This is a list of the highest prices paid for paintings. Very valuable paintings, if sold, are usually sold at auction.

Most of the world's most famous paintings are owned by museums, who very rarely sell them once acquired. As such, they are quite literally priceless; if for some reason paintings like the Mona Lisa were to become available, it is highly likely that they would sell for far higher values than the paintings listed below. The Guinness Book of Records lists the Mona Lisa as the highest insurance valuance for a painting in history. It was assessed at US$100 million on December 14, 1962, prior to the painting touring the U.S. for several months. [1] Taking into account the time value of money, this would be approximately equivalent to US$626,821,192.00 in 2004. The Louvre chose to instead spend the money on security.

List of highest prices paid at auction

1. Garçon à la pipe by Pablo Picasso
   • Sold for $104.1 million on May 4, 2004 at Sotheby's, New York (time value: $106,910,700.00)
2. Portrait of Dr. Gachet by Vincent van Gogh
   • Sold for $82.5 million on May 15, 1990 at Christie's, New York (time value: $116,793,226.33) †
3. Bal au moulin de la Galette, Montmartre by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
   • Sold for $78 million on May 17, 1990 at Sotheby's, New York (time value: $110,422,686.71) †
4. Irises by Vincent Van Gogh
   • Sold for $49 million on November 11, 1987 at Sotheby's, New York (time value: $78,402,796.71).
5. Massacre of the Innocents by Peter Paul Rubens
   • Sold for £49.5 million ($76.7 million) on July 10, 2002 at Sotheby's, London (time value: $77,927,200.00)
6. Les Noces de Pierrette by Pablo Picasso
   • Sold for $49 million on November 30, 1989 (time value: $72,697,766.77)
7. Portrait de l'artiste sans barbe by Vincent Van Gogh
   • Sold for $65 million on November 19, 1998 at Christie's, New York (time value: $71,691,040.02).
8. Rideau, Cruchon et Compotier by Paul Cézanne
   • Sold for $60.5 million on May 10, 1999 at Sotheby's, New York (later resold at a loss)
9. Femme aux Bras Croisés by Pablo Picasso
   • Sold for $50 million on November 8, 2000 at Christie's, New York (time value: $52,851,507.20).

Notes

• The numbers are not adjusted for current exchange rates.
• The price paid for any given painting is not necessarily a good indicator of that painting's beauty, cultural significance, or popularity. A notable high price may occur simply because two or more wealthy art collectors wanted the same painting and were willing to bid high.
• † - Japanese businessman Ryoei Saito purchased both Portrait of Dr. Gachet (van Gogh) and Au Moulin de la Galette (Renoir) in 1990. Later, Mr. Saito threatened to have the van Gogh painting cremated with him at his death. Saito, 75 years old at the time, the honorary chairman of Daishowa Paper Manufacturing Co. , later stated: "What I really wanted to [express] was my wish to preserve the paintings forever." Saito, his aides explained, was using a figure of speech: threatening to torch the oils was just an expression of intense affection for the masterpieces. Later, Saito said he would consider giving the paintings to his government or a museum. Saito died in 1996. The fate of the van Gogh painting is still a mystery.