Top 10 Most Expensive Art

So what's the most anyone's ever paid for art? -Here's a list:

1. JACKSON POLLOCK - $140 million
Number 5, 1948, 1948

Private sale, 2006. Seller: David Geffen. Buyer: David Martínez (claimed)

The price is still not confirmed (but not denied) demonstrating increasing interest for the contemporary Art.

2. WILLEM DE KOONING - $137.5 million
Woman III, 1952-53

Private sale, 2006. Seller: David Geffen. Buyer: Steven Cohen

Amongst 6 painted by the artist, this version which ended up at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, and later hidden from the public due to non-adherence to morality laws is now in private hands.

3. GUSTAV KLIMT - $135 million
Adele Bloch-Bauer I, 1907

Private sale, 2006. Buyer: Ronald Lauder

The painting was later court-ordered to be recently returned to the heirs of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer. The Nazis confiscated his paintings during the War and were placed at the National Gallery of Austria after the war.

4. PABLO PICASSO - $104.1 million
Garçon a la pipe, 1904

Private sale, 2006. Buyer: Ronald Lauder

The most expensive painting ever sold at auction, was the first to break the Vincent Van Gogh record held since 1990, breaking the $100 million barrier.

Although the name of the buyer was withheld, sources says that it's now in the hands of Guido Barilla, the Italian pasta magnate.

5. DAMIEN HIRST - $100 million
For the Love of God

Sotheby's New York, May 2004. Buyer: Anonymous investors

Controversy surrounds this piece famous for being the most expensive sculpture and art by a living artist.

The human skull cast in platinum and encased entirely in 8601 diamonds is also the most expensive work of art ever created, costing £15m. The buyers were an unnamed investment group of which Hirst is a part of, fueling rumors that the story of the “investors” a simply a cover-up.

6. PABLO PICASSO - $95.2 million
Dora Maar Au Chat, 1941

Sotheby's New York , May 2006. Buyer: Anonymous

One of Picasso’s greatest and last works was a portrait of his then-mistress and one of his favourite models Dora Maar (29-years-old at the time) . This painting, was rediscovered by Picasso's daughter, Maya Widmaier Picasso.

7. GUSTAV KLIMT - $87.9 million
Adele Bloch-Bauer II, 1912

Christie's New York , November 2006. Buyer: unknown

The subject of the painting Adele Bloch-Baur is the only model to be painted twice by the Austrian painter.

8. FRANCIS BACON - $86.3 million
Tryptich, 1976

Sotheby's New York , May 2008. Buyer: European private

A premier artists of the surrealist period, Irish painter Francis Bacon is the most recent sale on this list.

9. VINCENT VAN GOGH - $82.5 million
Portrait of Doctor Gachet, 1890

Christie's New York , May 1990. Buyer: Ryoei Saito

At one point the most expensive paintings in the world, was sold to Japanese tycoon Ryoei Saito together with Le Moulin de la Galette, by Renoir for $78.1 million during the Japanese speculative bubble period.

Saito wound up in massive debt due to his excesses. The whereabouts of this painting is unknown. Some sources place it in Europe, but others claim Christie's bought it back for one-eighth of the price before Saito passed away.

10. JASPER JOHN - $80 million
False Start, 1959

Private Sale, Fall 2006. Buyer: Unknown

This is the third highest price ever paid for work by any contemporary artist.