Here we make a list of most expensive sculptures sold at auction.
10. Guennol Lioness
Sold For - $57.2 Million
Sold On - 5 December, 2007
Guennol Lioness
It is a 5,000-year-old Mesopotamian statue found near Baghdad, Iraq which depicts a muscular anthropomorphic leonine-human. It was sold for $57.2 million at Sotheby’s auction house to a private collector on December 5, 2007.
9. Sleeping Muse
Sold For - $57.3 Million
Sold On - 15 May, 2017
Sleeping Muse
It is a bronze sculpture created by Romanian sculptor, Constantin Brâncuși in 1910. It is one of the four casts which were originally carved from marble using Baroness Renée-Irana Frachon as the model. Brâncuși later cast those marble sculptures in bronze. It was sold for $57.3 million at Christie’s auction house to a private collector on May 15, 2017.
8. Balloon Dog (Orange)
Sold For - $58.4 Million
Sold On - 12 November, 2013
Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog
The orange Balloon Dog is one of five dogs made of polished stainless steel in various colors, by American artist Jeff Koons. It was sold for $58.4 million at Christie’s auction house to a private collector on 12 November, 2013.
7. Tête
Sold For - $59.5 Million
Sold On - 14 June, 2010
Amedeo Modigliani’s Tête
It is a limestone structure carved out of a single block by Italian sculptor, Amedeo Modigliani. Two versions of Tête were sold at two separate auction. The first one was sold for $59.5 million at Christie’s auction house in Paris to a private collector on 14 June, 2010.
6. Tête
Sold For - $70.7 Million
Sold On - 4 November, 2014
The second one was sold for $70.7 million at Sotheby’s auction house in New York to a private collector on 4 November, 2014.
5. Portrait de Nancy Cunard
Sold For - $71 Million
Sold On - 15 May, 2018
Constantin Brâncuși’s Portrait de Nancy Cunard
This is the second sculpture by Constantin Brâncuși on this list. The sculpture is polished bronze on a carved marble base which is inspired by British heiress, Nancy Cunard. It was sold for $71 million at Christie’s auction house to a private collector on 15 May, 2018.
4. Rabbit
Sold For - $91.1 Million
Sold On - 15 May, 2019
Jeff Koons’ Rabbit
This is the second sculpture by Jeff Koons on this list. It is a 1986 series of three identical stainless steel sculptures. One of the editions of the series was sold for $91.1 million at Christie’s auction house to a private collector on 15 May, 2019. It was later revealed that the art dealer Robert Mnuchin purchased the work for the billionaire hedge fund manager Steven A. Cohen.
3. Chariot
Sold For - $101 Million
Sold On - 4 November, 2014
Alberto Giacometti’s Chariot
It is a a 145-cm-tall sculpture carved by Swiss sculptor, Alberto Giacometti. According to him, the image came to him in his dream. Hedge fund owner Stephen Cohen was the lone bidder who paid $101 million at Sotheby’s auction on 4 November, 2014.
2. L'Homme qui marche I
Sold For - $104.3 Million
Sold On - 3 February, 2010
Alberto Giacometti’s The Walking Man I
This is the second sculpture by Alberto Giacometti on this list. Also known as The Walking Man I in English, it is one of the cast bronze sculptures that comprise six numbered editions plus four artist proofs created by him. It depicts a slender figure in motion. It was purchased by Brazilian socialite, Lily Safra, for $104.3 million in 2010 at Sotheby’s.
1. L'Homme au doigt
Sold For - $141.3 Million
Sold On - 11 May, 2015
Alberto Giacometti’s Pointing Man
Also known as Pointing Man, this is the third sculpture by Alberto Giacometti on this list. The work was created in 1947 and is 180-cm-tall. The work had been in American art collector Sheldon Solow’s private collection for 45 years, and was sold to a private collector for $141.3 million in Christie’s 11 May, 2015, Looking Forward to the Past sale in New York.
