francis Bacon

A country
Great Britain
Years of life 1909–1992
Style expressionism

The adventures of Francis Bacon, a complete namesake and also a distant descendant of the great philosopher, began when his father disowned him, unable to accept his son’s homosexual inclinations. Bacon went first to Berlin, then to Paris, and then his tracks became confused throughout Europe. During his lifetime, his works were exhibited in leading cultural centers of the world, including the Guggenheim Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery.

147.5x198 cm (each)
1976
price
$86.2 million
sold in 2008
on the auction Sotheby's

Prestigious museums sought to possess Bacon's paintings, but the prim English public was in no hurry to fork out for such art. The legendary British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said about him: “The man who paints these terrifying pictures.”

The artist himself considered the post-war period to be the starting period in his work. Returning from service, he took up painting again and created major masterpieces. Before the participation of “Triptych, 1976,” Bacon’s most expensive work was “Study for a Portrait of Pope Innocent X” ($52.7 million). In “Triptych, 1976” the artist depicted the mythical plot of the persecution of Orestes by the Furies. Of course, Orestes is Bacon himself, and the Furies are his torment. For more than 30 years, the painting was in a private collection and did not participate in exhibitions. This fact gives it special value and, accordingly, increases the cost. But what is a few million for an art connoisseur, and a generous one at that? Roman Abramovich began creating his collection in the 1990s, in which he was significantly influenced by his friend Dasha Zhukova, who became a fashionable gallery owner in modern Russia. According to unofficial data, the businessman personally owns works by Alberto Giacometti and Pablo Picasso, purchased for amounts exceeding $100 million. In 2008 he became the owner of the Triptych. By the way, in 2011, another valuable work by Bacon was acquired - “Three Sketches for a Portrait of Lucian Freud.” Hidden sources say that Roman Arkadyevich again became the buyer.

10

"Pond with water lilies"

Author

Claude Monet

A country France
Years of life 1840–1926
Style impressionism

The artist is recognized as the founder of impressionism, who “patented” this method in his paintings. The first significant work was the painting “Luncheon on the Grass” (the original version of the work by Edouard Manet). In his youth he drew caricatures, and took up real painting during his travels along the coast and in the open air. In Paris he led a bohemian lifestyle and did not leave it even after serving in the army.

210x100 cm
1919
price
$80.5 million
sold in 2008
on the auction Christie's

In addition to the fact that Monet was a great artist, he was also a keen gardener and adored wildlife and flowers. In his landscapes, the state of nature is momentary, objects seem to be blurred by the movement of air. The impression is enhanced by large strokes; from a certain distance they become invisible and merge into a textured, three-dimensional image. In the paintings of late Monet, the theme of water and life in it occupies a special place. In the town of Giverny, the artist had his own pond, where he grew water lilies from seeds he specially brought from Japan. When their flowers bloomed, he began to paint. The “Water Lilies” series consists of 60 works that the artist painted over almost 30 years, until his death. His vision deteriorated with age, but he did not stop. Depending on the wind, time of year and weather, the appearance of the pond was constantly changing, and Monet wanted to capture these changes. Through careful work, he came to understand the essence of nature. Some of the paintings in the series are kept in leading galleries in the world: the National Museum of Western Art (Tokyo), the Orangerie (Paris). A version of the next “Pond with Water Lilies” went into the hands of an unknown buyer for a record amount.

11

False Star t

Author

Jasper Johns

A country USA
Year of birth 1930
Style pop Art

In 1949, Jones entered design school in New York. Along with Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and others, he is recognized as one of the main artists of the 20th century. In 2012, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.

137.2x170.8 cm
1959
price
$80 million
sold in 2006
at private auction

Like Marcel Duchamp, Jones worked with real objects, depicting them on canvas and in sculpture in full accordance with the original. For his works, he used simple and understandable objects: a beer bottle, a flag or cards. There is no clear composition in the film False Start. The artist seems to be playing with the viewer, often “wrongly” labeling the colors in the painting, inverting the very concept of color: “I wanted to find a way to depict color so that it could be determined by some other method.” His most explosive and “unconfident” painting, according to critics, was acquired by an unknown buyer.

12

"Seatednudeon the couch"

Author

Amedeo Modigliani

A country Italy, France
Years of life 1884–1920
Style expressionism

Modigliani was often ill since childhood; during a feverish delirium, he recognized his destiny as an artist. He studied drawing in Livorno, Florence, Venice, and in 1906 he went to Paris, where his art flourished.

65x100 cm
1917
price
$68.962 million
sold in 2010
on the auction Sotheby's

In 1917, Modigliani met 19-year-old Jeanne Hebuterne, who became his model and then his wife. In 2004, one of her portraits was sold for $31.3 million, which was the last record before the sale of “Nude Seated on a Sofa” in 2010. The painting was purchased by an unknown buyer for the maximum price for Modigliani at the moment. Active sales of works began only after the artist’s death. He died in poverty, sick with tuberculosis, and the next day Jeanne Hebuterne, who was nine months pregnant, also committed suicide.

13

"Eagle on a Pine"

Author

Qi Baishi

A country China
Years of life 1864–1957
Style Guohua

Interest in calligraphy led Qi Baishi to painting. At the age of 28, he became a student of the artist Hu Qingyuan. The Chinese Ministry of Culture awarded him the title of "Great Artist of the Chinese People", and in 1956 he received the International Peace Prize.

10x26 cm
1946
price
$65.4 million
sold in 2011
on the auction China Guardian

Qi Baishi was interested in those manifestations of the surrounding world that many do not attach importance to, and this is his greatness. A man without education became a professor and an outstanding creator in history. Pablo Picasso said about him: “I am afraid to go to your country, because there is Qi Baishi in China.” The composition “Eagle on a Pine Tree” is recognized as the artist’s largest work. In addition to the canvas, it includes two hieroglyphic scrolls. For China, the amount for which the work was purchased represents a record - 425.5 million yuan. The scroll of the ancient calligrapher Huang Tingjian alone was sold for 436.8 million.

14

"1949-A-No. 1"

Author

Clyfford Still

A country USA
Years of life 1904–1980
Style abstract expressionism

At the age of 20, I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and was disappointed. Later he signed up for a course at the Student Arts League, but left 45 minutes after the start of the class - it turned out to be “not for him.” The first personal exhibition caused a resonance, the artist found himself, and with it recognition

79x93 cm
1949
price
$61.7 million
sold in 2011
on the auction Sotheby's

Still bequeathed all his works, more than 800 canvases and 1,600 works on paper, to an American city where a museum named after him will be opened. Denver became such a city, but construction alone was expensive for the authorities, and to complete it, four works were put up for auction. Still's works are unlikely to be auctioned again, which has increased their price in advance. The painting “1949-A-No.1” was sold for a record amount for the artist, although experts predicted the sale for a maximum of 25–35 million dollars.

15

"Suprematist composition"

Author

Kazimir Malevich

A country Russia
Years of life 1878–1935
Style Suprematism

Malevich studied painting at the Kyiv Art School, then at the Moscow Academy of Arts. In 1913, he began to paint abstract geometric paintings in a style he called Suprematism (from the Latin for “dominance”).

71x 88.5 cm
1916
price
$60 million
sold in 2008
on the auction Sotheby's

The painting was kept in the Amsterdam City Museum for about 50 years, but after a 17-year dispute with Malevich's relatives, the museum gave it away. The artist painted this work in the same year as the “Manifesto of Suprematism,” so Sotheby’s announced even before the auction that it would not go into a private collection for less than $60 million. And so it happened. It is better to look at it from above: the figures on the canvas resemble an aerial view of the earth. By the way, a few years earlier, the same relatives expropriated another “Suprematist Composition” from the MoMA Museum in order to sell it at the Phillips auction for $17 million.

16

"Bathers"

Author

Paul Gauguin

A country France
Years of life 1848–1903
Style post-impressionism

Until the age of seven, the artist lived in Peru, then returned to France with his family, but his childhood memories constantly pushed him to travel. In France, he began to paint and became friends with Van Gogh. He even spent several months with him in Arles, until Van Gogh cut off his ear during a quarrel.

93.4x60.4 cm
1902
price
$55 million
sold in 2005
on the auction Sotheby's

In 1891, Gauguin organized a sale of his paintings in order to use the proceeds to travel deep into the island of Tahiti. There he created works in which a subtle connection between nature and man is felt. Gauguin lived in a thatched hut, and a tropical paradise blossomed on his canvases. His wife was 13-year-old Tahitian Tehura, which did not stop the artist from engaging in promiscuous relationships. Having contracted syphilis, he left for France. However, it was crowded for Gauguin there, and he returned to Tahiti. This period is called the “second Tahitian” - it was then that the painting “Bathers” was painted, one of the most luxurious in his work.

17

"Daffodils and tablecloth in blue and pink tones"

Author

Henri Matisse

A country France
Years of life 1869–1954
Style Fauvism

In 1889, Henri Matisse suffered an attack of appendicitis. When he was recovering from surgery, his mother bought him paints. At first, Matisse copied color postcards out of boredom, then he copied works of great painters that he saw in the Louvre, and at the beginning of the 20th century he came up with a style - Fauvism.

65.2x81 cm
1911
price
$46.4 million
sold in 2009
on the auction Christie's

The painting “Daffodils and Tablecloth in Blue and Pink” belonged to Yves Saint Laurent for a long time. After the death of the couturier, his entire art collection passed into the hands of his friend and lover Pierre Berger, who decided to put it up for auction at Christie’s. The pearl of the sold collection was the painting “Daffodils and a tablecloth in blue and pink tones,” painted on an ordinary tablecloth instead of canvas. As an example of Fauvism, it is filled with the energy of color, the colors seem to explode and scream. From the famous series of paintings painted on tablecloths, today this work is the only one that is in a private collection.

18

"Sleeping Girl"

Author

RoyLee

htenstein

A country USA
Years of life 1923–1997
Style pop Art

The artist was born in New York, and after graduating from school, he went to Ohio, where he took art courses. In 1949, Lichtenstein received a Master of Fine Arts degree. His interest in comics and his ability to use irony made him a cult artist of the last century.

91x91 cm
1964
price
$44.882 million
sold in 2012
on the auction Sotheby's

One day, chewing gum fell into Lichtenstein's hands. He redrew the picture from the insert onto canvas and became famous. This story from his biography contains the entire message of pop art: consumption is the new god, and there is no less beauty in a chewing gum wrapper than in the Mona Lisa. His paintings are reminiscent of comics and cartoons: Lichtenstein simply enlarged the finished image, drew rasters, used screen printing and silk-screen printing. The painting “Sleeping Girl” belonged to collectors Beatrice and Philip Gersh for almost 50 years, whose heirs sold it at auction.

19

"Victory. Boogie Woogie"

Author

Piet Mondrian

A country Netherlands
Years of life 1872–1944
Style neoplasticism

The artist changed his real name, Cornelis, to Mondrian when he moved to Paris in 1912. Together with the artist Theo van Doesburg, he founded the Neoplasticism movement. The Piet programming language is named after Mondrian.

27x127 cm
1944
price
$40 million
sold in 1998
on the auction Sotheby's

The most “musical” of the 20th century artists made a living from watercolor still lifes, although he became famous as a neoplastic artist. He moved to the USA in the 1940s and spent the rest of his life there. Jazz and New York are what inspired him the most! Painting “Victory. Boogie-Woogie" is the best example of this. The signature neat squares were achieved using adhesive tape, Mondrian’s favorite material. In America he was called “the most famous immigrant.” In the sixties, Yves Saint Laurent released world-famous “Mondrian” dresses with large checkered prints.

20

"Composition No. 5"

Author

BasilKandinsky

A country Russia
Years of life 1866–1944
Style avant-garde

The artist was born in Moscow, and his father was from Siberia. After the revolution, he tried to cooperate with the Soviet government, but soon realized that the laws of the proletariat were not created for him, and not without difficulties he emigrated to Germany.

275x190 cm
1911
price
$40 million
sold in 2007
on the auction Sotheby's

Kandinsky was one of the first to completely abandon object painting, for which he received the title of genius. During Nazism in Germany, his paintings were classified as “degenerate art” and were not exhibited anywhere. In 1939, Kandinsky took French citizenship, and in Paris he freely participated in the artistic process. His paintings “sound” like fugues, which is why many are called “compositions” (the first was written in 1910, the last in 1939). “Composition No. 5” is one of the key works in this genre: “The word “composition” sounded like a prayer to me,” said the artist. Unlike many of his followers, he planned what he would depict on a huge canvas, as if he were writing notes.

21

"Study of a Woman in Blue"

Author

Fernand Léger

A country France
Years of life 1881–1955
Style cubism-post-impressionism

Léger received an architectural education and then attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The artist considered himself a follower of Cezanne, was an apologist for Cubism, and in the 20th century was also successful as a sculptor.

96.5x129.5 cm
1912–1913
price
$39.2 million
sold in 2008
on the auction Sotheby's

David Norman, president of the international department of impressionism and modernism at Sotheby's, considers the huge amount paid for “The Lady in Blue” to be completely justified. The painting belongs to the famous Léger collection (the artist painted three paintings on the same subject, the last of them is in private hands today. - Ed.), and the surface of the canvas has been preserved in its original form. The author himself gave this work to the Der Sturm gallery, then it ended up in the collection of Hermann Lang, a German collector of modernism, and now belongs to an unknown buyer.

22

“Street scene. Berlin"

Author

Ernst LudwigKirchner

A country Germany
Years of life 1880–1938
Style expressionism

For German expressionism, Kirchner became an iconic person. However, local authorities accused him of adhering to “degenerate art,” which tragically affected the fate of his paintings and the life of the artist, who committed suicide in 1938.

95x121 cm
1913
price
$38.096 million
sold in 2006
on the auction Christie's

After moving to Berlin, Kirchner created 11 sketches of street scenes. He was inspired by the bustle and nervousness of the big city. In the painting, sold in 2006 in New York, the artist’s anxious state is especially acutely felt: people on a Berlin street resemble birds - graceful and dangerous. It was the last work from the famous series sold at auction; the rest are kept in museums. In 1937, the Nazis treated Kirchner harshly: 639 of his works were removed from German galleries, destroyed or sold abroad. The artist could not survive this.

23

"Vacationist"dancer"

Author

Edgar Degas

A country France
Years of life 1834–1917
Style impressionism

Degas's history as an artist began with his work as a copyist at the Louvre. He dreamed of becoming “famous and unknown,” and in the end he succeeded. At the end of his life, deaf and blind, 80-year-old Degas continued to attend exhibitions and auctions.

64x59 cm
1879
price
$37.043 million
sold in 2008
on the auction Sotheby's

“Ballerinas have always been for me just an excuse to depict fabrics and capture movement,” said Degas. Scenes from the lives of the dancers seem to have been spied on: the girls do not pose for the artist, but simply become part of the atmosphere caught by Degas’s gaze. “Resting Dancer” was sold for $28 million in 1999, and less than 10 years later it was bought for $37 million—today it is the most expensive work by the artist ever put up for auction. Degas paid great attention to frames, designed them himself and forbade them to be changed. I wonder what frame is installed on the painting sold?

24

"Painting"

Author

Joan Miro

A country Spain
Years of life 1893–1983
Style abstract art

During the Spanish Civil War, the artist was on the Republican side. In 1937, he fled from the fascist regime to Paris, where he lived in poverty with his family. During this period, Miro painted the painting “Help Spain!”, drawing the attention of the whole world to the dominance of fascism.

89x115 cm
1927
price
$36.824 million
sold in 2012
on the auction Sotheby's

The second title of the painting is “Blue Star”. The artist painted it in the same year when he announced: “I want to kill painting” and mercilessly mocked the canvases, scratching the paint with nails, gluing feathers to the canvas, covering the works with garbage. His goal was to debunk the myths about the mystery of painting, but having coped with this, Miro created his own myth - surreal abstraction. His “Painting” belongs to the cycle of “dream paintings”. At the auction, four buyers fought for it, but one incognito phone call resolved the dispute, and “Painting” became the artist’s most expensive painting.

25

"Blue Rose"

Author

Yves Klein

A country France
Years of life 1928–1962
Style monochrome painting

The artist was born into a family of painters, but studied oriental languages, navigation, the craft of a frame gilder, Zen Buddhism and much more. His personality and cheeky antics were many times more interesting than monochrome paintings.

153x199x16 cm
1960
price
$36.779 million
sold in 2012
at Christie's auction

The first exhibition of monochromatic yellow, orange, and pink works did not arouse public interest. Klein was offended and next time presented 11 identical canvases, painted with ultramarine mixed with a special synthetic resin. He even patented this method. The color went down in history as “international Klein blue.” The artist also sold emptiness, created paintings by exposing paper to the rain, setting fire to cardboard, making prints of a person’s body on canvas. In a word, I experimented as best I could. To create “Blue Rose” I used dry pigments, resins, pebbles and a natural sponge.

26

"In Search of Moses"

Author

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema

A country Great Britain
Years of life 1836–1912
Style neoclassicism

Sir Lawrence himself added the prefix “alma” to his surname so that he could be listed first in art catalogues. In Victorian England, his paintings were so in demand that the artist was awarded a knighthood.

213.4x136.7 cm
1902
price
$35.922 million
sold in 2011
on the auction Sotheby's

The main theme of Alma-Tadema's work was antiquity. In his paintings, he tried to depict the era of the Roman Empire in the smallest detail, for this he even carried out archaeological excavations on the Apennine Peninsula, and in his London house he reproduced the historical interior of those years. Mythological subjects became another source of inspiration for him. The artist was extremely in demand during his lifetime, but after his death he was quickly forgotten. Now interest is being revived, as evidenced by the cost of the painting “In Search of Moses,” which is seven times higher than the pre-sale estimate.

27

"Portrait of a sleeping naked official"

Author

Lucian Freud

A country Germany,
Great Britain
Years of life 1922–2011
Style figurative painting

The artist is the grandson of Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis. After the establishment of fascism in Germany, his family emigrated to Great Britain. Freud's works are in the Wallace Collection Museum in London, where no contemporary artist has previously exhibited.

219.1x151.4 cm
1995
price
$33.6 million
sold in 2008
on the auction Christie's

While fashionable artists of the 20th century created positive “color spots on the wall” and sold them for millions, Freud painted extremely naturalistic paintings and sold them for even more. “I capture the cries of the soul and the suffering of fading flesh,” he said. Critics believe that all this is the “legacy” of Sigmund Freud. The paintings were so actively exhibited and sold successfully that experts began to doubt: do they have hypnotic properties? The Portrait of a Nude Sleeping Official, sold at auction, according to the Sun, was purchased by a connoisseur of beauty and billionaire Roman Abramovich.

28

"Violin and Guitar"

Author

Xone Gris

A country Spain
Years of life 1887–1927
Style cubism

Born in Madrid, where he graduated from the School of Arts and Crafts. In 1906 he moved to Paris and entered the circle of the most influential artists of the era: Picasso, Modigliani, Braque, Matisse, Léger, and also worked with Sergei Diaghilev and his troupe.

5x100 cm
1913
price
$28.642 million
sold in 2010
on the auction Christie's

Gris, in his own words, was engaged in “planar, colored architecture.” His paintings are precisely thought out: he did not leave a single random stroke, which makes creativity similar to geometry. The artist created his own version of cubism, although he greatly respected Pablo Picasso, the founding father of the movement. The successor even dedicated his first work in the cubist style, “Tribute to Picasso,” to him. The painting “Violin and Guitar” is recognized as outstanding in the artist’s work. During his lifetime, Gris was famous and favored by critics and art critics. His works are exhibited in the world's largest museums and are kept in private collections.

29

"PortraitFields of Eluard"

Author

Salvador Dali

A country Spain
Years of life 1904–1989
Style surrealism

“Surrealism is me,” Dali said when he was expelled from the surrealist group. Over time, he became the most famous surrealist artist. Dali's work is everywhere, not just in galleries. For example, it was he who came up with the packaging for Chupa Chups.

25x33 cm
1929
price
$20.6 million
sold in 2011
on the auction Sotheby's

In 1929, the poet Paul Eluard and his Russian wife Gala came to visit the great provocateur and brawler Dali. The meeting was the beginning of a love story that lasted more than half a century. The painting “Portrait of Paul Eluard” was painted during this historic visit. “I felt that I was entrusted with the responsibility of capturing the face of the poet, from whose Olympus I stole one of the muses,” said the artist. Before meeting Gala, he was a virgin and was disgusted at the thought of sex with a woman. The love triangle existed until Eluard's death, after which it became the Dali-Gala duet.

30

"Anniversary"

Author

Marc Chagall

A country Russia, France
Years of life 1887–1985
Style avant-garde

Moishe Segal was born in Vitebsk, but in 1910 he emigrated to Paris, changed his name, and became close to the leading avant-garde artists of the era. In the 1930s, during the seizure of power by the Nazis, he left for the United States with the help of the American consul. He returned to France only in 1948.

80x103 cm
1923
price
$14.85 million
sold 1990
at Sotheby's auction

The painting “Anniversary” is recognized as one of the artist’s best works. It contains all the features of his work: the physical laws of the world are erased, the feeling of a fairy tale is preserved in the scenery of bourgeois life, and love is at the center of the plot. Chagall did not draw people from life, but only from memory or imagination. The painting “Anniversary” depicts the artist himself and his wife Bela. The painting was sold in 1990 and has not been auctioned since then. Interestingly, the New York Museum of Modern Art MoMA houses exactly the same one, only under the name “Birthday”. By the way, it was written earlier - in 1915.

prepared the project
Tatiana Palasova
the rating has been compiled
according to the list www.art-spb.ru
tmn magazine No. 13 (May-June 2013)

Many people believe that there are no artists left in the 21st century. However, in reality this is not the case. And nowadays there are many talented and famous artists whose works are shown at exhibitions that earn a lot of money. Below is a list of the 20 most famous and well-earning artists who are active in creative work not only in Russia.

Russian artist Alexander Ivanov, born in 1962, is best known for his work entitled “Love,” which was painted back in 1996 and sold for almost 100,000 rubles. His style is abstractionism. He is also a businessman, engaged in collecting activities, and opened the Faberge Museum in Germany, in Baden-Baden.

Olga Bulgakova is one of the few talented and famous artists in Russia, born in 1951, and is a member of the Russian Academy of Arts as a corresponding member. A representative of the painting movement of the Brezhnev era, which is called “carnival”. Her most famous work is “The Dream of the Red Bird,” written in 1988.

Russian artist Mikhail Brusilovsky, working under the pseudonym Misha Shaevich, is included in this rating and takes 18th place. This world famous artist

The talented Russian artist Lev Tabenkin was born in 1952 in the Russian capital, Moscow. This painter sees the picture like a sculptor. It feels like his written characters are sculpted from clay. One of Lev’s most famous paintings is “Jazz Orchestra,” painted in 2004. It was sold for 117,650 rubles.

The AES+F project consists of four people; in fact, the name consists of the initial letters of the participants’ surnames: Tatyana Arzamasova, Lev Evzovich, Evgeniy Svyatsky, Vladimir Fridnes. The creativity of this company was characterized by a very good presentation back in the nineties and was appreciated only in the two thousandths. Nowadays, for the most part, they create large animated murals that are broadcast on dozens of screens. One of the most famous works of this company: “Warrior 4”.

Russian artist Sergei Volkov was born in Petrozavodsk in 1956. His works are characterized by the fact that he created during the period of perestroika art. The paintings are painted very expressively, where very thoughtful statements and ideology are seen. His most famous painting is Double Vision. Triptych".

Artists Alexander Vinogradov and Vladimir Dubossarsky were both born in Moscow in 1963 and 1964. They began working together in 1994, having met at a festival, creating an unusual and grandiose project. The original design has earned the respect of many collectors. Their paintings hang in such famous places as the Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum and even the Pompidou Center. They themselves are the creators of the Art Strelka gallery and the organizers of the Art Klyazma festival.

Russian artist Vladimir Yankilevsky was also included in the list of the highest paid and famous artists. He was born in Moscow in 1938. Vladimir's father was also an artist, and his son inherited his profession. Vladimir works in the style of surrealism - creativity with paradoxical combinations. Back in 1970, he painted one of the most famous paintings called “Triptych 10. Anatomy of the Soul II.”

Artist Vladimir Nemukhin was born in 1925 in the small village of Priluki, located in the Moscow region. He took part in many foreign exhibitions in Europe. In the nineties he lived and was active in Germany, but in 2005 he moved to Russia. His work is characterized by a three-dimensional composition, the presence of counter-relief and various cross-cutting motifs, for example, a deck of cards.

An artist with an unusual name, the son of a Spanish political emigrant, was born in the small village of Vasilievka in the Samara region in 1943. He was the organizer of the group of artists "Argo" and is a member of the Moscow Union of Artists. Francisco was also awarded the State Prize for achievements in the field of fine arts. The artist is active in creative work both in Russia and abroad.

The artist Alexander Melamed used to be one of the members of the very famous creative duo Komarov-Melamed, but it broke up back in 2003, then they began working separately. Residence since 1978 is New York. He wrote most of his famous works together with Vitaly Komar; together they also created the Sots Art movement and were the organizers of the Bulldozer Exhibition.

This Russian artist, known as one of the founders of Moscow conceptualism, was born in Moscow in 1937, where he graduated from the Printing Institute. According to Viktor Pivovarov himself, his first work was written at the age of five. He is also a representative of “unofficial” art. His paintings are located in some of the most famous and largest exhibition centers: the Russian Museum, the Tretyakov Gallery, the Pushkin Museum. A. S. Pushkin.

This artist was born in 1934 in Tbilisi. He is one of the brightest representatives of monumental painting. Zurab is known for his work in the form of the monument to Peter I, which is located in Moscow, as well as the monument located in front of the UN building in New York. Zurab is the president of the Russian Art Academy, which operates his own museum-gallery. The creations of this artist are known not only to Russia, but throughout the world.

Russian artist Oscar Rabin is famous for being the organizer of the Bulldoor Exhibition in 1974 and four years later he was deprived of Soviet citizenship. He also became popular as one of the first artists to engage in the private sale of paintings in the Soviet Union. At the moment, his permanent place of residence and work is Paris. His paintings are in major museums and exhibition centers: the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, the Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum and others.

Russian artist Oleg Tselkov is known as the artist who began the main creative movement in the sixties of the 20th century, showing very rough and sharp features in his paintings, including in the depiction of people who look like clay figures. Since 1977, Oleg has continued his creative path in Paris. His paintings are located in the following exhibition centers: Russian Museum, Tretyakov Gallery, Hermitage. One of the most famous paintings is “Boy with Balloons,” painted in 1954.

Born in Moscow in 1934, Russian artist Grigory Bruskin, or Grisha, has been one of the members of the Union of Artists since 1969. He gained the greatest fame thanks to a major auction at Sotheby's, where he sold his work entitled “Fundamental Lexicon” for the highest price, which became a record. Currently he lives and works in both New York and Moscow, which is why he is also called an American artist.

This Russian artist is distinguished by the fact that he depicts realistic things with extreme precision. His real creative activity began from the moment in 1985, when he exhibited at Malaya Gruzinskaya, he won the attention and recognition of collectors from New York. Since then, his works have been exhibited in many European countries and are located in exhibition centers in America, Germany and Poland. Now he lives and conducts creative activities in Moscow.

This duet, alas, existed until 2003, but was a huge success. Two Russian artists became famous thanks to the creation of such a movement as Sots Art, which is an offshoot of unofficial art. This was a kind of response to the creation of pop art in the West. Canvases with the works of these artists are in major museums, including the Louvre.

The Russian artist is known for being able to combine both painting and text in his work; later this began to be called social art. During the Soviet period he was popular as an illustrator in children's books. For some time he lived in New York, then in Paris. He was the first artist to have an exhibition at the Pompidou Center. His creative works are in the Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum, and the Pompidou Center.

This talented Russian artist, working together with his wife Emilia, can be considered the main artist of the country, the founder of Moscow conceptualism. He was born in Dnepropetrovsk in 1933, but New York has been his place of residence since 1988. His works can be seen in the Hermitage, the Tretyakov Gallery and the Russian Museum. Ilya received the Japanese Emperor's Prize, and his two works called “Beetle” and “Luxury Room” are the most expensive paintings.

How much does contemporary art cost? Which of the living artists enjoy the greatest recognition, the measure of which is banknotes? The Artnet website answered this question by analyzing the results of auctions from 2011 to 2015 and compiling a list best selling contemporary artists. Alas, there were no creators from Russia on the list.

10. Ed Rusha

In the 60s of the last century, Ed, along with such now famous artists as Andy Warhol and Jim Dine, took part in the historical event “New Image of Ordinary Objects”. It was one of the first exhibitions of the emerging Pop Art style in America. To the unenlightened eye, Rushei's paintings most resemble stenciled inscriptions against the backdrop of landscapes or a cheerful splash of flowers. However, within 4 years his creations were sold for a total of $129,030,255.

9. Richard Prince

Richard made a name for himself by re-photographing images from print advertisements, editing them in random order and embellishing them with punchy slogans. Marlboro cowboys, celebrities, porn stars, nurses and biker girlfriends have all suffered at his hands. He also paints car hoods. The public appreciated his works $146,056,862– this is exactly the amount that several of the artist’s works were sold for.

8. Yayoi Kusama

The artist, who suffers from mental illness, likes to cover surfaces with dots of paint - called "infinity nets". She managed to turn both this pea and her own illness into a trademark and is now the best-selling contemporary artist in the world ( $152,768,689).

7. Peter Doig

One of the representatives of traditional landscape painting. His work enjoys constant popularity among viewers who are tired of the hyper-ironic postmodernism - after all, after the inscriptions, collages of photographs and polka-dot chairs, it is so pleasant to stop your gaze on the tropical night landscape. Over the course of 4 years, paintings were sold for $155,229,785.

6. Fan Zeng

Calligraphic inscriptions, transparent watercolor landscapes and portraits in traditional Chinese style are also selling well - $176,718,242 from 2011 to 2015.

5. Cui Ruzhou

This contemporary Chinese artist is famous for his ink paintings of flowers, birds and landscapes. However, ordinary people are unable to understand the powerful power of art - and in 2012, a cleaning lady at the Grand Hayatt Hotel accidentally threw one of his works worth $3.7 million into the trash. Cui Ruzhou's works have sold for the past 4 years $223,551,382.

4. Zeng Fanzhi

Complex multicolor works by another Chinese artist, where living creatures and objects are either entangled in a web or lost in a winter forest, as well as ominous pioneers with bloody hands, also sold well from 2011 to 2015 - for $267,949,220.

3. Christopher Wool

Christopher's trademark is huge white canvases with black lettering. Four of these letters spelling out the word Riot were sold at Sotheby's for $29.9 million. And in just 4 years, the artist’s works were sold for an amount of $323,997,854.

2. Jeff Koons

The former husband of porn star Cicciolina prefers to work in the neo-pop genre. He is especially famous for his steel sculptures imitating toys made from oblong balloons. For one of the works (a steel orange dog) $58.4 million was paid at Christie's auction. Jeff also plans to install a crane in front of the Los Angeles Museum of Art on which a steam locomotive will be hung so that it puffs and emits clouds of smoke. From 2011 to 2015, Koons sold works for a total of $379,778,439.

1. Gerard Richter

In first place in the ranking of artists with the best-selling paintings is a master who does not even consider himself such. According to Gerard, for a long time he created something that was not related to art, composition, color, creativity, etc. Namely, he covered canvases with stains of paint using scrapers and spatulas. One of these paintings called “Abstract Image”, most reminiscent of a watermelon that died in agony, was valued at Sotheby’s auction for $43.6 million, and the artist’s works sold for a modest amount of $1,165,527,419.

Russian painting is rightfully distinguished from world art. The fact is that until the seventeenth century, Russian painting was associated exclusively with religious themes. The situation changed with the coming to power of the reforming tsar, Peter the Great. Thanks to his reforms, Russian masters began to engage in secular painting, and icon painting separated as a separate direction. The seventeenth century is the time of such artists as Simon Ushakov and Joseph Vladimirov. Then, portraiture arose in the Russian art world and quickly became popular. In the eighteenth century, the first artists appeared who moved from portraiture to landscape painting. The artists’ pronounced sympathy for winter panoramas is noticeable. The eighteenth century was also remembered for the emergence of everyday painting. In the nineteenth century, three movements gained popularity in Russia: romanticism, realism and classicism. As before, Russian artists continued to turn to the portrait genre. It was then that the world-famous portraits and self-portraits of O. Kiprensky and V. Tropinin appeared. In the second half of the nineteenth century, artists increasingly depicted the common Russian people in their oppressed state. Realism becomes the central movement of painting of this period. It was then that the Itinerant artists appeared, depicting only real, real life. Well, the twentieth century is, of course, the avant-garde. The artists of that time significantly influenced both their followers in Russia and throughout the world. Their paintings became the forerunners of abstract art. Russian painting is a huge wonderful world of talented artists who have glorified Russia with their creations.