Photo by Tolga Akmen, Leonardo da Vinci — ‘The Saviour of the World’
The combined value of these works exceeds $1.24 billion, according to Il Giornale Della’Arte. Four paintings were sold by Christie’s and one by Sotheby’s. The ranking spans five centuries of art history: from the Renaissance to Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art. Prices are quoted inclusive of auction house commissions.
1. Leonardo da Vinci — ‘Salvator Mundi’ (c. 1500): $450.3 million
Christie’s, New York, 15 November 2017.
The absolute record is held by a painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. After approximately 19 minutes of bidding, ‘Saviour of the World’ went under the hammer for $450.3 million — a sum that remains out of reach for the other works in the ranking.
The painting’s history is no less remarkable than its price. For a long time, it was considered a copy, until the work was acquired in 2005 for a relatively modest sum. Following extensive restoration in 2011, the painting was presented at the National Gallery in London as a work by Leonardo. However, its authorship remains a subject of debate amongst experts. Despite this, the work set an all-time auction record at the 2017 auction.
2. Gustav Klimt — ‘Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer’ (1914–1916): $236.36 million
Sotheby’s, New York, 18 November 2025.
Second place goes to the portrait of Elisabeth Lederer, sold by Sotheby’s for $236.36 million. The painting had been in the collection of the American collector Leonard Lauder for around 40 years.
The history of the work is linked to Nazi confiscation: after the Second World War, the portrait was returned to Erich Lederer, the brother of the woman depicted. It later came into the possession of art dealer Serge Sabarsky, and in 1985 it was acquired by Lauder. Six bidders competed for the painting at auction. The final price significantly exceeded the pre-auction estimate of $150 million, setting a new auction record for works by Klimt.
3. Andy Warhol — Shot Sage Blue Marilyn (1964): $195.04 million
Christie’s, New York, 9 May 2022.
One of the most recognisable portraits of Marilyn Monroe fetched $195.04 million at Christie’s. The work is part of a series of five silkscreen prints of the actress, created by Warhol in 1964 based on a promotional photograph for the film *Niagara*.
The series’ title is linked to an unusual incident in the artist’s studio, known as ‘The Factory’. The artist and performance artist Dorothy Podber fired shots at four canvases from this series, leaving holes in them. The portrait with a sage-blue background was sold as part of an auction of the collection belonging to Swiss collectors Thomas and Doris Ammann. The buyer was art dealer Larry Gagosian, who did not disclose whether he was acting on his own behalf or on behalf of a client.
At the time of the sale, it was the most expensive 20th-century work ever sold at auction.
4. Jackson Pollock — ‘No. 7A, 1948’ (1948): $181.185 million
Christie’s, New York, 18 May 2026.
In May 2026, Jackson Pollock topped the rankings. His painting ‘No. 7A, 1948’ was sold for $181.185 million — almost three times the artist’s previous auction record.
The canvas, measuring over 3.3 metres in length, was created during the formative period of Pollock’s famous technique: the artist would splash and apply paint to a horizontally positioned canvas, turning the very process of painting into part of the artwork.
The work originally belonged to the photographer Herbert Matter, to whom Pollock had given it as a gift. In 1967, the painting was acquired by collectors John and Kimiko Powers. It later passed to collector Alfred Taubman, and in 2000 to publisher Samuel Irving Newhouse. The work came up for auction after an absence of almost 50 years from the public market.
5. Pablo Picasso — ‘Women of Algiers (Version O)’ (1955): $179.365 million
Christie’s, New York, 11 May 2015.
Rounding off the top five is a work by Pablo Picasso, sold for $179.365 million. In May 2015, this sum set an all-time auction record, surpassing the previous record of $142.4 million set by Francis Bacon.
The painting concludes a series of 15 works created by Picasso in 1954–1955, inspired by Eugène Delacroix’s *Women of Algiers*. The work belonged to the American collectors Victor and Sally Ganz, who purchased the entire series in 1956 for $212,500. In 1997, ‘Version O’ was sold at Christie’s for $31.9 million. Over the following 18 years, its auction value increased more than fivefold.
Van Gogh could shake up the rankings
All five record-breaking sales are linked not only by New York but also by the provenance of the lots: each came onto the market from a major private collection. The rarity of a work, its history, authorship and long absence from the auction market remain the most important factors in setting record prices.
However, the top five could change as early as 18 November 2026. On that day, Sotheby’s will auction Vincent van Gogh’s painting *Chestnut Trees in Blossom* (1890) from the Blakie-Arrietta collection in New York. The official estimate has not been disclosed, but the figure provided to the press is around $180 million excluding commission. Taking commission into account, the final price could approach $207 million.
If the auction confirms this figure, Van Gogh will immediately take third place in the rankings, ahead of Warhol and Pollock. Thus, a painting created over 130 years ago could, in just a few days’ time, reshape the balance of power at the top of the global art market.
This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.
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