The List of most expensive paintings reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

List of most expensive paintings

Current record prices for paintings. (May 2003)

• Portrait of Dr. Gachet by Vincent van Gogh
  Sold for $82.5 million on May 15, 1990 at Christie's, New York ^*

• Au Moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
  Sold for $78 million on May 17, 1990 at Sotheby's, New York ^*

• Massacre of the Innocents by Peter Paul Rubens
  Sold for £49.5 million ($76.7 million) on July 10, 2002 at Sotheby's, London

• Portrait de l'artiste sans barbe by Vincent Van Gogh
  Sold for $65 million on November 19, 1998 at Christie's, New York.

• Rideau, Cruchon et Compotier by Paul Cézanne
  Sold for $55 million on May 10, 1999 at Sotheby's, New York.

• Femme aux Bras Croisés by Pablo Picasso
  Sold for $50 million on November 8, 2000 at Christie's, New York.

• Les Noces de Pierrette by Pablo Picasso
  Sold for $49 million on November 30, 1989

• Irises by Vincent Van Gogh
  Sold for $49 million on November 11, 1987 at Sotheby's, New York.

^* Both paintings were bought by Japanese businessman Ryoei Saito. Mr. Saito threatened to have the Van Gogh painting cremated with him at his death. Saito, 75 years old at the time, the honorary chairman of Daishowa Paper Manufacturing Co., later stated "What I really wanted to (express)," he said, "was my wish to preserve the paintings forever." Saito, his aides explained, was using a figure of speech: threatening to torch the oils was just an expression of intense affection for the masterpieces. Later, Saito said he would consider giving the paintings to his government or a museum. Saito died in 1996. The fate of the painting is still a mystery.

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