Wassily Kandinsky's "Study for Improvisation 8" - $23 million(01 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Russian abstract painter, Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944)\nARTWORK: Oil painting of religious pilgrims in Kiev painted in 1909.\nAUCTION: Christie\'s Impressionist and Modern Art Sale (November 2012)\nPRICE: $23,042,500\n\nFor more on the Kandinsky painting, check out our original article here. (credit:Christie\'s)
Jean-Michel Basquiat's "Untitled" - $26.4 million(02 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: New York-bred graffiti-turned-gallery painter, Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988).\nARTWORK: A large, colorful acrylic and oil stick on canvas work depicting a skeletal fisherman yielding his loot, created in 1981.\nAUCTION: Christie\'s Post-War and Contemporary Art Sale (November 2012)\nPRICE: $26,402,500\n\nfor more on Basquiat\'s painting, check out our original article here. (credit:Christie\'s)
Francis Bacon's "Untitled (Pope)" - $29.8 million(03 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: British figurative painter, Francis Bacon (1909-1992).\nARTWORK: One of Bacon\'s \"Pope\" paintings, which depict the Bishop of Rome sitting atop his papal throne with his mouth agape, seemingly writhing in a fit of terror. Created circa 1954.\nAUCTION: Sotheby\'s Contemporary Art Evening Sale (November 2012)\nPRICE: $29,762,500\n\nFor more on Bacon\'s \"Pope\" check out our original article here.
Henry Moore's "Reclining Figure: Festival" - $30.1 million(04 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: British sculptor, Henry Moore (1898-1986).\nARTWORK: A 6-foot-long bronze sculpture depicting a laid-back female figure resting on one elbow, created in 1951.\nAUCTION: Christie\'s Impressionist / Modern Art Evening Sale (February 2012)\nPRICE: £19,081,250 (approximately $30.1 million)\n\nIMAGE: A gallery assistant at Christie\'s auction house admires a sculpture by Henry Moore entitled \'Reclining Figure: Festival\' on February 2, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Jeff Koons' "Tulips" - $33.7 million(05 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: American neo-pop artist and \"Balloon Dog\" extraordinaire, Jeff Koons (1955-present).\nARTWORK: A large-scale, mirror-polished stainless steel sculpture with transparent color coating created between 1995 and 2004.\nAUCTION: Christie\'s Post-War and Contemporary Art Sale (November 2012)\nPRICE: $33,682,500 (credit:Christie\'s)
Gerhard Richter's "Abstraktes Bild" - $34.2 million(06 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Abstract and photorealist painter Gerhard Richter (1932-present).\nARTWORK: A squeegee painting created in 1994 and owned by famous British musician, Eric Clapton. It was bought by Clapton for £2million ($3.2 million) in 2001 and sold for 10 times the price tag 11 years later.\nAUCTION: Sotheby\'s Contemporary Art Evening Sale (October 2012)\nPRICE: £21,321,250 (approximately $34.2 million)\n\nFor more on Eric Clapton\'s big sale, check out our original article here.\n\nIMAGE: A Sotheby\'s employee stands in front of Gerhard Richter\'s \'Abstraktes Bild (809-)\' painting on October 8, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
John Constable's "The Lock" - $35.2 million(07 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: British Romantic artist, John Constable (1776-1837).\nARTWORK: The fifth in a celebrated series of six large-scale paintings of the Stour Valley in Suffolk.\nAUCTION: Old Master and British Paintings Evening Sale\nPRICE: $35,210,321\n\nIMAGE: Employees pose with a painting by British Romantic artist John Constable entitled \"The Lock\" at Christie\'s auction house in central London on June 12, 2012. (CARL COURT/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty Images)
Jackson Pollock's "Number 4, 1951" - $36 million(08 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Abstract expressionist painter, Jackson Pollock (1912-1956).\nARTWORK: A rare drip painting on canvas created in 1951.\nAUCTION: Sotheby\'s Contemporary Art Evening Sale (November 2012)\nPRICE: $40,402,500\n\nImage: Sotheby\'s employees hold Jackson Pollock\'s \'Number 4, 1951\' on October 8, 2012 in London, England. Estimated at $25-35 million the work forms part of Sotheby\'s Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary Art sale on November 5, 2012 in New York. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Yves Klein's "The Pink of Blue" - $36.8 million(09 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: French post-war artist, Yves Klein, who is well-known for his devotion to the color blue (1928-1962).\nARTWORK: Natural sponges and pebbles soaked in pigment and scattered on a board. Named \"The Pink of Blue\", the sponge-relief is similar to Klein\'s other works created in International Klein Blue. It was finished in 1960.\nAUCTION: Christie\'s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale (June 2012)\nPRICE: $36,779,111 (credit:Christie\'s)
Joan Miro's "Peinture (Etolie Bleue), 1927" - $36.9 million(10 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Spanish Cattelan artist, Joan Miro (1893-1993).\nARTWORK: Oil on cavas work depicting Miro\'s typical Surrealist imagery created in 1927.\nAUCTION: Sotheby\'s Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale (June 2012)\nPRICE: $36,946,396\n\nIMAGE: Gallery assistants pose with Spanish Catalan artist Joan Miro\'s \'Peinture (Etolie Bleue), 1927\' at Sotheby\'s acution house in central London on June 14, 2012. (LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages)
Andy Warhol's "Double Elvis" - $37 million(11 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Pop art king, Andy Warhol (1928-1987)\nARTWORK: A silver silkscreen image of Elvis Presley depicted as a cowboy. The work, created in 1963, is named for the duplicate screening of Elvis that appears to the left of the central figure.\nAUCTION: Sotheby\'s Contemporary Art Evening Sale (May 2012)\nPRICE: $37,042,500\n\nFor more on Warhol\'s \"Double Elvis,\" check out the original AP story here.\n\nIMAGE: This undated file image provided by Sotheby\'s Auction House shows Andy Warhol\'s portrait of Elvis Presley depicted as a cowboy. The painting, with a silver background, Double Elvis [Ferus Type] sold at auction by Sothebys in New York for $37 million on May 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Sotheby\'s Auction House, File) (credit:AP)
Franz Kline's "Untitled" - $40.4 million(12 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Abstract expressionist and contemporary of Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock, Franz Kline (1910-1962).\nARTWORK: The untitled piece belongs to the series of black and white abstractions for which Kline is known, combining aggressive brushstrokes with simple forms reminiscent of Japanese calligraphy.\nAUCTION: Christie\'s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale (November 2012)\nPRICE: $40,402,500\n\nFor more on Kline\'s calligraphic work, check out our original article here. (credit:Christie\'s)
Andy Warhol's "Statue of Liberty" - $43.7 million(13 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Andy Warhol, again.\nARTWORK: This time it\'s a screen print of the State of Liberty, created in 1962.\nAUCTION: Christie\'s Post-War and Contemporary Art Sale (November 2012)\nPRICE: $43,762,500
Claude Monet's "Water Lillies" - $43.8 million(14 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: French Impressionist painter, Claude Monet (1840-1926).\nARTWORK: A work from Monet\'s \"Water Lilies\" series, depicting a pond in Giverny, France. Created in 1905.\nAUCTION: Christie\'s Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale (November 2012)\nPRICE: $43,762,500\n\nTo read more about Monet\'s \"Water Lilies\", check out the original AP article here. (credit:Christie\'s)
Francis Bacon's "Figure Reflected in a Mirror" - $44.9 million(15 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Francis Bacon, again.\nARTWORK: Oil on canvas work created in 1976.\nAUCTION: Sotheby\'s Contemporary Art Evening Sale (May 2012)\nPRICE: $44,882,500 (credit:Sotheby\'s)
Roy Lichtenstein "Sleeping Girl" - $44.9 million(16 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Famous American pop artist and major Ben-Day dot fan, (1923-1997)\nARTWORK: Part of a series of sexy comic book-inspired images Lichtenstein created in 1964.\nAUCTION: Sotheby\'s Contemporary Art Evening Sale (May 2012)\nPRICE: $44,882,500\n\nIMAGE: This undated file photo provided by Sotheby\'s Auction House in New York shows \"Sleeping Girl\" by artist Roy Lichtenstein. The painting sold for $44.8 million by Sotheby\'s on Wednesday May 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Sotheby\'s, File) (credit:AP)
Raphael's "Head of a Young Apostle" - $47.8 million(17 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Renaissance painter, Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (1483-1520).\nARTWORK: A drawing titled \"Head of a Young Apostle\" that depicts one of the primary figures from Raphael\'s \"Transfigurations.\" Created circa 1519-1520.\nAUCTION: Sotheby\'s Old Master & British Paintings Evening Sale (December 2012)\nPRICE: Approximately $47,690,717 (credit:Sotheby\'s)
Mark Rothko's "No. 1 (Royal Red and Blue)" - $75.1 million(18 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Russian-American abstract painter, and lover of all things color-blocked, Mark Rothko.\nARTWORK: A multi-form oil painting reminiscent of most of Rothko\'s later work. Created in 1954.\nAUCTION: Sotheby\'s Contemporary Art Evening Sale (November 2012)\nPRICE: $75,122,500\n (credit:Sotheby\'s)
Mark Rothko's "Orange, Red, Yellow" - $87 million(19 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Marky Mark, again.\nARTWORK: Another multi-form, of course. This one was created in 1961.\nAUCTION: Christie\'s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale (May 2012)\nPRICE: $86,882,500\n\nIMAGE: In this undated file photo provided by Christie\'s Auction House, \"Orange, Red, Yellow,\" a 1956 painting by Mark Rothko is shown. The painting was sold by Christie\'s in New York for $388.5 million on Tuesday, May 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Sotheby\'s Auction Housse, File) (credit:AP)
The Scream - $119.9 million(20 of20)
Open Image ModalARTIST: Edvard Munch, the Norwegian painter and printmaker known for his treatment of dark, psychological motifs (1863-1944).\nARTWORK: This version of the iconic piece, \"The Scream,\" is not a painting but is pastel on board. It was created in 1895.\nAUCTION: Sotheby\'s Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale (May 2012)\nPRICE: $119,922,500, making this version of \"The Scream\" themost expensive piece of art ever sold at auction.\n\nIMAGE: In this undated photo provided by Sothebys Auction House in New York, The Scream, by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch is shown. The 1895 pastel on board, arguably one of the art world\'s most recognizable images, will go on view at the Museum of Modern Art in New York beginning Oct. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Sothebys Auction House) (credit:AP)