1. No.

6 (Violet, Green and Red) by Mark Rothko - $186 million

Certainly one of the more unusual paintings on this list, No.6 was painted by Latvian-American
artist Mark Rothko in 1951 and is composed entirely of large splashes of colour - specifically
violet, green and red. That is typical of his oeuvre, however, who worked in the realm of abstract
expressionism. The most notable aspect of this painting, however, is that it is one of the 36
artworks named in the Bouvier Affair, an infamous and ongoing legal battle between Russian
billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev and Swiss art dealer Yves Bouvier, who is alleged to have
defrauded his clients by overcharging them for the pieces they bought.
2. Number 17A by Jackson Pollock - $200 million

Painted by noted American abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock in 1948, Number 17A is one
of the earlier works in his ‘drip painting’ series. Like much of Pollock’s work, the painting
appears to be a haphazard series of squiggles and splashes on canvas, and garnered mixed
reviews at the time. A more careful examination of the piece reveals exactly how each colour
was applied and the high level of precision that went into it. If ever there were a visual
representation to the method behind someone’s madness, this would be it.
 Paul Jackson Pollock /ˈpɒlək/ (January 28, 1912 – August 11,
1956) was an American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. He was
widely noticed for his "drip technique" of pouring or splashing liquid household paint onto a
horizontal surface, enabling him to view and paint his canvases from all angles. It was also called all-
over painting and action painting, since he covered the entire canvas and used the force of his whole
body to paint, often in a frenetic dancing style. This extreme form of abstraction divided the critics:
some praised the immediacy of the creation, while others derided the random effects. In 2016,
Pollock's painting titled Number 17A was reported to have fetched US$200 million in a private
purchase.
A reclusive and volatile personality, Pollock struggled with alcoholism for most of his life. In 1945, he
married the artist Lee Krasner, who became an important influence on his career and on his legacy.
Pollock died at the age of 44 in an alcohol-related single-car accident when he was driving. 

3. Nafea Faa Ipoipo by Paul Gauguin - $210 million

An influential figure in post-impressionism, French artist Paul Gauguin went largely unnoticed
in his time, with his works only becoming popular after his death. In 1892, he went to Tahiti, one
of many trips that he took to the island to get away from Europe and what he considered to be a
life of artifice. Much of his work during that time depicted native women and landscaped, and
while some consider these pieces to be not as impressive as his previous works, they represent a
simpler and more authentic way of life.

4. Interchange by Willem de Kooning - $300 million

A Dutch immigrant who moved to the United States in his early 20’s but didn’t gain American
citizenship until much later, Willem de Kooning was no stranger to the idea of transitions. He is
considered to be one of the leading artistic figures in the 20th century, alongside fellow abstract
expressionists such as Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock. In 1955, when his life and his career
were undergoing a transition, he painted Interchange. The piece is inspired by his surroundings
in New York City and is one of his first landscape paintings. While it  might seem like random
splotches of colour, like any good abstract piece it requires a closer look to reveal the details
within.
5. Picasso “Woman Sitting Near a Window” $103.4million

This piece features Marie Therese Walter, Pablo Picasso’s greatest love. Their romance is one
of the most celebrated affairs in the world of art. One good reason is that Marie encouraged
Picasso to practice Cubism, a painting technique he later became famous for. Two, they say a
painter is a good lover. Considering Picasso was 45 when he met Marie, then a 17-year old
lass, such statement could never be farther from the truth.
The painting was sold for $103.4million
6. Francis Bacon “Three Studies of Lucian Freud” $142.4 million

Basically a triptych portrait of Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon’s good friend, this piece uses oil
on canvas. The painting, done in 1969, features three panels of Freud sitting in a stool inside
a cage. This piece highlights Bacon’s distorted approach to painting, a practice he
championed throughout his life. The sad thing about Bacon and Freud’s friendship was that it
ended a year after this painting was finished. Elaine Wynn of the Wynn Hotels is the current
owner of this masterpiece.