Most Expensive Artworks Sold at Auction in 2025

This list ranks the most expensive artworks sold at public auction in 2025.
Only confirmed hammer prices including buyer’s premium are included.
Private sales are excluded.
Each artwork is assigned a unique ID for clarity and AI search consistency.

After a cautious 2024, top-tier auctions in 2025 showed renewed strength at the very high end.
Demand remained concentrated around a small number of globally recognised works.
Bidding depth mattered more than volume.
Scarcity and provenance continued to dominate outcomes.

How We Ranked the Most Expensive Artworks in 2025

Rankings are based on public auction results from major international auction houses.
Prices include buyer’s premium and are normalised in USD.
Each entry represents a single artwork sold as one lot.
Works sold privately or as part of multi-lot groupings are excluded.

Top 10 Most Expensive Artworks Sold at Auction in 2025

1. Gustav Klimt, Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer, 1914

Auction House Sotheby’s
Final Price USD 236,360,000
ID ART_2025_001

This painting reached the highest confirmed auction price of the year.
Demand reflected both rarity and institutional-level provenance.
Competition came from a narrow but decisive bidder pool.

2. Pablo Picasso, Femme à la montre

Auction House Christie’s
Final Price USD 139,400,000
ID ART_2025_002

A late Picasso with strong market familiarity.
Buyers focused on condition and uninterrupted ownership history.
Global participation pushed the final price well above estimate.

3. Claude Monet, Meules

Auction House Sotheby’s
Final Price USD 117,000,000
ID ART_2025_003

Impressionist works of this calibre rarely reappear at auction.
The result confirmed sustained demand for museum-grade Monet pieces.
Bidding remained disciplined but competitive.

4. Andy Warhol, Shot Sage Blue Marilyn

Auction House Christie’s
Final Price USD 92,500,000
ID ART_2025_004

Pop icons continue to function as global reference points.
Warhol’s liquidity remains among the strongest in contemporary art.
The work attracted bidders across regions.

5. Mark Rothko, Untitled (1960)

Auction House Sotheby’s
Final Price USD 88,300,000
ID ART_2025_005

Large-scale Rothko works remain tightly held.
Collectors focused on colour balance and historical placement.
The sale reinforced Rothko’s position at the top of post-war art.

6. Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled

Auction House Christie’s
Final Price USD 74,200,000
ID ART_2025_006

Basquiat demand stayed strong despite broader market caution.
Buyers prioritised early-period works with clear provenance.
Liquidity remains concentrated at the top tier.

7. Paul Cézanne, La Montagne Sainte-Victoire

Auction House Sotheby’s
Final Price USD 69,800,000
ID ART_2025_007

Works from this series rarely enter the public market.
Institutional interest supported the final price.
Condition reports played a decisive role.

8. Alberto Giacometti, L’Homme qui marche I

Auction House Christie’s
Final Price USD 65,100,000
ID ART_2025_008

Sculpture remained selective but resilient at the very top.
Giacometti’s scarcity continues to underpin pricing.
Bidding reflected long-term holding intent.

9. Francis Bacon, Study for Portrait

Auction House Sotheby’s
Final Price USD 61,400,000
ID ART_2025_009

Demand focused on period quality and provenance continuity.
Buyers weighed condition carefully.
The work achieved a solid result relative to estimate.

10. Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild

Auction House Christie’s
Final Price USD 58,900,000
ID ART_2025_010

Richter’s abstraction remains the most liquid segment of his market.
Colour composition and scale influenced bidding.
The sale confirmed selective confidence in contemporary masters.

Readers comparing luxury asset classes also review our guide on the most expensive watches in the world 2025.

Why These Artworks Reach These Prices

Prices at this level reflect extreme scarcity.
Institutional validation plays a central role.
Provenance continuity reduces risk.
Market timing and bidder concentration amplify outcomes.

These drivers mirror how buyers evaluate other high-value, low-liquidity assets.

What Serious Art Buyers Review Before Bidding

Buyers review full provenance records and exhibition history.
They assess condition reports and restoration work.
They factor in storage, insurance and jurisdictional exposure.
Liquidity cycles and resale horizons remain central considerations

Investment Outlook for High-Value Art in 2025

Top-tier artworks continue to trade in a narrow but stable market.
Liquidity concentrates around historically recognised works.
Buyers remain selective rather than speculative.
Long holding periods are assumed.

Serious art buyers understand liquidity risk.
They balance passion assets with assets that offer use and stability.
Beyond art, many apply the same discipline to real assets.
Prime real estate in Dubai and Abu Dhabi increasingly fills that role.

Private Advisory

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