Priceless Masterpieces: The Three Most Expensive Artworks of 2022
Art is often misunderstood, both on an individual basis and as a crucial aspect of the human experience. We are surrounded by art, from the classic paintings to which we unwitting draw reference each day to the graphic design that dictates the recognisability of popular brands.
Of course, when we think about art we lean towards the former, and rightfully so. Art is both the acceptance and rejection of tradition at once, making the work of creative geniuses before us valuable in so many different ways – and justifying a multi-billion-pound industry of which the UK claims 18%.
The Art of Buying Art
Classical pieces of art frequently make news when they are sold at auction, commanding eye-wateringly high prices from collectors and rich hobbyists the world over. The acquisition of high-value art pieces is so much more than a hobby, though – and there are some major considerations it is incumbent on the collector to take in purchasing pieces, not in the least with regard to legality.
Art pieces are investments, but not just personal or cultural ones. Their value, decided by the market and by demand, becomes an extremely useful instrument in diversifying larger asset portfolios, and protecting holdings as a business or business leader. As such, there are key legal challenges to the safe dealing and handling of artworks, whether on behalf of the gallery representing them or the collector buying them. Buying art is an art in and of itself – but which artworks were at the top of the pecking order in 2022?
#3 – Van Gogh’s Verger avec Cypres, Arles
Vincent Van Gogh is at once a rare and exceedingly common breed of painter. He enjoys unusual fame amongst the general public, and yet that fame – as is all too often the case – only came posthumously. His instantly recognisable style brings wonder into the everyday, and Verger avec Cypres is no different. Van Gogh’s name is enough to draw big money, but this striking vision inspired someone to spend nearly £95 million on owning it.
#2 – Paul Cezanne’s La Montagne Sainte-Victoire
Cezanne has less ‘star power’ than Van Gogh in name recognition, but his proto-Cubist art has had one of the most impactful roles in the shape of modern art. La Mantagne Sainte-Victoire is a miasma and a trick of the eye, modulating from two-dimensional smears to a compelling 3D space and back. It fetched £111 million at auction in 2022.
#1 – Andy Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn
Art is often mistaken for a fusty, antiquarian undertaking. But the most compelling art is that which challenges, and Andy Warhol is the perfect example. His Shot Marilyn series of silkscreen prints challenged the notion of fame, while leaning in to the reproducibility of the form to mirror the new consumerist age. Repeatable as the image is, one of the original prints broke records with a £157 million sale in 2022.
