Claude Monet - Le Bassin aux Nymphéas - $80,400,000
One of Monet's most famous paintings. "Le Bassin aux Nympheas" from the "water lilies" series. The painting, depicting a beautiful scene of a bridge with floating water lilies became the most expensive Monet back in 2008 when it sold for double the previous highest Monet.
Jasper Johns - False Start - $80,000,000
Bought in 2006 by the founders of the Citadel Investment Group Anne and Kenneth Griffin for $80 Million made this one of the most expensive American paintings in the world. Johns is a regarded as a Neo-Dadaists and say he rejected the unique individualism of the Abstract Expressionists
Vincent van Gogh - Portrait du Dr Gachet - $82,500,000
This is a previous "most expensive painting" after selling in 1990 to a Japanese Businessman for a staggering $82,500,000. It was painted 100 years before in 1890 and is one of two paintings depicting the great artists doctor.
The Irish painter is known for some dark and evil paintings. The Triptych 1976 collection was part of a much larger series of triptychs (three panels of art creating one image). It was purchased at auction in 2007 by Russian billionaire and Chelsea Football Team owner Roman Abramovich.
Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Baur II - $87,936,000
Pablo Picasso - Dora Maar au chat - $95,216,000
2006 was a good year for expensive art. In May, this Pablo Picasso fetched almost twice it's estimate ($50 Million) when an anonymous Russian Bidder picked it up for a little over $95 million. Dora was Picasso's Mistress and the image has a cat resting on her shoulder.
Pablo Picasso - Garcon a la pipe - $104,168,000
PABLO PICASSO:-
Regarded by many art critics as one of Picasso's "average" paintings, "Garcon a la Pipe" (Boy with Pipe) stunned the art world by fetching a little over $104 Million which makes this the most expensive painting to be sold at an auction. Sotheby's of New York was were the magic happened back in 2004 almost 100 years after it was painted (1905)
Gustav Klimt - Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer - $135,000,000
This is the second of the two Klimt's depicting Adele Bloch-Bauer and was subjected to somewhat of a controversy. The painting was sold after the Austrian government forced a previous owner to return it to it's rightful owner after it was stolen by the Nazis in World War 2. The current owner is Ronald S. Lauder, the cosmetics heir.