Most Expensive Artworks by Living Artists (All Time)

About This Dataset

Works by artists living at the time of sale, ranked by hammer price at public auction in millions of USD. Jeff Koons's stainless steel "Rabbit" (1986) became the most expensive work by a living artist ever sold at auction when it achieved $91.1 million at Christie's New York in May 2019 — surpassing David Hockney's record set just six months earlier.

✨ AI Insight

The gap between the top two artworks and the rest is striking, with Koons and Hockney's pieces achieving prices nearly double that of Ed Ruscha's $52.5 million. The recent sale of Ruscha's work indicates a resurgence in high-value art transactions, suggesting a potential shift in market dynamics as collectors seek to diversify their portfolios. The presence of Banksy's 'Love is in the Bin,' sold for $25.4 million in 2021, also highlights the growing appeal of street art among high-end collectors. This trend reflects a broader acceptance of contemporary styles and the increasing willingness of buyers to invest in living artists, which could reshape the future of art valuation.

Source: Wikipedia

Key Findings

Auto-computed highlights from this dataset

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Rabbit (Jeff Koons) leads with 91 in 2023.

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Average value in 2023: 53 · median: 53.

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2019 recorded the highest combined total across all categories.

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Gap in 2023: Rabbit (Jeff Koons) is 3.6× larger than Love is in the Bin (Banksy).

Most Expensive Artworks by Living Artists (All Time)

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Data Insights Below

Data Insights

Numbers, trends & sources behind this chart

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Data Points

8 categories · 8 years

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Top Value

91.10

Rabbit (Jeff Koons)

Auction Price (Million USD) · 2019

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Metrics

Auction Price (Million USD)

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Period

2006 – 2023

8 years of data

Rankings & Full Data

8 records · Auction Price (Million USD) · ranked by 2023

✓ 8 sourced

#	Category	2006	2013	2014	2015	2018	2019	2021	2023	Change
🥇	Rabbit (Jeff Koons)	—	—	—	—	—	91.10	—	—	—
🥈	Portrait of an Artist Pool (David Hockney)	—	—	—	—	90.30	—	—	—	—
🥉	Hurting the Word Radio No.2 (Ed Ruscha)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	52.50	—
4	Abstract Painting 649 (Gerhard Richter)	—	—	—	46.30	—	—	—	—	—
5	False Start (Jasper Johns)	36	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
6	Apocalypse Now (Christopher Wool)	—	26.50	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
7	Untitled (Rudolf Stingel)	—	—	26	—	—	—	—	—	—
8	Love is in the Bin (Banksy)	—	—	—	—	—	—	25.40	—	—