15 most expensive pictures in the world

The most expensive photos always evoke curiosity and surprise. Some of them need to look in the galleries, the popularity of other completely inexplicable. What makes buyers pay such amounts for the photos? See for yourself.

We suggest that you read the 15 most expensive photograph in the world.

I."Phantom" (2014) - $ 6.5 million.
Photographer - Peter Lik (Peter Lik)

Australian photographer Peter Lik broke records in December last year - his black-and-white film called "Phantom" bought for $ 6.5 million. The same private collector who preferred to remain anonymous, that day has got two more shots - "Eternal mood" and "Illusion". The total purchase amount was $ 10 million.

"The purpose of my photos - capture the force of nature", - says Leake. "Phantom" - black-and-white version of a photo called "Ghost." On it was captured Antelope Canyon (Arizona), and "ghost" - this is whirling in a ray of light dust.

II. "Rhine II» (1999) - $ 4.3 million.
Photographer - Andreas Gursky (Andreas Gursky)

German photographer Andreas Gursky is known for his large-format photographs of architecture and landscapes. In 1999 he made a series of six photographs of the Rhine, the largest and most famous of which was the "Rhine II». "For me it is an allegory of the meaning of life", - says the author. To achieve the impression of the desert landscape, he had on the computer to remove some items from a picture: factory building, pedestrians, cyclists.

Chromogenic print on acrylic glass size 1,9 × 3,6 m (in the frame, which increased the size of the artifact to 2,1 × 3,8 m) was sold in 2011 at an auction "Christie" for $ 4.3 million, the identity of the buyer unknown.

III. «Untitled № 96" (1981) - $ 3.9 million.
Photographer - Cindy Sherman (Cindy Sherman)

Work famous for his provocative self-portraits Sindi Sherman are very popular among collectors. The names of his pictures it does not, giving viewers the opportunity to think out themselves depicted the story. «№ 96" - one of the 12 photo Centerfold series, made by order of ArtForum magazine. The heroine of the picture (of course, the very Sherman) - teenager. She holds a cut out of newspaper ads about dating, symbolizing readiness to leave childhood behind and the desire to find her man.

At one time the "number 96", sold at auction "Christie" for $ 3.9 million, was the most expensive photograph in the world.

IV. "The conversation of the dead soldiers" (1992) - $ 3.6 million.
Photographer - Dzheff Uoll (Jeff Wall)

The subtitle explains the story depicted in the photograph - "Vision after the ambush, which hit a patrol of the Soviet army near Mokoro, Afghanistan, Winter 1986". However, this is not a picture from nature: Canadian photographer Dzheff Uoll (whose Andreas Gursky called his role model) was not in Afghanistan. Photos created in the studio, the people in it - the actors. "" Talk of the dead soldiers "- it does not comment on the Afghan war - says the author. - I just wanted to create an image in which the dead soldiers talk to each other, I have no idea why. "

In 2012, again at an auction, "Christie's" picture was sold for $ 3.6 million.

V. "99 cents. Diptych "(2001) - $ 3.3 million.
Photographer - Andreas Gursky (Andreas Gursky)

Another, rather, two works by Andreas Gursky. Two photos that make up the diptych, depict the interior of one of the shops, where everything is sold for 99 cents.
Long rows, cluttered with colorful boxes of goods, reflected in the glass ceiling, enhance the feeling of endless consumerism in modern society.

Imprint size 2,07 × 3,37 meters was sold for $ 3.3 million in 2007.

VI. "Lake in the moonlight" (1904) - $ 2.9 million.
Photographer - Edward Steichen (Edward Steichen)

Picture taken in 1904 shows the lake and the forest through the trees which makes the way the moonlight. At the beginning of the XX century color photographs were exceptional rarity, and the "lake in the moonlight," the author dyed manually using autochrome method (on tape applied granules of potato starch filled with paint of different colors). To date, there are only three options for the image. All of them have their own range of shades, as each frame was painted separately.

In 2006 one of them was sold at auction, "Sotheby's" for $ 2.9 million.

VII. "Untitled number 153" (1985) - $ 2.7 million.
Photographer - Cindy Sherman (Cindy Sherman)

As admitted herself Cindy Sherman, her main fear - die a horrible death, and such pictures as number 153 - attempt to reconcile with him, to prepare for the unthinkable. "Do not be afraid and avert their eyes - she says about your picture - it's not real, it is staged, a fairy tale."
In 2010, almost two-meter grim picture was sold at auction for $ 2.7 million.

VIII. "Billi Kid" (1879-1880) - $ 2.3 million.
photographer Unknown

Photo of the famous criminal of Billy the Kid, made at the end of the XIX century by tintype, was sold in 2011 to an American collector for $ 2.3 million. The reason for such a fabulous price no special artistic value of the picture, and in its uniqueness - it is the only officially confirmed by Photo Kid.
However, recently the auction house Kagin's, Inc. He declared genuine another photograph, which allegedly depicts Billi Kid, playing croquet.

IX. "Tobolsk Kremlin" (2009) - $ 1.7 million.
Photographer - Dmitry Medvedev

Photo Tobolsk Kremlin, Dmitriem Medvedevym made (at that time the President of the Russian Federation), was sold at a charity auction "Christmas Alphabet". Usually it put up for the sale of paintings, written by well-known politicians. So, in 2009 Vladimira Putina authorship figure brought the charity fund of 37 million rubles.
Dmitry Medvedev, due to busy schedule to write a picture did not, but offered as an alternative to photo Tobolsk attractions made from a bird's flight. The picture was bought for 51 million rubles.

XI. "Naked Body" (1925) - $ 1.6 million.
Photographer - Edward Weston (Edward Weston)

For works of American photographer Edvarda Uestona is characterized by a very clear, sharp images, the desire for an object of shooting, in which everyone can see something of their own. "Nudity" (one of the many photos of Weston, which depict the nude model) is no exception. Looking at her, I did not immediately understand what is depicted. Maybe this man, or maybe a sculpture or landscape element. Androgynous shape model further emphasize the abstract beauty of the picture.

In 2008, at an auction, "Sotheby's" for the job paid $ 1.6 million.

XI. "Georgia O'Keeffe. Hands "(1919) - $ 1.4 million.
Photographer - Alfred Stieglitz (Alfred Stieglitz)

In the life of Alfred Stieglitz had two passions - photography and Georgia O'Keeffe. All 50 years of his career, he fought for the society began to take photography as art - with its own language, motifs and genres. The artist O'Keefe he fell for her work, yet even without seeing it herself; for her, he left the family. Georgia, dedicated to more than 300 of his pictures; eight of the nine photos Stiglitz, put up for auction, it is portrayed.
Photo "Georgia O'Keeffe. Hands "was sold in 2006 for $ 1.4 million, becoming the most expensive work of the photographer.

XII. "Georgia O'Keeffe Nude" (1919) - $ 1.3 million.
Photographer - Alfred Stieglitz (Alfred Stieglitz)

Once again, Alfred Stieglitz and his muse, artist Georgia O'Keeffe. One of a series of works dedicated to her naked body. At the auction, "Sotheby's" for black-and-white image is not the beauty of Georgia of $ 1.3 million was paid in 2006.

XIII. "Untitled (Cowboy)" (1989) - $ 1.2 million.
Photographer - Richard Prince (Richard Prince)

Interest photographer Richard Prince for art began to work in the Time Publishing, Inc., where his task was to vyrezát from different articles of magazines, which were required by the poster. As a result, it remained only illustrations and advertisements, page after page of only images. "Cowboy" - a photo photos, peresnyaty piece of advertising, which embodied the American fascination with Prince archetypes. Despite its secondary in 2005, "Cowboy" was sold for $ 1.1 million.

XIV. "Dovima and the elephants" (1955) - $ 1.15 million.
Photographer - Richard Avedon (Richard Avedon)

"His portraits have identified the image of American style, beauty and culture of the second half of the XX century" - so wrote about Richard Avedon. The heroine of his work - top model Doroti Virdzhiniya Margaret Juba, better known as Dovima. On pictures taken at the Winter Circus in Paris in 1955, Dovima dressed in a black dress with a huge belt. This outfit - the first evening dress designed by Kristiana Diora for his new assistant, Yves Saint Laurent. In 2010, the picture was sold at auction "Christie" for $ 1.15 million.

1. "Eternal mood" (2014) - $ 1.1 Mill.
   Photographer - Peter Lik (Peter Lik)
   

Completes the selection of the same photographer, who opened it - Peter Lik. As well as the "Phantom" - black and white version of "Ghost" and "Eternal mood" - black and white version of "Eternal Beauty". Inspiration and a place to create an unusual frame again served Antelope Canyon in Arizona. More than $ 1.1 million paid for a photo, the same private collector, who bought and "Phantom."