2019 Review | List of 10 Million Dollar Artworks: many artists have set a record!
Zao Wou Ki enjoys the largest number, Claude Monet is the most expensive
Looking back at the lots sold at US$10 million in 2019, we find a changeable market and unpredictable results. Which are the most expensive artworks in the global art auction market in 2019? Where were they sold? What’s the number of works sold at US$10 million? Who joined the US$10 Million Club for the first time this year? The following video will tell you!.
The 5 most expensive works of 2019 were sold in May
The video completely reflects the changes in the global art market in 2019. The first is the difference between spring and autumn auctions. In 2019, 103 works got on the list of the US$10 Million Club. In terms of type, paintings dominated the works and the 5 most expensive were sold in May. 2 belong to contemporary art, and 3 were impressionist and modern artworks. 9 of the 10 most expensive works were sold at over US$50 million. 3 of them are impressionist and modern artworks, and 7 belong to contemporary art.
It is notable that Claude Monet's Meule is the most expensive of this year and the first impressionist painting to have broken the US$100 million milestone in auction history. Rabbit made Jeff Koons the most expensive living artist. Buffalo II, which did not appear in the past half century, set a record in Robert Rauschenberg's personal auction history.
The 5 most expensive works of 2019 were all sold in New York
Despite a large number of auctions around the world each year, almost all the high-priced works were sold in New York, London, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Paris. The video shows that the United States, the United Kingdom, and China are three major centers of the auction market, and New York maintains the leading position in ultra-high-priced works. The top 5 of the year were sold in New York. The number of works sold at over US$10 million in Hong Kong has increased significantly from 10 last year. to 15 this year.
Nine artists entered the 10 Million Dollar Club for the first time in 2019
No matter how the market changes, some bigwigs retain unshakable positions in the US$10 Million Club, such as Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Claude Monet. In 2019, they had 5, 4, and 6 works enrolled in the club respectively. In addition, many artists got on the list for the first time this year.
Artists with the highest total of US$10 million artworks in 2019:Claude Monet
In 2019, Claude Monet topped the list not only for his Meule, but also for his six works sold at US$10 million each with the total proceeds of nearly US$250 million, becoming the artist with the highest total proceeds among the members of US$10 Million Club this year.
Artists with the most works of US$10 million in 2019:Zao Wou Ki
In the past year, 15 lots from the Hong Kong market got on the US$10 million list and 7 were contributed by Zao Wou Ki, who became the artist with the most works of US$10 million not only in Hong Kong but also across the world.
Artists who entered the US$10 Million Club for the first time in 2019
In addition to the above veterans, another 9 artists joined the US$10 Million Club for the first time within the past 10 years, including Yoshitomo Nara who has become Japan's most expensive artist this year, the Korean rising star Kim Whan Ki, the street artist Kaws, Banksy, and the Chinese contemporary artist Leng Jun, etc.
Artpro will continue to provide you with in-depth and valuable auction information. Please stay tuned.