In early May 2010, the fourth to be precise, Pablo Picasso’s “Nude, Green Leaves and Bust” sold for a mind-blowing USD 106.5 Million at Christie’s famous auction.
The painting of Picasso’s lover Marie-Therese Walter set the record at the time for the most expensive artwork ever sold. He was edging out the previous record set in February of the same year, beating Giacometti’s sculpture “Walking Man I”, which had sold for an equally impressive 104.3 million USD. The once record price has since been broken by numerous artists, including Picasso, several more times. All this begs a thought-provoking question, how much is a Picasso painting worth?
Picasso in Russia
How much are Picasso paintings worth
The man himself
Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born in 1881 on the 25th of October in the southern city of Malaga, Spain. At an early age, he displayed marvelous artistic talent, which was further developed with his father’s tutoring, who was also a painter and art professor. He moved in 1907 to Paris, France, where he spent most of his life. Picasso is well-known as a pioneer and co-founder of the Cubism movement, along with French painter Georges Braque. He is also famous as the inventor of Assemblage (constructed sculpture) and co-inventor of collage. As a highly influential artist, he aided the development and exploration of various art styles.
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Picasso au musée Reine Sofia de Madrid les 3 peintres réunis ensemble
We can classify his work through his periods. The blue period lasted for three years from 1901 to 1904 and was defined by paintings with blue and blue-green as predominant colours and depressing subject matter. The Rose period carried on for the next two years, with a more luminous tone, using pink and orange colours and placing circus people in the spotlight. African art period (1907-1909) was a product of African sculpture influence, while his Crystal period was mainly focused on geometric elements and flat surface activity. Overall, Picasso was not only one of the most famous artists of the 20th century but one of the most prolific.
Picasso is well-known as a pioneer and co-founder of the Cubism movement, along with French painter Georges Braque.
La Guernica
Throughout his immense career, Picasso is thought to have made about 50,000 artworks in his lifetime. Probably his most famous painting is La Guernica that he made in 1937, which dramatically depicts the bombing of Guernica that was done by German and Italian air Forces at the time of the Spanish Civil War. This enormous oil on canvas painting is deemed as the most emotional and compelling anti-war painting ever made. La Guernica was first exhibited at the Paris International Exposition in 1937 and afterward at various other venues around the world, spreading the anti-war message. In 1992 the painting was transported from Prado Museum to Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid, Spain, where it’s located today.
Picasso is thought to have made about 50,000 artworks in his lifetime
Check out this incredible analysis by Great Art Explained
Breaking more records
By 2013, 363 of his paintings were included in the top 5000 most expensive paintings ever sold. His masterpiece “Boy with a Pipe” was sold at Sotheby’s for stunning USD 104 million, breaking a world record in 2004. Since 2013, several of his paintings have sold for more than USD 50 million apiece. His Cubist painting “Femme Assise”, made in 1909, was sold for USD 63.4 million in 2016, breaking a world record for the highest price paid on an auction for a Cubist artwork. In 2018 his “Femme au Béret et à la Robe Quadrillée“ was sold in London for $73 million USD. Last, but definitely not least to mention is his masterpiece “Les Femmes d’Algers“, which broke the world record yet again and was sold for jaw-dropping USD 179.3 million. To this day, this is the most expensive painting he made.
His masterpiece “Les Femmes d’Algers”, which broke the world record yet again and was sold for jaw-dropping USD 179.3 million.
Every child is an artist – Pablo Picasso
Picasso Paintings Value
Putting a general price on a Picasso is impossible. To this day, there are many pieces still in circulation available for sale. If you want to get a better idea, check out liveauctioneers.com and take a look at what his previous works have sold for at auction. Also, several sites like finartmultiple.com have dozens of pieces for sale, generally with prices by request only. It may be hard to imagine a painting going for more than USD 100 million. Still, one thing is for sure; you can almost guarantee the works of Picasso will not only continue to sell but will continue breaking even more records.
Throughout his prolific life, Picasso has set himself among the most renowned artists of the 20th century. There are a number of compelling reasons why his works of art are so highly valued. In the end, if you have a spare $200 million, maybe you can get one for yourself.
The last great paintings of Pablo Picasso by Sotheby’s
Do you have a favourite Pablo Picasso Painting? Let us know in the comments
Images
Citizen59 from Tunis, Tunisie, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons