french resource recently published review, where you can learn about all the major trends in the art market in 2008, as well as view lists of Top-500 artists on the auction traffic and Top-100 most expensive of the year.

Over the past ten years, the number of works of art exhibited on the auctions has increased by as much as 47 percent. Last year it grew by 20 percent compared to 2007. The total value of all lots sold amounted to 8.3 billion dollars. This is a billion less than in the «peak» for art boom of 2007-m, but if you remember that in 2000-2005 the total value of products sold does not rise above 4.2 billion, a somewhat different picture emerges.

In the past 1 year, 090 lots have excess of one million dollars. Of the 65 works were created Damien Hurst (Damien Hirst), 45 - Andy Warhol (Andy Warhol), 22 - Gerhard Richter (Gerhard Richter), 19 - Richard Prins (Richard Prince) and 18 - Jeff Koons (Jeff Koons). The most expensive product in 2008 was the «Triptych» Francis Bacon (Francis Bacon), sold on 14 May at New York's Sotheby's for 77 (86,28) * million . This is an impressive amount of sales since 2006, when the New York Christie's November 8, has been sold« Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II »Gustav Klimt (Gustav Klimt) to 78.5 (87.9) million dollars . With the sale of «triptych» (purchased Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich) Bacon rose on the first line in the list of sponsors of the most expensive work of post-war painters ** .

May auctions Sotheby's and Christie's, held in New York, had 1.2 billion dollars. They set a personal record of 31. Another loud fathomable become picture «Sleep Inspector benefits» Lusiena Freud (Lucian Freud ) , which is the same Roman Abramovich gave 30 (33.6) million in Christie's May 13. Work began most expensive living artist's work .

JEAN-MICHEL BASCO fallen angel
Source: phillipsdepury.com

In the Top-100 ranking of the most expensive lots in 2008 the first 67 positions of art sold at Christie's and Sotheby's. On the 68 th place in «fallen angel» Jean-Michel Basque (Jean-Michel Basquiat), May 15, brought the 10 (11.2) million dollars for New York's Phillips de Pury.

The most successful auction house last year became Sotheby's, whose halls were sold products in the 3.3 billion dollars. The works purchased at Sotheby's and Christie's, had 73 per cent of the world's auction revenue, although the number of transactions made through the mediation of these auction houses, not more than 16 percent.

Despite the fact that in 2008 the loudest amount of work has sold in New York, the title of «auction capital of the world» for the first time in a long time, won the City of London. The total value of lots found buyers in the British capital by 8 million dollars exceeds the amount of the New York sales. United Kingdom is responsible for 35.7 per cent of world traffic in the auction, and the U.S. - for 35.6 per cent. In third place was China with 7.2 percent. It is followed by France (6 percent), Italy (2.7 percent), Germany (2.4 percent), Switzerland (1.5 percent) and all the rest (8 percent).

Top-10 artists on the auction traffic

Details about the artists, took the first ten places in the ranking by auction turnover in 2008, we have already told , so we remind only briefly.

In the past year, the work of ten heavyweight art market has 1.7 billion dollars, representing 20 per cent of the world's auction revenue (given that they account for just 1.5 percent of the total number of transactions).

1. Pablo Picasso. 262 million dollars/1, 764 lots sold

In the past year, titanium modernism once again risen to the first line in the Top-10 (in 2007-meters with his skinul «pedestal» Andy Warhol). Over the past ten years, prices for works by Picasso grew by 96 percent. In 2008, 39 of the artist's works have brought the amount in excess of one million dollars. The most expensive of them was sculpture «Crane» , sold on May 7 Sotheby's for 17.1 (19.2) million dollars. Results Picasso could have been even more impressive if picture «Harlequin» from the collection of Enrico Donati (Enrico Donati) , which was to appear at auction Sotheby's November 3, was not withdrawn from auction - estimeyt this work was more than 30 million dollars.

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2. Francis Bacon. 256 million dollars/100 lots sold

Bacon Works appearing on the market is much less than the work of Picasso, but «sensationalism» they do not refuse. Between February and the beginning of the summer auction season six creations of the great British artist went for amounts exceeding $ 20 million. Together, they yielded at least 237 million. The most hands-free transaction, of course, was for sale «triptych». Another picture, «Etude nude with reflection in the mirror», went for 35.5 (39.8) million in Sotheby's London on 27 February. Bacon could even surpass Picasso and fly into first place in the Top-10, if not the the failure of his paintings« Self »at Christie's on 12 November . Estimeyt work of 40-60 million dollars.

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3. Andy Warhol. 236 million dollars/1, 164 lots sold

In 2007, thanks to sensational sales serigraphy «Green road accident» (71,7 million dollars to the Buyer's Premium), «the king of pop-art» off on the first line in the list of French information resource. In the year turnover of the artist's works has exceeded 430 million dollars . Therefore, the extraordinary success of many collectors rushed to sell their «Warhol», and the year of his creations, arrived at the auctions has increased by 55 percent. We can say that lower prices for the work of Warhol was the result of over-the market. The most expensive artist's creations have been and remain serigraphy. In 2008, the largest amount offered print «Double Marlon», sold May 13 at New York's Christie's for 29 (32.5) million dollars.

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4. Damien Hurst. 230 million dollars/445 lots sold

«Bad boy» Brit art Damien Hurst last year asked all the heat: Think of him « solo auction »Sotheby's, held in London on 15-16 September . It is hard to believe, but in 2006, Hurst was in the rating of Top-500 artists only 58 th place with a modest income to auction U.S. $ 16.1 million. In 2007, however, it rose to 15 th place - circulation of his works was 76 million. In June of that year, his installation «Sleeping Spring» - cabinet with hand painted pills - was sold for 17.1 (19.2) million dollars and became the most expensive of nowadays living the artist . Last year, however, Hurst moved Patriarch Lusien Freud, but in terms of publicity «Young British Artists», probably ahead of everyone. His «solo bid», called Beautiful Inside My Head Forever ( «In my head I'll be fine forever»), have been a great success - of the 223 lots of buyers do not find all five. Auction yielded 171.6 (200.95) million dollars and became the most successful in history, selling works of one artist. The most expensive lot was the carcass bull in formaldehyde called «golden calf». She left for the 16.5 (18.66) million dollars. Another successful project was a charity auction Hirst RED, arranged in cooperation with Sotheby's and a soloist of the group U2 Bono (Bono). At the auction held in February, in addition to works by Hirst were exhibited works of Jeff Koons (Jeff Koons), Takashi Murakami (Takashi Murakami), Andreas Gurskii (Andreas Gursky), and other kings of the art market. Top lot was a locker with the RED pill «If you want, it will be and the way» (Where there'sa will, there'sa way), gone for the 6.5 (7.15) million dollars.

5. Claude Monet. 174 million dollars/25 sold lots

all beloved father of French impressionist Claude Monet (Claude Monet) regularly appears in a dozen. His paintings were exhibited at the museum quality of public bidding is very rare, and major collectors do not miss event for them to fight. In 2007, the creations of Monet's auction turnover amounted to 165 million dollars. Of these, 32.7 million were in the 1904 picture of the famous series «Water lilies», sold at Sotheby's. Last year the record was beaten twice: first time at the May Christie's in New York, where the «Railway bridge in Arzhantee» yielded 37 (41.4) million, and the second - a month later at Christie's in London when «pond with water lilies »left for 72 (80.5) million . Cloth was the most expensive piece of French Impressionism, pobiv record pictures «Moulin de la Galette» Pierre-Auguste Renoir (Pierre-Auguste Renoir), sold in May 1990 for 71 million dollars.

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6. Alberto Giacometti. 132 million dollars/111 sold lot

Classic modern sculpture Alberto Giacometti (Alberto Giacometti) entered the top ten the first time in 2002. In 2007, he held 11 th place - its been 86 million dollars, almost twice lower than the painting of Monet. The most expensive of his work was a sculpture «The falling man», sold at Christie's auction for 16.5 (18.5) million dollars in the estimeyte 6,5-8,5 million. In 1998 the work was bought at New York's Sotheby's in only 2.4 million! Last year the record was beaten: at Christie's May 6 almost trehmetrovaya «Large facing a woman II »went to 24.5 (27.48) million dollars . In general, the May auction of the Giacometti brought 78 million dollars. 12 lots have gone for sums in excess of one million. These include painting, entitled «Portrait Carolina», appeared at Sotheby's the day after the record «Big facing women». It was sold for 13 (14.6) million dollars and became the most expensive paintings of the artist. Happy seller bought it in 1993 for only 320 thousand.

7. Gerhard Richter. 122 million/166 lots sold

Gerhard Richter (Gerhard Richter) - the second after Demiena Hirst living artist, which entered the top. In 2008, prices for his creations moved ten boxes. Richter was the record for the amount of work 14 (16) million dollars, for which Sotheby's in February left photorealistic painting «candle» . This result was completely unexpected: the work of more than estimeyt almost three times more! Ten years ago, such sums, and it was impossible to imagine: in 1998, the entire works of Richter's annual turnover was 14 million. Last year, more than ten million have another four paintings the artist, but none of them were unable to repeat the success of «candles». Interestingly, 95 percent of annual income from the sale of works by Richter provide the United States and Great Britain. 40 percent of transactions in the works the artist made in his native Germany, but mainly sold prints, drawings and small paintings.

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8. Edgar Degas. 111 million dollars/81 sold lot

Severe Frenchman Degas (Edgar Degas) entered the top ten for the first time in 2004. Then he took ninth place in the ranking with an annual turnover of 31.4 million dollars. In 2008, millions of sales of works of Degas, it was twelve. The most popular works of the artist remain «dancer» - a bronze sculpture, or pastels. In November, at Sotheby's pastel entitled «Resting Dancer» yielded 33 (37) million dollars and became the most expensive works of Degas . However, it is not «become», but rather, «left»: the previous record belonged to the same work sold in 1999 to 25.3 million. In May Sotheby's has been set yet another record: Degas painting «The three dancers in pink» was sold for 7.5 (8.44) million dollars, becoming the most expensive paintings of the artist. Degas - one of the few heavyweight art market, whose graphic work is valued higher than oil paintings. Of all the artist's works that appeared at auction in the past year, the painting was 11 percent, while the works on paper - 67 percent, and sculptures - 20 per cent.

9. Luchio Fontana. 95 million dollars/227 lots sold

ancestor «spatsializma» Luchio Fontana (Lucio Fontana) was among the «desyatimillionnikov» on the same day, and Gerhard Richter: 27 February 2008. His painting «Spatial Concept: End of God», executed on canvas in the form of eggs, yielded 18.1 (20.3) million dollars. «Spatial concepts» artist called monochrome paintings with cuts. The first such work, pereshagnuvshaya million mark at auction, was sold in 2001 in London. Since then, the picture often Fountains can be seen at the prestigious Sotheby's evening auction, and Christie's. Only three «Spatial Concept» brought at auction in February and October, 44 million dollars, which enabled the artist to enter the list of Top-10.

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10. Yves Klein. 91 million dollars/59 sold lots

Another debutant Top-10 - an outstanding French «new realist » Yves Klein (Yves Klein). As in the case of Gerhard Richter, a large number (34 percent) of auction transactions is committed to his work in his native country, but the most expensive work sold at auction in the United States and Great Britain. One of the reasons for the success of Klein in the English-speaking countries is that in the late 1950's, the dealer Leo Castelli (Leo Castelli) actively «pushed» his work in New York. In 2008, three works by the artist brought the sum in excess of 15 million dollars. May 14, his golden MONOTONE Monogold MG9 yielded 21 (23.56) million dollars at auction Sotheby's, exceeding the upper estimeyt three-fold. At the same auction another MONOTONE executed in «firm» blue color went for 15.5 (17.4) million dollars. And at Sotheby's November 11, picture-object «Arhigubka RE11» was sold for 19 ( 21.36) million dollars .

Top-10 most expensive works of 2008

№	Artist	Job Title	Year of foundation work	Price without Buyer's Premium, U.S. $ million	Price with Buyer's Premium, U.S. $ million	Auction	Date auction
1	Francis Bacon	Triptych	1976	77	86,28	Sotheby's, New York	May 14
2	Claude Monet	Pond with water lilies	1919	72	80,5	Christie's, London	24 June
3		Suprematist composition	1919	53,5	60	Sotheby's, New York	November 3
4	Francis Bacon	Triptych	1974/77	46,2	51,7	Christie's, London	February 6
5	Mark Rothko	№ 15	1952	45	50,44	Christie's, New York	May 13
6	Claude Monet	Railway bridge in Arzhantee	1873	37	41,48	Christie's, New York	May 6
7	Francis Bacon	Etude nude with reflection in the mirror	1969	35,5	39,8	Sotheby's, London	February 27
8	Fernand Leger	Woman in blue	1912/13	35	39,2	Sotheby's, New York	May 7
9	Edvard Munch	Vampire	1894	34	38,16	Sotheby's, New York	November 3
10	Edgar Degas	Holiday Dancer	Ok. 1879	33	37	Sotheby's, New York	November 3

Material prepared Yulia Maksimova

Sources: artprice.com , artinvestment.ru

* in parentheses are the prices with the Buyer's Premium.
** Under the «post-» refers to artists who were born before 1945, but reached creative maturity after the Second World War. Under the «modern» refers to artists born after 1945.

PS The site ARTinvestment.RU You can also read:
Top-10 artists on the auction turnover of money in 2008
Top-10 artists on the auction turnover of money in 2007
art of the modern world: money, events, trends