In order to inspire you to work harder and more productively, today we will show you the 10 most expensive photographs ever sold to make you even more interested in your work. These expensive photographs once again prove that photography is not just an art form, it is a very expensive art form. The photographs shown are worth much more than many pictorial illustrations, sculptures or antiques.
Not all photos in the selection were made by outstanding photographers, there are some that are interesting in the history of their origin or those who took this photo. You should not condemn or criticize these shots, because if there were people who paid such money for them, then they knew what and why they were paying.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico ($610,000)
Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico is the cheapest photo on this list. Photo taken by Ansel Adams (included in the number) in November 1941. After the first publication of the image, it became incredibly popular. Over the course of his career, Adams made about thirty copies of the photograph, the original photograph being auctioned for just under $610,000. Today, this photograph is undoubtedly a masterpiece in the world of photography.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Nautilus ($1.1 million)
Nautilus is a famous photograph taken in 1927 by photographer Edward Weston. The picture shows a nautilus shell photographed against a black background. Even today, this seemingly simple photograph is considered a masterpiece, and in its time, its appearance was a turning point in the world of photography.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Tobolsk Kremlin ($1.7 million)
A photograph of the Tobolsk Kremlin can hardly be called a serious object of art, its value is not in what it is, and what is depicted on it, but in who made it. This image was taken by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The photo was sold for $1.7 million at auction, almost $600,000 more than the amount paid for a shot taken by Vladimir Putin.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Billy the Kid ($2.3 million)
This is a unique photograph of the famous young criminal of the American West. To date, this photograph is one of the most expensive photographs ever sold. The criminal Bill Kid himself, still under the age of twenty-one, shot about twenty men, thereby becoming one of the most dangerous and terrible criminals in Western America. Rumor has it that this photo does not depict Billy the Kid himself, since some sources claim that Billy was left-handed, and the man in the picture is right-handed.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Untitled 153 ($2.7 million)
This untitled photo was taken by German photographer Andreas Gursky in 1985. The photo shows a girl lying in the grass, looking not at the frame, but a little to the side. The picture is considered a masterpiece, and this explains why the photo was sold at auction for such a huge amount of money.
The Pond is a 1904 photograph by Edward Steichen in New York State. The picture shows the forest, which is located across the road from the pond, the moon is barely visible in the branches of the trees. The pond is an incredibly famous photograph in the world, the reason for its fame is not only that it is one of the first color photographs, but also that it is the first widely publicized photograph in the world. There are three versions of this photo. One was sold in 2006 for $2.9 million, and at the time, it was the most expensive photograph ever sold.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Dead Troops Speak ($3.7M)
This is a staged photograph by Jeff Wall, taken in 1992. Wall chose to portray the ambush of a Russian patrol during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1988. Thus, he created a group of "dead soldiers", arranging them in such a way that it would seem that they are talking. The photo's unique creative idea was valued at $3.7 million, which was the price the image was sold at auction.
The most expensive photographs in the world. 99 cents. Diptych ($3.8 million)
99 cents. A diptych is two photographs taken in 1999 by photographer Andreas Gursky. The picture shows a 99 Cent store. The size of the photo is approximately 2 by 3 meters. Each of the photographs was sold for fabulous money. The cost of one of them was $2.25 million, and the other $2.48 million. In 2007, the diptych was sold at auction for $3.8 million.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Untitled 96 ($3.9 million)
Untitled 96 is a photo she took in 1981 of the famous photographer. The news that the picture was sold for $3.9 million made headlines in 2011. At the time, it was the most expensive photograph ever sold.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Rhine II – $4.3 million
Rhine II is the most expensive photograph ever sold. The image was created by already familiar photographer Andreas Gursky in 1999 in Germany on the Rhine River and sold in 2011 for $4.3 million. The interest of the photograph lies in the fact that initially the picture showed a lot of people and buildings, which Gursky removed with the help of all kinds of photo manipulations. Thus, the photographer wanted to depict a natural view of the Rhine River. This has sparked some controversy, with critics arguing that the world's most expensive photograph must actually be the original photograph, not the result of editing.
On November 18, 1999, at the age of 93, the famous photographer of German origin, Horst P. Horst, the author of the famous photograph of the “girl in a corset”, passed away. Horst entered the history of the 20th century as the greatest master of fashion and portrait photography and one of the creators of erotic photography in its modern form. Over 60 years of his career, he has become a truly legendary figure, and his work is synonymous with elegance, style and sophisticated glamour. Today we have collected for you the outstanding works of the author.
Horst Paul Albert Bormann was born in 1906 in Weissenfels, Germany, into a wealthy merchant family. Already in his early youth, he met the dancer Evan Weidman at his aunt's house, which largely determined his interest in avant-garde art. In the photo: a shot from the famous series “Dial” (Round the Clock), 1987.
However, at first, Horst had little interest in photography. He studied carpentry and furniture making at the Hamburg School of Applied Arts and was passionate about architecture. In 1930, Horst moved to Paris to study architecture under his idol, the famous Le Corbusier.
Horst soon met a young Vogue photographer, Baron Georg Heuningen-Hühne, becoming his model, assistant, and rumored lover. Already in 1931, he himself began to collaborate with Vogue.
In 1932, the first exhibition of the young photographer was held in Paris. The exhibition received rave reviews in The New Yorker magazine, thanks to which it became known not only in Europe, but also in America. So Horst P. Horst suddenly "woke up famous", overnight becoming a real star of fashion photography.
In the same year, he made a portrait of actress Bette Davis, which became the first in the list of celebrity photographs, which was replenished throughout the life of the master.
In 1935, Horst became the chief artist of French Vogue. Later, for many, the name of Horst and the concept of "Vogue style" will become synonymous. In the photo: a shot from the famous series “Dial” (Round the Clock).
Horst's photographs are a brilliant play of light and shadow. He worked almost exclusively in the studio, where he could create the necessary lighting himself, and almost never used filters.
Models in his works are often associated with ancient statues: Horst even made girls go to the Louvre, so that they would be imbued with plasticity and graceful grace. According to the photographer, the main technical problem that his colleagues have to overcome is the tightness of the model; the rest can always be handled with ease.
Horst paid a lot of attention to details, often very catchy and unexpected: “In my best work there is always a little mess: for example, a dirty ashtray,” the photographer said.
In 1936, Horst creates one of his most famous "fashion" sketches - "White Sleeve" and shoots Lisa Fonssagrive (pictured), who will become his favorite model for a long time.
In 1937, Horst first met Coco Chanel. He truly admired this outstanding woman, called her "the queen of everything" and was ready to photograph anything for Madame.
In September 1939, Horst took his most famous photograph, the Mainbocher Corset, which made a splash. This work is considered to be the pinnacle of eroticism in photography.
And the following year, Horst shoots the first nude photo with the same model - Lara with a harp.
In the 40s, Horst moved to America and received US citizenship. His American passport already contains the name under which he entered the history of photography - Horst P. Horst.
Marlene Dietrich's famous series of photographic portraits in 1942 depicted the actress in thought: this work has become a classic of glamor portraiture. According to the actress, none of the other photographers so whitened the skin and concealed even the slightest flaws in the figure.
During the war years, the photographer faced a difficult choice between his birthplace - Germany - and the new homeland - the United States. In July 1943, Horst joined the US Army and worked as a war photographer for an army magazine, but this work was not widely circulated.
After the war, the approach to fashion photography changed somewhat - studio shooting was replaced by photographs stylized as a reportage. And Horst switched to portraits of international bohemia.
In 1945, Horst was invited to the White House, where he photographed US President Harry Truman, who would later become his true friend. In the post-war period, Horst made portraits of each new First Lady of the country. Pictured: Jackie Kennedy, 1953.
Horst continued to shoot until 1992, when his eyesight deteriorated dramatically. In the photo: one of the author's later works - "Eve with a Rose", 1988.
Today, Horst is one of the most expensive photographers of the 20th century; prices for his original author's prints, which are very rare on the market, are constantly growing and fluctuating around $10,000. In the photo: another shot from the famous series “Dial” (Round the Clock), 1987.
The most expensive photographs always arouse curiosity and surprise. Some of them need to be viewed in galleries, the popularity of others is completely inexplicable. What makes buyers pay such amounts for photos? See for yourself.
We suggest you familiarize yourself with the 15 most expensive photographs in the world.
1. Phantom (2014) - $6.5 million
Australian photographer Peter Lik broke all records in December last year - his black-and-white photo called "Phantom" was bought for 6.5 million dollars. The same private collector, who preferred to remain anonymous, acquired two more pictures that day - Eternal Moods and Illusion. The total purchase amount was $10 million.
“The purpose of my photographs is to capture the power of nature,” Lik says. "Phantom" is a black and white version of the photo called "Ghost". It depicts Antelope Canyon (Arizona), and the "ghost" is dust swirling in a beam of light.
2. Rhine II (1999) - $4.3 million
German photographer Andreas Gursky is famous for his wide-format photographs of architecture and landscapes. In 1999, he took a series of six photographs of the Rhine, the largest and most famous of which was Rhine II. “For me, this is an allegorical depiction of the meaning of life,” says the author. To achieve the impression of a desert landscape, he had to remove some elements from the image on the computer: the factory building, pedestrians, cyclists.
Chromogenic print on acrylic glass measuring 1.9 x 3.6 m (in a frame that increased the size of the artifact to 2.1 x 3.8 m) was sold in 2011 at Christie's for $4.3 million, the identity of the buyer unknown.
3. Untitled #96 (1981) - $3.9 million
The works of Cindy Sherman, famous for her provocative self-portraits, are very popular with collectors. She does not give names to her pictures, giving the audience the opportunity to think out the depicted story for themselves. "No. 96" is one of 12 Centerfold photos commissioned by ArtForum magazine. The heroine in the picture (of course, Sherman herself) is a teenage girl. She holds dating ads cut out of the newspaper, symbolizing her willingness to leave childhood behind and the desire to find her man.
At one time, No. 96, sold at Christie's for $3.9 million, was the most expensive photograph in the world.
4. "Conversation of dead soldiers" (1992) - $ 3.6 million
Photographer - Jeff Wall
The subtitle explains the story behind the photo - "A vision after an ambush by a Soviet army patrol near Mokor, Afghanistan, winter 1986." However, this is not a snapshot from nature: Canadian photographer Jeff Wall (whom Andreas Gursky called his role model) was not in Afghanistan. The photo was created in the studio, the people on it are actors. "Dead Soldiers' Talk" is not a commentary on the Afghan war, says the author. “I just wanted to create an image in which the dead soldiers are talking to each other, I have no idea why.”
In 2012, again at Christie's, the photograph sold for $3.6 million.
5. “99 cents. Diptych "(2001) - $ 3.3 million.
Photographer - Andreas Gursky
Another, or rather, two works by Andreas Gursky. The two photographs that make up the diptych show the interior of one of the shops where everything is sold for 99 cents.
Long rows lined with colorful boxes of merchandise reflected in the glass ceiling reinforce the sense of endless consumerism in today's society.
The 2.07 x 3.37 meter print sold for $3.3 million in 2007.
6. Moonlight Lake (1904) - $2.9 million
Photographer - Edward Steichen
The photograph, taken in 1904, shows a lake and a forest with moonlight shining through the trees. At the beginning of the 20th century, color photographs were extremely rare, and the “Lake in the Moonlight” was hand-colored by the author using the autochrome method (potato starch granules filled with paints of different colors were applied to the film). To date, there are only three options for the image. All of them have their own range of shades, since each frame was painted separately.
In 2006, one of them was sold at Sotheby's for $2.9 million.
7. "Untitled #153" (1985) - $2.7 million
Photographer - Cindy Sherman
As Cindy Sherman herself admitted, her main fear is to die a terrible death and such photographs as No. 153 are an attempt to reconcile herself with him, to prepare for the unthinkable. “There is no need to be scared and look away,” she says about her picture, “this is not real, this is a production, a fairy tale.”
In 2010, an almost two-meter dark photo was sold at auction for $2.7 million.
8 Billy the Kid (1879-1880) - $2.3 million
Photographer unknown
A photograph of the famous criminal Billy the Kid, made at the end of the 19th century using the tintype method, was sold in 2011 to an American collector for $2.3 million. The reason for such a fabulous price is not in the special artistic value of the picture, but in its uniqueness - this is the only officially confirmed photograph of Kid.
True, recently the auction house Kagin's, Inc. declared authentic another photo, which allegedly depicts Billy the Kid playing croquet.
9. Tobolsk Kremlin (2009) - $1.7 million
Photographer - Dmitry Medvedev
A photo of the Tobolsk Kremlin taken by Dmitry Medvedev (at that time the President of the Russian Federation) was sold at the Christmas ABC charity auction. Usually, paintings by famous politicians are put up for sale on it. So, in 2009, a drawing by Vladimir Putin brought the charity fund 37 million rubles.
Dmitry Medvedev did not have time to paint a picture due to a busy schedule, but offered as an alternative a photograph of a Tobolsk landmark taken from a bird's eye view. The picture was bought for 51 million rubles.
10. The Naked Body (1925) - $1.6 million
Photographer - Edward Weston
The work of the American photographer Edward Weston is characterized by very clear, sharp images, the desire for unexpected subjects in which everyone can see something of their own. Nude (one of Weston's many photographs of nude models) is no exception. Looking at it, you do not immediately understand what is depicted. Maybe it's a person, or maybe a sculpture or an element of the landscape. Androgynous forms of the model further emphasize the abstract beauty of the picture.
In 2008, at the Sotheby's auction, $ 1.6 million was paid for this work.
11. Georgia O'Keeffe. Hands "(1919) - $ 1.4 million.
Alfred Stiglitz had two passions in his life - photography and Georgia O'Keeffe. All 50 years of his career, he fought for society to accept photography as an art - with its own language, motives and genres. He fell in love with the artist O'Keeffe because of her work, before he even saw her; He left his family for her. More than 300 of his photographs are dedicated to Georgia; eight of the nine photographs of Stiglitz put up for auction depict her.
Photo "Georgia O'Keeffe. Hands” was sold in 2006 for 1.4 million dollars, becoming the most expensive work of the photographer.
12 Georgia O'Keeffe Nude (1919) - $1.3 million
Photographer - Alfred Stieglitz
Again Alfred Stieglitz and his muse, artist Georgia O'Keeffe. One of a series of works dedicated to her naked body. At the Sotheby's auction for a black and white image of the far from beautiful Georgia in 2006, $ 1.3 million was paid.
13. "Untitled (Cowboy)" (1989) - $1.2 million
Photographer - Richard Prince
Photographer Richard Prince's interest in art began with a job at Time, Inc., where he was tasked with cutting magazine articles that authors wanted. In the end, there were only illustrations and advertising, page after page of nothing but images. "Cowboy" is a photograph of a photograph, a re-shot piece of an advertisement that embodies Prince's fascination with American archetypes. Despite its secondary nature, in 2005 "Cowboy" was sold for $1.1 million.
14. Dovima and the Elephants (1955) - $1.15 million
Photographer - Richard Avedon
"His portraits defined the image of American style, beauty and culture for the second half of the 20th century," they wrote about Richard Avedon. The heroine of this work of his is top model Dorothy Virginia Margaret Juba, better known as Dovima. In the picture, taken at the Winter Circus in Paris in 1955, Dovima is dressed in a black dress with a huge belt. This outfit is the first evening dress designed for Christian Dior by his new assistant, Yves Saint Laurent. In 2010, the photograph was sold at Christie's for $1.15 million.
15. Eternal Moods (2014) - $1.1 million
Photographer - Peter Lik
The collection is completed by the same photographer who opened it - Peter Lik. Just like "Phantom" is a black and white version of "Ghost", so "Eternal Moods" is a black and white version of "Eternal Beauty". Antelope Canyon in Arizona once again served as inspiration and place for creating an unusual shot. More than $1.1 million was paid for the photo by the same private collector who bought Phantom.
What do you think of all these photos? Tell us in the comments!
Some photographs can be compared in price to the cost of the most famous works of the great masters of the Renaissance. What is their value? How are they different from the millions of other images stored on and those that we see every day? What makes art connoisseurs buy exclusive footage for fabulously expensive sums? The answers lie, apparently, in the works of photographers themselves. We present to your attention the 15 most expensive photographs of the world.
Peter Lik - Phantom ($6.5 million)
This photo was taken in 1999 by Australian photographer Peter Lik. An unknown collector purchased it for $6.5 million. This is the most expensive photo in the world. Peter Lik took it in Antelope Canyon, Arizona. “The goal of all my photographs is to capture the power of nature and convey it in such a way that someone is inspired by this passion and feels their involvement in the picture. And some of the textures and contours found in nature become more beautiful in black and white photography,” says the photographer.
Andreas Gursky - Rhine II ($4.33 million)
This photo was taken by German photographer Andreas Gursky. Photo taken in 1999, called "Rhine-II". The price of the work is impressive: 4.33 million dollars. Gursky's collection has several photographs sold for millions of dollars. The photo shows the German river Rhine between the dams in rainy weather. This picture is one of the works of the "Rhine" series. In 2011, at Christie's auction, the photo was sold under the hammer to an unknown collector.
Cindy Sherman - "No. 96" ($3.89 million)
The picture of the American photographer Cindy Sherman is made by a special technique - these are the so-called staged photographs. The work of a photo artist is considered the most expensive and famous. The photo was taken in 1981. It was purchased for $3.89 million. Cindy Sherman calls herself a performance artist and puts a special meaning into each of her works. In this shot, the photographer tried to capture the realization of immature femininity through the innocent image of a young girl. The picture was sold in 2011 at Christie's.
Jeff Wall - Dead Warriors Speak ($3.66 million)
This shot is a masterful ambush of soldiers in Afghanistan in 1986, although it looks realistic. Photo taken by Jeff Wall in 1992. It was sold at auction for $3.66 million. Dozens of professional actors posed for the picture. The photo taken in the studio was later processed in a photo editor.
Richard Prince - "Cowboy" ($3.4 million)
This photo, titled "Cowboy", was taken in 2001-2002 by Richard Prince for a Marlboro commercial. In 2007, the picture was sold at Christie's for a hefty $3.4 million.
Andreas Gursky - "99 Cents" ($3.34 million)
Andreas Gursky's diptych "99 cents -II" was filmed in 2001, it captures the moment of the working day in the "99 cents" store. The popularity and cost of a photo is justified by the style of photography, perfectionism in product layout, and the spirit of consumption. The "99 cents-II" snapshot was bought by a collector for $3.34 million.
Edward Steichen: Moonlight Pond ($3 million)
The work of photographer Edward Steichen in 1904 does not contain any secret deep meaning or eccentricity. The uniqueness of the picture is determined by the fact that "Moonlight Pond" is the first color photograph taken at night. Today its price is almost 3 million dollars.
Cindy Sherman: "No. 153" ($2.7 million)
Photographer Cindy Sherman took this photo in 1985. An impressive work by a "performance artist" was sold in 2010 for $2.7 million. According to the photographer, her main fear is the fear of dying a terrible death. Shooting such shots, she tries to reconcile herself with him, to prepare for the unthinkable. “There is no need to be scared and look away, this is not real, this is a production, a fairy tale,” says Cindy.
Andreas Gursky: Chicago Board of Trade III ($2.35 million)
The popular photo of Andreas Gursky, sold for $2.35 million, was taken between 1999 and 2009. This exceptional 185 x 240 cm image captures a weekday at the Chicago Board of Trade. If you enlarge the photo, you can see the staff, computers, clothes in the smallest detail. The photo was purchased for more than two million dollars in 2013.
Fort Sumner, New Mexico: "Billy the Kid" ($2.3 million)
Photograph of Billy the Kid (Fort Sumner) from New Mexico was allegedly taken in 1879-1880 using the tintype method. The author of the photo is unknown. The unique photograph was sold to an American collector for $2.3 million.
Dmitry Medvedev: "Tobolsk Kremlin" ($1.7 million)
A photo taken in 2009 by ex-President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev from a bird's eye view during a tour sold under the hammer at the Christmas Alphabet auction for $1.7 million. The uniqueness of the picture is due to the authorship of the photo.
Edward Weston: "Naked Exposure" ($1.6 million)
"Naked Irradiation" by Edward Weston is an erotic photograph that was taken in 1925. The photo shows the naked body of Tina Modotti, the beloved woman and the photographer's assistant. In 2008, the Sotheby's auction paid $1.6 million for this work.
Alfred Stiglitz: Georgia O'Keeffe ($1.47 million)
This 1919 photograph by Alfred Stieglitz captures the inspired hands of artist Georgia O'Keeffe. The photo of the same name was sold in 2006 at the well-known New York auction Sotheby's for $1.47 million.
Alfred Stiglitz: "Georgia O'Keeffe (Nude)" ($1.36 million)
Another expensive photo of Alfred Stiglitz - "Georgia O'Keeffe (Nude)" was sold for $ 1.36 million in February 2006, also at Sotheby's in New York.
The high cost of the artist's work is explained by the fact that Alfred Stieglitz was a man who practically himself made a huge contribution to the world of US photography in the 20th century. The photographer fought for the recognition of photography as one of the art forms.
Richard Avedon: Dovima and the Elephants ($1.15 million)
"His portraits defined the image of American style, beauty and culture for the second half of the 20th century," they wrote about Richard Avedon. This 1955 photograph shows top model Dorothy Virginia Margaret Juba, better known as Dovima. Auction Christie's in 2010 found a buyer who bought the picture for 1.15 million dollars.
Some photographs are comparable in value to paintings by Renaissance artists. What is their value? How do they differ from the great many photos of cats, children and flowers that are multiplying every day on all kinds of photo sites and social networks? What makes art connoisseurs fork out unthinkable sums for exclusive shots? Below, a selection of the most expensive, to date, photographs in the world.
The picture taken in 1999 by Peter Lik is called "Phantom". Its cost is estimated at 6 million 500 thousand dollars! So far, this is the most expensive photograph in the world in history. Peter Leek made it while he was in Antelope Canyon, Arizona.
This photo has already made the rounds on the internet. The author is German Andreas Gursky. The photo taken in 1999 is called Rhine-II. The price of the photograph is impressive: 4 million 338 thousand dollars. Gursky is a renowned photo artist and has several photographs in his collection that have sold for millions of dollars. In the photo, the German river Rhine between the dams in rainy weather. In the original version, there was a power plant, a passer-by and a dog. All this was retouched in Photoshop. This is one of the shots from the Rhine series. The photograph was auctioned off in 2011 at Christie's auction. Its first owner was the Cologne gallery of Monika Spruth, then the work went to an unknown collector.
The work of an extravagant photo artist from America, Cindy Sherman, is made in the technique of so-called staged photographs. This is her most expensive and widely known work made in 1981, instead of the title it is number 96. The photo was purchased for 3 million 890 thousand dollars. The picture shows a bright girl: red hair, freckles, orange clothes. Cindy Sherman, a self-described performance artist, gives photography a special meaning. In her opinion, it was an attempt to capture the realization of immature femininity through the innocent image of a young pretty girl. A teenager holds a piece of newspaper with dating ads in his hands. The picture was sold in 2011 at Christie's.
“Dead Warriors Speak” - a photograph with such an epic title, strictly speaking, is not a photograph at all. This is a masterful photo collage made by Jeff Wall in 1992 and sold at auction for $3,666,500. It looks very realistic, but is staged. The plot takes you to 1986 in Afghanistan. In the photo there is a military ambush of the Red Army, in reality, a dozen professional actors are posing. Historicity is preserved - the characters are made up and dressed in appropriate costumes. Shot in the studio, Jeff Wall later processed in a photo editor.
In 2001–2002, Richard Prince created a photograph for a Marlboro advertisement and called it "Cowboy". In 2007, Cowboy was sold at Christie's for a whopping $3,340,000.
Insanely expensive diptych by Andreas Gursky "99 cents - II", made in 2001, depicts a moment from one working day in the "99 cents" store. Like "Rhine - II", which has already been mentioned above, the picture is extremely popular. Perhaps the style of photography, the insane perfectionism in the organization of the product, the spirit of consumption - all this made the work one of the most expensive in history. The "99 cents - II" snapshot was bought by a collector for $3,346,456.
This photograph by Edward Steichen does not pretend to have a depth of meaning or special eccentricity. Its uniqueness and value are determined by the fact that "Moonlight Pond" is the first color photograph in the history of photography, taken at night. Steichen made it in 1904. Now she is worth almost $3 million.
An equally popular photograph by Andreas Gursky, sold for $2,355,597, is called “Chicago Chamber of Commerce III.” It was also made in a series between 1999 and 2009. This photo has an exclusive resolution. A huge canvas print (approximately 185 x 240 cm) depicts the everyday life of the Chamber of Commerce in Chicago. If you enlarge the picture, you can see the working staff, computers, clothes to the smallest detail. The photo was bought for more than two million dollars in 2013.
Billy the Kid, aka Fort Sumner from New Mexico, is known to modern times from one surviving photograph. The picture was taken presumably in 1879-1880, the name of the author has not been preserved in history. The unique photograph was bought by an unknown collector for $2,300,000 a few years ago.
Photo "Tobolsk Kremlin" went under the hammer at the auction "Christmas alphabet", dedicated to charity. The cost of work by Russian standards is impressive - 51 million rubles. ($1.7 million at the rate of 2009) The uniqueness of the picture is due to the uniqueness of the author. It was made in 2009 by the now ex-president of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev from a bird's eye view during an excursion.
Edward Weston's "Naked Irradiation" is an erotic photograph taken in 1925 that depicts the naked body of Tina Modotti. Beloved woman and Weston's assistant helped him to create a photograph, which is estimated according to 2008 data at 1 million 609 thousand dollars.
In 1919, Alfred Stieglitz took an impressive photograph of the inspired hands of Georgia O'Keeffe, the artist. The photograph of the same name "Georgia O'Keeffe" in the winter of 2006 was sold at the well-known New York auction Sotheby's for 1 million 470 thousand dollars.
"Georgia O'Keeffe (Nude)", Alfred Stieglitz. The photo was sold for 1 million 360 thousand dollars in February 2006 at Sotheby's auction in New York.
The cost of the photographs can be explained by the fact that Alfred Stieglitz was the man who practically single-handedly pushed the United States into the art world of the 20th century. Stiglitz's passionate struggle for the recognition of photography as an art form in the end was crowned with his unconditional triumph.
