Table of contents:
- 1. Eternal rose, 2018
- 2. Ghost, 2014
- 3. Rhine II, 1999
- 4. Untitled No. 96, 1981
- 5. For Her Majesty, 1973
- 6. Dead Warriors Speak, 1986
- 7. Black and White, 1926
- 8. Chicago Stock Exchange III 1999-2000
- 9. Untitled (Cowboy), 2000
- 10. Potato number 345
- 11. Untitled film No. 48, 1979
- 12. Los Angeles, 1998
- 13. Pond in the moonlight, 1904
- 14. Untitled No. 153, 1985
Video: 15 seemingly inconspicuous photos that were sold for millions of "green"
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Sometimes human madness reaches such an absurdity that it does not fit in my head at all, how, and most importantly, why it was necessary to acquire potatoes, rows of the same type of goods on the shelves, a rose or some brooding girl in a plaid skirt in the pictures for insane amounts that are calculated at least six zeros. And no matter how a modern man fought in conjectures, he does not find a sensible explanation for such strange actions on the part of millionaires, but, as they say, the rich have their own quirks and the devil will understand them.
In most cases, "great" art remains unattainable by a simple person who, looking at mediocre works, arrives in terrible bewilderment that they could be sold at all, and most importantly - purchased for fabulous money. And in general, it remains a mystery who, how and why evaluates the pictures (which every second could take) in a certain number of zeros, but most of all the viewer is worried about what all those who do not hesitate to lay out a tidy sum for potato tuber or for a blurry landscape of a worn-out year, as if filmed with a poor camera of a cheap mobile phone.
1. Eternal rose, 2018
Crypto art is a form of virtual artwork that is considered rare and collectible. The piece was purchased on the blockchain (a digital exchange that deals with transactions made using bitcoins or other forms of virtual currency). Forever Rose by Kevin Abosch is the most expensive piece of virtual art ever sold.
2. Ghost, 2014
Australian photographer Peter Leek claims to hold the record for the most expensive photograph ever sold: a staggering $ 6.5 million for his Phantom shot by a private collector. However, the price was never officially verified, since the buyer is a "private and anonymous" person.
3. Rhine II, 1999
The most expensive confirmed photo sale belongs to Andreas Gursky, who sold his image as "Rhine II" in 2011 for $ 4.3 million. This is one of six unique images depicting a stretch of the Rhine River near Düsseldorf.
4. Untitled No. 96, 1981
This is a self-portrait of Cindy Sherman in 1981, which she eventually sold to a New York dealer for $ 3,890,500. The photograph is part of the Centerfolds series of the same year, featuring Sherman in several of the stereotypical poses of the time.
5. For Her Majesty, 1973
Gilbert and George are Gilbert Prych from San Martin de Tor (Italy) and George Passmore from Plymouth (UK). They are rarely seen in public without each other, and they almost always wear the costumes that have become their trademark after the Singing Sculptures series. "To Her Majesty" is part of a series of drinking couple sculptures and includes 37 individual images of a couple getting drunk or about to get drunk.
6. Dead Warriors Speak, 1986
At first glance, Jeff Wall's snapshot looks like a real war scene, but in fact it was shot in a studio with guest actors. The photo shows Soviet soldiers returning to life after being ambushed. The idea behind the image is to combine images of war films with the horrors of historical events from previous eras.
7. Black and White, 1926
The photo Man Ray captures Kiki de Montparnasse in 1926. The photo was published in the Parisian version of Vogue magazine at the time and shows Kiki wearing an African tribal mask. The name, which literally translates to "black and white", refers not only to the medium on which the image was taken, but also to the juxtaposition of the model's face and the mask.
8. Chicago Stock Exchange III 1999-2000
The picture shows the Chicago Stock Exchange. This time, Gursky made a lot of effort to convey the dynamism of the picture, as well as to show the movement of the crowd, which gradually becomes blurred, but incredibly bright and contrasting, like a real work of abstractionists.
9. Untitled (Cowboy), 2000
In 2000, Richard Prince released the Cowboy series of photographs. All of his works depict a cowboy on a horse. The source was an image in an advertisement for Marlboro cigarettes that Prince saw in a magazine while working for Time Life.
10. Potato number 345
The picture shows a potato tuber with the symbolic name "Potato No. 345". According to Abosch, each potato has its own character and mood. Accordingly, the photo captures the atmosphere prevailing at that time.
11. Untitled film No. 48, 1979
Cindy Sherman's untitled series of films were taken between 1977 and 1980, and this untitled # 48 is the most expensive selling. The series was created to feature fictional female characters that resemble footage from old films.
12. Los Angeles, 1998
Another image by Andreas Gursky. This time, his photograph is dedicated to a night shooting of Los Angeles in 1998. The original image is over three and a half meters wide and clearly shows the curvature of the earth on the horizon. Many critics consider the composition of a calm, serene view of a bustling city to be especially interesting and original.
13. Pond in the moonlight, 1904
The image "Pond in the Moonlight" sold at auction is only one of three, the other two are kept in museums. Each of the images is unique, as it was taken in 1904 using the manual method of applying light-sensitive plates to obtain more than one color.
14. Untitled No. 153, 1985
"Untitled # 153" is another of Cindy Sherman's stunning self-portraits, one of the most expensive photographs in history. The photo shows a blonde lying in the grass and covered in mud. She is presumed to be dead. The image draws inspiration from the classic film noir Femme Fatal.
Continuing the theme - sold at world auctions for big money.
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