Top 10 artists on the auction money in circulation in 2008

ARTinvestment.RU – 25.03.2009,15:31

Pablo Picasso Two figures (Marie-Thérèse and her sister for reading). 1934 Source: christies.com


Pablo Picasso Crane. 1951-1952
Source: artinconnection.com


Francis Bacon Triptych. 1976
Source: sothebys.com


Damien HURST Damien Hurst with his work «Golden Taurus». 2008 Source: sothebys.com


Claude Monet pond with water lilies. 1919
Source: christies.com


Alberto Giacometti Large woman standing II. 1959-1960 Source: christies.com


Gerhard Richter Candle . 1983
Source: sothebys.com


Edgar Degas Resting dancer. Approx. 1879
Source: sothebys.com


LUCHIO FONTANA Spatial Concept
End God. 1963 Source: christies.com


YVES KLEIN Mobogold MG 9. Approx. 1962
Source: sothebys.com

According to estimates of specialists, in 2008 top 10 best artists in the annual auction sales * was:

• Pablo Picasso (262 million dollars) ;
• Francis Bacon (256 million dollars) ;
• Andy Warhol (236 million U.S. dollars) ;
• Damien Hurst (230 million U.S. dollars) ;
• Claude Monet (174 million dollars ) ;
• Alberto Giacometti (132 million dollars) ;
• Gerhard Richter (122 million dollars) ;
• Edgar Degas (111 million U.S. dollars) ;
• Luchio Fontana (95 million U.S. dollars) ;
• Yves Klein (91 million dollars) .

A year ago, top-2007 by auction turnover of money to look very impressive: the total amount, which brought at auction of ten works by leading authors, has reached 1.8 billion dollars, which was 50 percent higher than in the previous year. In the 2008-m, this amount fell to 100 million and amounted to 1.7 billion dollars. It's not so much if we recall that in July at the art market took a wave of bad feelings from the financiers. This decrease is largely due to the lower traffic on the works of Andy Warhol - from 420 million in 2007 to 236.7 million in 2008-m.

According to the calculations of experts artprice.com, it prepared the rating, the value «entrance ticket» in the top ten in 2008, traditionally has grown: in 2005 it amounted to 33,7 million dollars, in 2006, rose to 59.6 million in 2007-meters - up to 87 million, and, finally, to 98.1 million dollars last year.

In 2007, the list of leaders has «rejuvenated»: the first was Andy Warhol, potesnivshy permanent leader Pablo Picasso, a 7 th position, Jean-Michel Basque - the youngest artist in the ranking. But then all of the artists now living there will not have been able to achieve the same results as the great masters of modernism. But now the situation has changed with the British, Damien Hirst and the German Gerhard Richter. The latter was 10-th line in 2002 and 2003, receiving 27.6 and 28.3 million respectively, in the past year, he finally was able to improve this result - earned 122 million, he won the 7 th position behind Alberto Giacometti at 10 million. But the most significant contribution to the «Rejuvenation» introduced the artist Damien Hurst, who literally took off on the 4 th place and is not reached, Andy Warhol just some 6 million dollars. His recovery left behind by Claude Monet, according to several experts, serves as an excellent example of speculative sentiment that prevailed in the market of contemporary art to the well-known events.

№ 1. Pablo Picasso. 262 million dollars

In 2008, Picasso «won» a position with which his last year potesnil the father of pop art Andy Warhol. Over the past 10 years, prices for works by Picasso, whether sculpture, painting or graphics, grew by 96 percent and reached its peak in January 2008. However, after four years of steady growth even of the great master was unable to stay away from panic reactions, as a result and the price index of his works by the end of last year, down to the level of 2005. Late last year, before steadily successful sale of Picasso began to falter, so shop wisely decided popriderzhat masterpieces. A striking example - when all eagerly awaited appearance at auction Sotheby's November 3, a rare early painting «Harlequin» , but only a few days before bidding owner changed it sell . Perhaps he really did it, and said, «for personal reasons», but may simply show circumspection in terms of financial instability. Three days after the failed sale, November 6, Christie's presented to buyers gathered at the New York office of the company at Rockefeller Plaza, 16 works by Picasso. Top lot was the «Two figures (Marie-Thérèse and her sister, reading)», kept in a private collection since 1984 and was exhibited at the auction for the first time . This masterpiece, with the potential price of 25 million dollars, has 18 million, slightly exceeding the lower limit estimeyta. Nevertheless, the overall result for Picasso in 2008 - 262 million - impressive. Last year, more than a million for his work have paid 39 times, and the most significant auction gains occurred in the period from February to June. One of the most striking was the sale «crane», a bronze sculpture of the early 1950's, for 17.1 million dollars - at 2.1 million above estimeyta delivered by experts Sotheby's.

№ 2. Francis Bacon. 256 million dollars

As with Picasso, for several years, prices for works by Bacon grew and reached a local peak in January 2008. In just three years, from January 2005 till January 2008 on, the price index rose by 514 percent, but then adjusted downward. Nevertheless, last year's total profit from operations auctioneers Bacon was for 11 million more than in 2007, when he was in third place, again, after Picasso. The highest auction results Bacon came to share in the Sotheby's auction in February - May 2008. First of all, the sale of large-scale canvases «Nude with a figure in the mirror» (1969), received from a private collection in Paris. In the catalog of an auction of works of contemporary art February 27, he was devoted to the whole 12 pages, and eventually it went under the hammer for 17.8 million pounds (23.6 million euros). The result of the impressive, but just three months, even he was far behind when Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich paid for Triptych 1976, 77 million dollars . During the period from February to June, six major works by Bacon were sold for amounts in excess of $ 20 million. In general, sellers then managed to earn 237 million dollars ..

№ 3. Andy Warhol. 236 million dollars

In 2007, Andy Warhol made a sensation, potesniv from first place in the ranking of the leading artists of the auction money in circulation Pablo Picasso and earned 422 million dollars. Then, for his works offer more than a million 74 times, which largely contributed to the growth of its price index by 70 percent in 12 months. Then set a price record for the work of Warhol: «Green automobile accident I» has gone under the hammer in May at Christie's for 64 million dollars. Despite the fact that in 2008, Warhol received the honorary «bronze», after the significant success of its annual sales declined by as much as 194 million, a price index adjusted to 27 percent. Such a result experts believe it is a natural consequence of the boom at the Warhol. The rapid growth of prices of the «father of pop art» led many collectors to sell works from their collections, and as a result, the market was zatovaren: bids were invited by 55 per cent more products than in 2007. The share of Warhol had 1 700 lots, of which about 1 200 silk-screen printing, and other run graphics. Among them are collections «Ten Marilyn» (1967) and «Ten Mao» (1972), the value of which ranged from 600 thousand to one million dollars. In general, for all Warhol evolved not bad, but it is worse than in 2007.

№ 4. Damien Hurst. 230 million dollars

The Rise of British artist Hirst Demiena, which occurred in the past few years, was a truly spectacular. In 2006, he served in the ranking on the annual auction turnover of just 58 seats with a profit of 16.8 million dollars. And for the next year was already at the 15 th row, earning 76 million, and even for some time, becoming the author of the most expensive work of living artists, when he was «Sleeping Spring» brought to Sotheby's 8,6 million pounds (17, 1 million dollars). In 2008, Hurst has participated in two auctions, widely reported in the press, by which the price of his works have grown more and turnover tripled. The first of these, charity auction, Sotheby's called (RED), passed in February. Then work When There'sa Will, There'sa Way ( «Where there is a will there ability») was sold for 6.5 million dollars. A second auction, Beautiful Inside My Head Forever, at this time, personal, a 15 and 16 September in London and, of course, went down in the history of auction sales. The reasons for this are several, and one of them is that Hurst has decided to bypass the traditional gallery market, and not without success sold 218 of his works directly «lift-on/lift-off» , from the warehouse of finished products of its factories. At the same time set a new record: «golden calf» - stuffed bull with gilded horns in formaldehyde - went to hammer for 9.2 million pounds (16.5 million dollars) . Trades made in the whole 95.5 million pounds (171.6 million dollars), excluding commissions, and the price index Hirst jumped to 1 400 percent (!), Compared with 1998. However, even such an impressive success could not last forever: in November 2008, shortly after the successful auctions, 10 of the 13 exhibited works remained unsold Hirst. However, this causes understandable: not among the masterpieces vydohlis buyers at previous auctions of Hirst, and glut to manifest itself - from the work of Hirst ryabilo just a couple of months before.

№ 5. Claude Monet. 174 million dollars

One of the pillars of the French impressionist Claude Monet's stable is in the top ten leaders of the auction money in circulation. In late 2007, his result was 165 million dollars, and in late 2008 on, he approached 175 million. Major collectors are competing for something to buy the work of the masters, which are becoming increasingly rare and, consequently, more expensive. In 2007, the most expensive piece of steel «Water lilies» (1904), for which the buyer had lost 16.5 million pounds (32.7 million dollars). In the 2008-m record that managed to beat twice. The first time it happened in May at Christie's auction in New York, where the landscape «Railway Bridge in Arzhanteye» (1873), in a separate directory, was sold for 37 million dollars. And all through the month of June, this was nearly doubled: picture «pond with water lilies» ( 1919) yielded 36.5 million pounds, ie, almost 72 million dollars, setting a new record for a work of Monet . As for the price index for the famous impressionist works, he is very inconsistent. The reason is that his work has gradually moved into the category of the rare masterpieces that appear in auctions only, from time to time. 2008 was in this sense is very generous, because the index jumped by 118 per cent compared with 2004. Of the 28 paintings, put up for auction, 17 were sold more expensive than a million dollars.

№ 6. Alberto Giacometti. 132 million dollars

Alberto Giacometti did not appear in the Top 10 since 2002. In 2007, he lagged behind Paul Cezanne at half a million and was on the 11 th row rank, earned 86 million dollars. Among his accomplishments was the sale at New York's Christie's auction in May sculptures «The falling man» for 16.5 million dollars - almost twice as high in estimeyta 8.5 million. In 2008, the demand for the work of Giacometti Save: record «falling man» was beaten twice, and the amount of money at auction turnover was 47 million dollars more than in 2007. The most expensive works in the past year was the almost trehmetrovaya sculpture «Large woman standing II», which went under the hammer at Christie's auction in May for 24.5 million dollars . The owner of this masterpiece has become a famous gallery Gagosyan Larry (Larry Gagosian). The same day, was sold for 13 million more a work of Giacometti - a rare sculptural composition «Area II», consisting of five figures. May auction alone brought in more box Giacometti 78 million dollars, and for the 12 lots, buyers have paid more than a million. In addition to records already mentioned in the sculpture, then was a new record, and in painting. Cloth entitled «Carolyn» (1963) was sold at Sotheby's May 7, for 13 million dollars, leaving far behind the previous result in 3 million. A similar portrait of 1961, on a white background exhibited at Sotheby's auction in New York in 1993, and a happy buyer bought it for only 320 thousand dollars, much cheaper estimeyta. With regard to the price index of works by Giacometti, for the past four years - from December 2004 to December 2008 - it grew by 341 percent.

№ 7. Gerhard Richter. 122 million dollars

German artist Gerhard Richter, as well as other ranking members also benefited from the boom of the auction the first half of 2008, and was able to improve their previous results at 36 million dollars. And even more: in 2008 the value of his works for the first time exceeded $ 10 million in the entire five times! The new record was unexpected. He was at Sotheby's auction on 27 February, when the painting «candle» (1983) went under the hammer for 7.1 million pounds (14 million U.S. dollars) , three times higher than estimeyt and causing the audience applause. Even 10 years ago, such figures have been unthinkable, as Richter was able to earn at auctions in the 1998-meters for the entire year! So far, beat the record «Candles» failed. At Christie's auction May 13, a giant (2.5 x 4 meters), an abstract canvas went under the hammer for 13 million dollars, and the next day at Sotheby's the work of more modest size (200 x 180 cm) yielded 13.5 million dollars with estimeyte 5 million. The price index for Richter in the last 10 years has risen nearly 8 times.

№ 8. Edgar Degas. 111 million dollars

The last time Edgar Degas was a party to the rating in 2004, occupying the ninth position with the result in 31.4 million dollars. In 2008, at a public auction was sold 81 works amounting to 111.7 million dollars, the price of them exceeded 12 million. The most beautiful of the buyers - the dancers, created with pastels or cast in bronze. Until last fall was essentially a record «Resting Dancer», which went under the hammer in 1999 for 25.3 million dollars. But in November 2008 on she was again offered for auction and has already 33 million dollars, setting a new record for a work of Degas. As a percentage of 67 percent marketed in 2008, subjects are pictures depicting dancers and naked, 20 per cent - in sculpture, and 11 per cent - for paintings. The prices of the past is quite far from the heights «Resting dancer»: the biggest price for oil - 7.5 million dollars - was paid to the auction Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern works in May 2008 for «Three dancers in pink». The previous record belonged to the painting «racehorses» (racing was another favorite theme of Degas), which was sold for 3.7 million pounds (about 6.8 million dollars) in June 2004, again, at Sotheby's. As for the sculpture, the most emblematic work is «Little Dancer chetyrnadtsatiletnyaya», cast in 28 copies in 1922. The cost of some of them several times since 1996, more than 10 million mark. However, in 2008 became the most expensive sculpture «bathing in tazu», sold at Sotheby's in November for 3.3 million dollars.

№ 9. Luchio Fontana. 95 million dollars

Luchio Fontana was born in Argentina, then moved with their parents in Milan, where he took Italian citizenship, has received the Arts Education and later founded a line of spatsializma. In search of the freedom of creative expression, he has developed their own unusual and highly figurative language. Examples of his monochrome canvases in which he made holes or cuts in an effort to help them make a three-dimensional object, penetrate into the depth and infinity. Such work Fontana called the «spatial concepts», and the cuts on them - «talyami». After the crisis on the art market in the early 1990's prices for works by the artist to grow steadily: from 1998 to December 2008 on, they went up to the 575 per cent. In 2001, one of his spatial concepts (1954) for the first time been able to exceed the mark of one million dollars: 7 February in London at Sotheby's work was sold for 680 thousand pounds, twice estimeyta. Since then, «Spatial Concept» began to appear at Sotheby's and Christie's regularly. In 2006, a million more were sold nine works of Fountains, and the 2007-meters already seventeen. One of them was the terracotta sculpture «The spatial concept. Nature »height of 60 cm, which inherited a buyer for 1.6 million dollars (Christie's, New York, 16 May 2007). Price increases continued in 2008. The most expensive lot of last year became the «spatial concept. End of God », which brought to auction Sotheby's 19 October, 9.2 million pounds (18, 1 million dollars) . Together with another two «concepts», sold in February, she was able to add in the box Fountains 44 million dollars, which enabled him to climb in the ranking compared to 2007 up to 10 lines.

№ 10. Yves Klein. 91 million dollars

In 2008, the French artist Yves Klein began debutants Top-10. His works are collected worldwide. 34 per cent of the turnover is in France. A significant proportion is also sold at auctions of Contemporary Art Sotheby's and Christie's in London and New York. The best of his works mostly cross the Atlantic or the English Channel: the last year they were able to generate 88 percent of income, and only 8 percent got home painter. Klein's success in Britain and the United States is largely due to promotion of the well-known collector and gallery of Leo Castelli has been held in New York in the early 1950's. Over the past 10 years, the price of Klein's work has grown by 387 percent. In 2000 at Christie's auction monochrome relief of the famous blue sponges Monochrome R1 (1958) has established an impressive record of 6.1 million dollars. From May to November 2008 it managed to beat three times, each time at Sotheby's. May 14, golden «MONOTONE» Mobogold MG 9 exceeded estimeyt three times and has 21 million dollars, becoming the most expensive works. Then a list of accomplishments Klein added another deal - for the blue «MONOTONE» Monochrome bleu IKB 1 buyer paid 15.5 million dollars. And then in November, despite the fact that financial and economic situation in the world is not changed for the better, for a solid amount of 19 million dollars was sold to work under the name« Arhigubka RE 11 ». Thanks to these successes Klein was able to earn over the past year, 92 million dollars, overtaking traffic on the auction, even super contemporary artist Jeff Koons, scored just 89.2 million.

material produced Catherine Onuchin

Sources: artprice.com , sothebys.com , christies.com , artinvestment.ru

* All prices are exclusive of Buyers Premium, so they may differ from the prices indicated in other media site. - Ed .