For many years the list of the most expensive work performed is not just an artist now living, but also in fixing the price required to open auction, led by the «false». Until 2007, this very bright and decorative canvas, by Jasper Johns in 1959, considered the owner of the almost impregnable prices for living artists working today (even if lifetime classics) - 17 million dollars. So much of it paid in gold for the art market in 1988. Interestingly, the length of Jasper Johns as a carrier of record was not continuous. In 1989 he interrupted his work colleagues on shop Willem de Kuninga. Dvuhmetrovaya abstraction de Kuninga «Mixing» was sold in the year at Sotheby's for 20.7 million dollars. Jasper Johns has had to move. But after 8 years, in 1997, de Kuninga died and «false» Jones again took the first line rating for the auction price of living artists. And this state of affairs persisted for almost 10 years.

No, fortunately nothing sad ten years did not happen. Jasper Johns this year will be 78 years old and God forbid his health. Just in 2007, the unthinkable happened. It is inconceivable, at least during the time of Jasper Johns.

Jasper Johns false. 1959. Oil on canvas. 171.5 x 134.7 Estimeyt: 4-5 million Sale price: 15.5 (17) million Sotheby's. 10.11.88. Lot number 34. In 2006, during a private transaction was sold for 80 million painting led the rankings in the periods 1988-1989 and 1997-2007

So, in summer 2007 installation of the currently 42-year-old English artist Demiena Hirst (b. 1965) «Sleeping Spring» (2002) was sold at Sotheby's for 9.7 million pounds, or approximately 19 millions of dollars. The work, by the way, was rather unusual format. On the one hand, this case-showcase with dummy pills - the essence of the installation. On the other hand, the window made the plane, taken to frame and hang up on the wall as the plasma panel, ie, has a comfort possession, characteristic of paintings. In 2002, the sister of the installation, «Sleeping winter», was sold for 7.4 million dollars, more than two times cheaper. The difference in the price of someone «explained» so that «winter» pill more faded. But it is clear that this is nonsense, the mechanism for pricing these things are not correlated with decorative.

And from that moment as something agreed that Hurst became the first live author as the most expensive work, replacing at the Jasper Johns. The question, however, from the category of «looking like take». The point is that Hurst was sold for dear pounds, and Jones, for now podeshevevshie dollars, and even twenty years ago. But even if you take at face value, without taking into account the 20-year inflation, the dollar was expensive work of Hirst, and Jones was a pound more expensive. So the situation was the border itself, and everyone was free to decide who is a first.

Another point is that these discussions will soon lose meaning. Stop puzzle compilers ratings helped Jeff Koons ( http://www. jeffkoons.com /site /index.html ). In just five months, in November 2007, the giant metal installation «hanging heart (purple and gold)« was sold at Sotheby's for 23.6 million dollars. As the thing Jones in 1988, this record work bought Gagosyana Gallery (in the press wrote that in the interests of the Ukrainian billionaire Viktor Pichuka). Representing Koons Gagosyana Gallery has acquired not just the installation, as some piece of jewelry art.

Damien HURST Sleeping spring. 2002. Installation: steel, painted plaster casts of tablets and others 10,2 x 182,9 x 274 Estimeyt 3-4 million pounds. Sale price: 8.6 (9.7) million pounds. Sotheby's. 21.06.07. Lot number 36. Now, take the third line in the ranking. The work led the rankings in the period from July 2007 to November 2007

if not in gold (the material was chosen as stainless steel) and larger than usual Coulomb (1 sculpture weighs 600 kg and has a height of 2.7 m) but has a similar designation. On the production of compositions with heart, covered with 10 layers of paint, took more than 6 500 hours. In summary, the striking decoration had paid 23.6 million dollars, huge money. And at that moment it seemed that much of this record proderzhitsya if not the decade, but five years for sure. Yes, and who is capable of living to put such records in an open auction event?

Koons - Hurst - Koons - Hurst - then in the same manner. But there was something ...

May 13, 2008 gryanula another sensation. English is not an abstract painting, as it is figurative expressionist Lyutsiana Freud (b. 1922) «Sleep Manager benefits» 1995, was sold at Christie's for 33.6 million dollars. Artist 86 years. Attention to work with a declared estimeytom at 25-35 million dollars had been extraordinary. There was no TV in the rubric of culture, which did not reveal himself to the canvas, and some interviews smiling tolstushki Sue Tilley (model artist), which she gladly gave. Sue at the time really was a manager of facilities in the heart of London's employment - so that the name simple. The very recognizable portrait was made in the expressionist style of English, that is, with a decorative point of view out of the tradition ottalkivayusche. Fault model is in fact no (known photograph made by Bruce Bernard as one of the sessions posing Sue, she was then only 38 years old), just such a glance at Freud. And I have to say, there are connoisseurs, jaded traditional beauty in painting and gladly share such a view. Or trying to understand.

Jeff Koons hanging heart (purple and gold). 1994-2006. Installation: steel, brass, color cover. 101.6 x 296.2 x 215.9 Estimeyt: 15-20 million Sale price: 21 (23.6) million Sotheby's. 14.11.07. Lot number 14. Now is the second line in the ranking. The work led the rankings in the period from November 2007 to May 2008

Portrait by becoming a model, is unusually large for Freud's size - more than two meters. A tiny portrait of Her Majesty, remember, had to build a canvas (tiara not fit), but here - space. There is evidence that over the portraits of Freud to work on year or longer. But the picture «Sleep Manager benefits» was made faster. We know that Sue Language posed 9 months to 8 hours a day, 2-3 times a week. For interest, you can even roughly calculate what Freud sessions cost posing (Sue explained that the artist paid for the first 20 and then to 33 pounds a day). I finally got that about 3.3 thousand pounds (which is 6 thousand dollars) can be easily included in the price. More colors rental. Obodranny couch does not count. And the remaining 33.59 million - payment for talent.

LYUTSIAN Freud Sleep manager privileges. 1995. Oil on canvas. 151,3 x 219 Estimeyt: 25-35 million Sale price: 30 (33.6) million Christie's. 13.05.08. Lot number 37. The painting is headed by a rating of 13 May, 2008

Bruce BERNARD Sue Tilley, Freud Lyutsianu posing. 1988. Photo. 30,5 x 45,7 copy 13/25. Estimeyt: 1,5-2 thousand pounds. Sale price: 6 thousand pounds. Sotheby's. 19.06.2006. Lot number 522

You can as long as you want speak ironically on the fact that prices in the market of contemporary art - crowbars. And over the fact that PR has become an essential component of meaning. And on what tricks galleries popularize their artists, are too obvious. And over the fact that Eastern buyers, calling records, not create high standards of collectibles.

But buying. Three times the purchase - and the fourth, nobody will doubt that it is the way it should cost.

In any case, triple sales to auction most expensive works of art now living artists is now looks like this:

1 place - the picture Lyutsiana Freud «Sleep Manager benefits» (33,6 million dollars);

2 nd place - installation /sculpture by Jeff Koons «hanging heart (purple and gold)« (23,6 million dollars);

3 bed - installation art format «Sleeping Spring» Demiena Hurst (9.7 million pounds).

Sources: www.theartnewspaper.com , www.artnet.com , www.artprice.com

The material prepared by Vladimir Bogdanov