In the fine art and auction world, an artwork is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Different art styles draw distinct buyers, leading to a wide range of prices in the art world. The million-dollar Auction art is the most expensive art ever sold.
With names like Picasso, Monet, and Klimt commanding the highest prices, what art sells the most money?
Art Movement
Art Movement broadly refers to the style and philosophy of art. Each art movement has a unique style and technique which defines the art.
Expressionism is one of the most popular art movements in modern art. It heavily focuses on the artist’s personal expression and emotion, rather than objective interpretation. Artworks in this movement range from Claude Monet’s Water Lillies to the abstract pieces of Pablo Picasso.
Expressionism is quite popular among investors and collectors, as they appreciate artworks that reflect an individual’s unique attitude. Another popular art movement is Post-Impressionism, which began in Paris in the late 19th century. This movement was marked by retinal art, which means its main characteristic was through the artist’s utilization of colors and shapes.
Famous Post-Impressionist artists include Paul Cezanne, George Seurat, and Paul Gauguin. Art works in this movement tend to be less literal and more open-ended, leaving much of the interpretation up to the viewer’s interpretation.
Post-Impressionist artworks often draw a large number of investors, as it is considered quite rare. Pop Art is another major art movement that has become increasingly popular in recent years.
Pop Art is a broad category of art that includes a range of styles, techniques, and subjects. Its main goal is to criticize contemporary society and post-modern consumer culture. Its primary figures include Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons.
Many investors and collectors see Pop art as a great way to express a personal connection to society.
Artists
While art movement is a great way to classify art, it is important to consider the artist behind the pieces. Some artists have been able to command unbelievably high prices for their pieces.
Pablo Picasso is perhaps the most famous artist in history, and he has broken countless auctions records with his works. Monet and Klimt are two of the most renowned 19th century painters, and their work often fetches outrageous prices. Other modern artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Roy Lichtenstein, and Gerhard Richter are also quite popular among investors and collectors.
Different artists have different styles and techniques that they are known for. Picasso’s works employ a unique cubist style, while Monet is renowned for his depictions of nature and his incorporation of pointillism into his works. Klimt often utilizes gold and mosaic in his artworks, giving them an ornamental look.
Basquiat employs a graffiti-like style in his works and his art often deals with political and cultural issues. Hockney is known for his colorful and vibrant artworks and his heavily detailed artistic style.
Kusama utilizes dotart in her works, giving them a psychedelic look. Richter is renown for his photographs, which he then applies layered brushstrokes over.
Materials
What materials an artist use to create a piece also heavily influence its value. Different materials have different other meanings, which adds a sense of depth to the artwork.
Perhaps the most common materials used to create art are oil and acrylic paint on canvas. Canvas is a standard support material and most artwork created by renowned artists is created oil or acrylic paints. However, some artists are known to use unique, rare materials to create artwork.
An example of this is Yayoi Kusama’s use of mirrored surfaces in her artworks. The use of mirrored surfaces creates a unique visual effect and gives her artworks an extra depth and complexity. Jean-Michel Basquiat is also known for his use of found objects and everyday items in his pieces.
By including these items, he was able to add a more personal element to his artworks.
Genre
Another factor to consider when thinking about what art sells the most money is the genre. Different art buyers and investors focus on different genres.
Some tend to focus on traditional artworks such as paintings and sculptures, while others prefer to focus on more contemporary or modern artworks such as installations, digital art, and video art. Traditional artworks often feature a more realistic or lifelike style and tend to be more expensive than modern artworks. Contemporary artworks feature a wide variety of styles and techniques, from minimalistic installations to complex video art.
Contemporary art has become exceedingly popular among buyers and investors, who appreciate the unique and often avant-garde nature of these artworks.
Medium
When discussing what art sells the most money, medium is an important factor. Paintings and sculptures are the traditional mediums used to create art.
These two mediums often fetch the highest prices at auctions, particularly if they originate from one of the aforementioned renowned artists. However, mediums such as prints, photographs, and videos have also grown in popularity in recent years. Prints are becoming increasingly popular, as they are relatively inexpensive while offering a unique visual experience.
Photographs have also gained in popularity, particularly with the rise of photographic art and photojournalism. Video art has also become quite popular and many investors are willing to invest in unique video art pieces.
Edition Size
Edition size is another important factor when it comes to what art sells the most money. The edition size of a piece refers to the number of prints or copies of the piece were made.
A piece with a limited edition size often commands higher prices as it is more rare than a piece with a large edition size. This often leads to investors and collectors paying higher prices for pieces with a limited edition size.
Condition
The condition of the work heavily influences its price. Art buyers and investors often pay more for pieces in pristine condition than for works in poorer condition. If a piece has sustained damage over its lifetime, it usually decreases its value.
This is particularly relevant for sculptures and antiques.
Age
Age is another major factor to consider when discussing what art sells the most money. Older pieces often command higher prices, as they are considered to be more valuable due to their rarity.
Ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, together with Renaissance and Baroque pieces, tend to be highly valued.
Conclusion
When considering what art sells the most money, it is important to keep in mind various factors such as the art movement, the artist, the materials used, the genre, the medium, the edition size, the condition, and the age of the piece. By taking all of these factors into account, it is possible to get an idea of what art is most likely to fetch higher prices at auctions.