There are many reasons why a person packs his bags and goes on a trip. In most cases, this is a desire to take a break from everyone, relax and relieve stress. But there is also a desire to learn the traditions and culture of all corners of the world. Usually people are attracted by landscapes, beaches, seas, castles and museums. However, even statues can become a symbol of the country. Together with painting, sculpture is one of the most amazing art forms. It is not surprising that the value of some works exceeds all conceivable boundaries.
There are statues in the world that compete with each other for the right to be called the most attractive tourist attractions. People travel thousands of kilometers just to see them. Most of the statues are not in museums, but in the most unexpected places: on the tops of mountains, on small islands, or in private collections that are occasionally opened to the public.
10. Statue of Christ the Redeemer, $3.5 million
Every year, approximately 1.8 million tourists come to Rio de Janeiro to see the famous monument of Christ the Redeemer trying to wrap its arms around the beautiful beaches of Copacabana. The height of the statue is 38 m, including the pedestal - 8 m; arm span - 28 m. Weight - 1145 tons. The huge statue is considered one of the modern wonders of the world. Located on Mount Corcovado, the monument was created by the architect and engineer Heitor da Silva Costa. Construction lasted from 1922 to 1931. and then it cost 250 thousand dollars, now it would be 3.5 million.
9. Madame L.R., $36.8 million
Supporting the modernist movement in art, Constantin Brancusi is a representative of minimalism. Nevertheless, his work is always interesting to look at, because they look very original. Unlike other statues presented in the review, Brancusi's work is a whole concept. The sculpture was born, most likely, somewhere between 1914 and 1917. Previously, the masterpiece belonged to fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. In 2009, a 115 cm tall oak statue was sold in Paris for $36.8 million.
8 Statue Of Liberty: $45 Million
Known all over the world, the Statue of Liberty does not require much introduction. It is a symbol of freedom and democracy in the United States of America. It was created by the French and presented to the US government for the 100th anniversary of American independence. The opening of the Statue of Liberty took place on October 28, 1886. In her left hand, Lady Liberty holds the Declaration of Independence, and in her right hand, a torch symbolizing victory. The majestic statue was sculpted by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. The inspiration for him was the Colossus of Rhodes, dedicated to the Sun God. On the head of the Statue of Liberty is a crown with seven rays, which symbolize the seven continents. The giant steel structure that houses the statue was designed by renowned engineer Gustave Eiffel. At that time, the cost of the statue was $ 250,000. The funds spent on its construction were collected from contributions from the French people. Today, the cost of the statue is $ 45 million. Weight - 225 tons.
7. Tete, $52.6 million
Created by sculptor Amedeo Modigliani between 1910 and 1912, Tete is the most expensive limestone statue. On June 14, 2010, it was purchased by an anonymous collector via a phone call. Literally, the word "Tete" means "head". The sculpture depicts the face of a woman wearing a tribal mask with her hair thrown back. Creating his masterpiece, Modigliani was clearly inspired by African symbols. At over 60 cm tall, the sculpture features an interesting mix of elements from African culture and the minimalist approach of Constantin Brancusi.
6. Grande tete mince, $53.3 million
The famous "Grande tete mince" by Alberto Giacometti was created in 1954 and bought by an anonymous collector on May 4, 2010 for $ 53.3 million. Literally, the name of the statue means "big narrow head". If you look at the sculpture from a certain angle, the bust seems distorted. When looking at half of the face, the proportions seem normal, and when looking at the head from the foreground, the face looks abnormally narrow and long.
5 Spring Temple Buddha: $55 million
Currently, the Spring Temple Buddha is considered the tallest statue in the world. It is not as famous as the others presented in the review, but it deserves its place of honor among modern wonders. Its height without a stand is 128 meters, and with a stand - 153 meters. It was built in response to the demolition of the Buddha statues in Bamiyan (Afghanistan) by the Taliban in 2001. China continues to condemn the systematic demolition and destruction of Buddhist heritage throughout Afghanistan. The construction of the miracle statue was completed in 2008. It is twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty, made of copper and depicts the Vairokana Buddha. It is located in the Zhaocun village in Henan province, in the heart of China. The cost of the statue is $55 million.
4 Lioness Guennola: $57.2 million
Historians claim that the Guennola lioness is over 5,000 years old. The author of the sculpture is unknown; it belongs to the legacy of the Mesopotamian civilization of Elam. The sculpture is very small, only 3.2 cm high. It was discovered near Baghdad (Iraq). The sculpture depicts a hybrid creature, as human features are intertwined with animals, more precisely the features of a lioness. Historians and art historians believe that the sculpture was made at a time when man invented the wheel and began building the first settlements. In addition, the lioness is a symbol of Mesopotamian culture. The statue was purchased on December 5, 2007 by an anonymous collector for $57.2 million, making it the most expensive antique sculpture.
3. "For the Love of God": $100 million
The most modern statue in the review. A strange combination of platinum, a human skull, diamonds and human teeth to express love for God. The work belongs to contemporary artist Damien Hirst. The sculptor received inspiration for the creation of the statue from a 200-year-old turquoise Aztec skull. The skull is cast in platinum, adorned with real human teeth and diamonds, the total weight of which is 1106 carats. It was established in 2007 and sold the same year for $100 million.
2. L'Homme qui marche, $104.3 million
Sold at Sotheby's on February 3, 2010, the statue of L "Homme Qui Marche is the most expensive statue ever sold. Sculptor Alberto Giacometti created a masterpiece in 1961, which is a life-size man. Height - 1.82 meters. Title "L "Homme Qui Marche" literally means "a person who walks". The bronze statue symbolizes human strength. A person with feelings, cheerful and at the same time sad memories walks through life, trying to maintain balance. This is not only the most expensive sculpture ever sold. The Giacometti statue is also one of the most expensive pieces of art in human history. In 2010, Lily Safra, an avid art collector, paid $104.3 million for it.
1. Mount Rushmore, $11 billion
Mount Rushmore is one of the symbols of American independence and freedom in America. In addition, it is also a tribute to the four great presidents of the United States. Also known as the "mountain of presidents", Rushmore in South Dakota commemorates the faces of four American presidents who changed the fate of the country. From left to right - George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Work on the 18-meter sculptures began in 1927 and was completed in 1941. At the time, the project cost was almost $1 million. The masterpiece is currently valued at $11 billion in modern dollars, making Mount Rushmore the most expensive statues in the world.
At all times, art was valued, but it did not always bear fruit. Many currently famous sculptors, artists, musicians were not in demand during their lives. But at the present stage, art is valued very highly, both in aesthetic and monetary terms. The art of sculpture has reached an incredible climax in modern society. The work of sculptors is incredibly difficult and beautiful, and many wealthy people are willing to pay a simply exorbitant price to become the owner of one of the sculptures that have received worldwide popularity.
The most popular sculptures in the world
- Walking Man by Alberto Giacometti. The cost of the sculpture was 104.3 million dollars, created in 1961. This sculpture is one of the most recognizable sculptures in the world of the 20th century.
- "For the Love of God" by Damien Hirst. The cost of the sculpture is 100 million dollars, created in 2007. It is a platinum human skull, encrusted with a huge number of diamonds.
- "Head", by Amedeo Modigliani, the cost of the sculpture is 59.5 million dollars, created in 1910-1912. This work of art is stored in the Egyptian Museum of Britain and is an elongated head with almond-shaped eyes.
- Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons. The sculpture cost $58 million. This work of art is a huge dog made of "balloons".
- The Lioness of Guennola, author unknown. The sculpture cost $57.16 million. The height of the figurine is only 8 centimeters, it is presented in the form of an irregularly shaped lioness. All the funds that the owner-seller received for them were sent to a special charitable foundation. All that is known about it is the place of manufacture - Mesopotamia.
- Diego's Big Head by Alberto Giacometti. The sculpture is made of bronze and represents a long, elongated face, modeled after the author's younger and most beloved brother, Diego.
- "Nude female figure from the back 4" by Henri Matisse. The sculpture cost $48.8 million. This sculpture is part of the series "Standing with its back to the viewer" and became the greatest creation of modernist sculpture of the 20th century. This work of art is a bronze bas-relief.
In 2015, at one of the auctions held in New York, the sculpture "Pointing Man" by Alberto Giacometti was exhibited. It sold overnight for $141.3 million, earning it the title of "Most Expensive Sculpture in the World". This work of art was created back in 1947, the height of the sculpture was 180 centimeters, and it was estimated at 130 million dollars.
Interesting Facts:
- The most expensive sculpture in the world was created by the Swiss sculptor, painter and graphic artist Alberto Giacometti, who was one of the greatest masters of the twentieth century.
- All the works of this author can be attributed to the style of "French avant-garde of the 20th century." All the people portrayed by Alberto Giacometti characterize lonely individuals who do not mean anything. This is a person who is in constant search of his inner "I".
- The record was set at Christie's in New York, where the sculpture sold for $141.3 million in 2015. The theme of the auction sounded like "Forward to the past."
- The Pointing Man was hand-painted by Alberto Giacometti, which makes the sculpture absolutely unique and adds to its value.
- Before the appearance of the "Pointing Man", the most expensive sculpture in the world was the "Walking Man", made by the same author a little later, in 1967 and sold for 104 million dollars.
- The Pointing Man is one of six sculptures of the same theme created by Alberto Giacometti.
- This sculpture has become the most expensive sculpture in the world ever sold at auction. Pointing Man was the author's first own exhibition in 15 years. He was very prepared for it, and in just a few hours, working at night, Giacometti created a work of art, which in the future received the status of the most expensive sculpture in the world.
- The sculpture was created in 1947, its height is 180 cm, and its material is pure bronze.
- Before the "Pointing Man" was sold for the largest amount, for forty years it was in the private collection of Pierre Matisse, son of the famous artist Henri Mathias.
- All sculptures by Alberto Giacometti are the most expensive. And the author himself has been in the top ten most expensive sculptors in the world since 2002.
- Starting in 2010, Giacometti's work began to be judged by the value and value of Picasso himself.
- The author suffered from epilepsy, which is why his peculiar perception can be explained by an epileptic distortion of reality. The constant feeling of one's own fragility, human disproportion, understanding of the unexpectedness of death - all this influenced the artistic accent of Alberto Giacometti.
- The high thin body of the "Pointing Man", his thin and long arms - express loneliness, the fragility of the human body in outer space, vulnerability and defenselessness. In other words, this sculpture, like others from this series, characterizes the isolation of the individual, the importance of not the outer shell, but the search for one's inner "I".
- The name of the buyer who decided to pay $141.3 million for the Pointing Man sculpture has not been disclosed and is still unknown.
Alberto Giacometti passed away in 1966, leaving behind a world heritage of avant-garde sculpture of the 20th century, which many art connoisseurs from all over the world are fighting for possession, and ready to pay huge money for them.
While the economies of the countries of the world are far from flourishing, moneybags are ready to spend huge amounts of money on cars, apartments, and, of course, art objects. A clear proof of this is the Walking Man sculpture, which an unknown buyer purchased at Sotheby's British auction for $104.327 million. Thus, the "Walking Man" is the most expensive sculpture in history.
The current owner of the most expensive sculpture purchased the "Walking Man" 8 minutes after the start of the auction, winning a lot from 10 connoisseurs of beauty. It is worth noting that Sotheby’s did not even expect to receive such an amount, because the final price of the lot hung almost four times its starting price.
Alberto Giacometti, the author of the sculpture, created two versions of the Walking Man, which have slight differences from each other. The work of art was born in 1961 and is a statue of pure bronze the size of a human being. Such a high cost of the sculpture is explained by the fact that this is one of the most famous creations of Alberto Giacometti. Moreover, very few of Giacometti's works have survived to this day, so it is not surprising that The Walking Man is worth its weight in gold.
“The Walking Man” is far from the first work of the sculptor Alberto Giacometti, which is so highly valued in trading houses. What is only his “Big Standing Woman”, which was sold at Christie’s New York auction for $ 27,481,000. Everyone wants to get the masterpieces of a brilliant sculptor that simply cannot be measured in numbers.
The art of sculpture in our time has probably reached its apogee, at least as regards the price and demand for the work of masters. On May 12, 2015, at Christie's auction (it is the largest auction house in the world after Sotheby's) in New York, another price record was broken: the rather controversial sculpture "Man Pointing" by Alberto Giacometti was sold for an incredible amount of 141.3 million dollars! This is almost 40 million more than the previous top lot - another work of this Swiss master "Walking Man I".
Sculpture "Pointing man", 1947
Height: 180 cm
Price: $141.3 million
Place, time of sale: Christie's, May 2015
The Pointing Man is the most expensive sculpture ever sold at auction. This is one of six similar bronze statues by Giacometti created in 1947. The sculpture that went under the hammer at Christie's has been kept in a private collection for the last 45 years. Its former owner bought the work from American collectors Fred and Florence Olsen in 1970. They, in turn, purchased the masterpiece in 1953 from the son of the famous French artist Henri Matisse Pierre The rest of the "pointing" sculptures are kept in museums around the world, including the New York MoMA and London's Tate gallery, as well as in private collections.
The lot sold at Christie's differs from others in that Giacometti hand-painted it. The sculptor created the statue in a few hours - between midnight and nine in the morning, he told his biographer. The Swiss master was preparing for his first exhibition in New York in 15 years. “I had already made a plaster cast, but I destroyed and created again and again, because the workers of the foundry had to pick it up in the morning. When they got the cast, the plaster was still wet," he recalled.
Depicting thin, highly elongated figures of people, symbolizing loneliness and insecurity of existence, the sculptor began after the Second World War, during which Giacometti was forced to move from France to Switzerland and settle in Geneva. Giacometti's work is considered one of the most expensive on the contemporary art market. On the eve of the auction, experts estimated the cost of "Pointing Man" at $ 130 million - higher than the cost of the previous record holder, "Walking Man I" by the same author. The name of the buyer, who laid out $141.3 million for the sculpture, was not disclosed.
Sculpture "Walking Man I", 1961
Height: 183 cm
Price: $104.3 million
Place, time: Sotheby's, February 2010
Walking Man I is considered one of the most recognizable sculptures of the 20th century. The work, along with a portrait of its author, is even depicted on the 100 Swiss franc note. In 2010, it appeared at auction for the first time in twenty years - the lot was put up by the German Dresdner Bank AG, which acquired a masterpiece for the corporate collection, but after the takeover of Commerzbank, got rid of the art objects. The sellers promised to donate the proceeds from Walking Man I to charity.
The sculpture caused a real stir. At least ten applicants fought for it in the hall, but the highest price was finally offered by an anonymous buyer by phone. Bidding lasted eight minutes, during which time the starting price of the lot rose five times (and together with the commission - almost six times).
Experts from The Wall Street Journal suggested that the anonymous buyer was Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who bought a bronze statue of a woman created by Giacometti in 1956 two years earlier. However, Bloomberg later found out that Lily Safra, the widow of Brazilian banker Edmond Safra, became the owner of the statue.
Sculpture "For the love of the Lord", 2007
Dimensions: 17.1 x 12.7 x 19.1 cm
Price: $100 million
Place, time: 2007
The sculpture, made by the famous British artist Damien Hirst from 2 kg of platinum, is a slightly reduced copy of the skull of a 35-year-old European of the 18th century. The cells for diamonds (8601 in total) are laser cut, the jaw is made of platinum, and real teeth are inserted. The skull is crowned with a pink diamond weighing 52.4 carats. The work cost the British artist, famous for his scandalous installations using animal corpses in formalin, £14 million.
Hirst claimed that the name of the sculpture was inspired by the words of the mother when she turned to him with the question: For the love of God, what are you going to do next? ("For God's sake, what are you doing now?"). For the love of God is a verbatim quote from the First Epistle of John.
In 2007, the skull was exhibited at the White Cube Gallery and sold for $100m (£50m) the same year. Bloomberg and The Washington Post wrote that Damien Hirst himself, as well as Ukrainian billionaire Viktor Pinchuk, were among the investors. A representative of the White Cube gallery did not comment on the rumors, but said that the buyers intend to subsequently resell Hirst's work.
Sculpture "Head", 1910-1912
Height: 65 cm
Price: $59.5 million
Place, time: Christie's, June 2010
For the work of Amedeo Modigliani, collectors bargained over the phone, as a result, the sculpture went under the hammer for $ 59.5 million, which was ten times higher than the starting price. The name of the buyer was not disclosed, but it is known that he comes from Italy.
Modigliani did not work on sculpture for long - from 1909 to 1913, when the artist returned to painting again, including due to tuberculosis. The "Head" sold at Christie's is part of a collection of seven sculptures "Pillars of Tenderness", which the author exhibited in 1911 in the studio of the Portuguese artist Amadeo de Sousa-Cordoso. All works are distinguished by a pronounced oval head, almond-shaped eyes, long, thin nose, small mouth and elongated neck.Experts also draw analogies between Modigliani's sculpture and the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti, which is kept in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin.
Sculpture "Dog from balloons (orange)", 1994-2000
Dimensions: 307.3 x 363.2 x 114.3 cm
Price: $58 million
Place, time: Christie's, November 2013
The stainless steel dog came to the auction from the collection of businessman Peter Brant, having previously visited the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Grand Canal in Venice and the Palace of Versailles. The pre-sale estimate for the lot, three meters high and weighing a ton, was $55 million. The orange dog is the first of five "air" dogs created by the American artist. The remaining four sculptures also went to collections, but were sold at a lower price.
Commercial success came to Koons, a former Wall Street broker, in 2007. Then his giant metal installation Hanging Heart was sold at Sotheby's for $23.6 million. The following year, the huge purple Balloon Flower went to Christie's for $25.8 million. In 2012, the Tulips sculpture "was sold at Christie's for $33.7 million.
Sculpture "The Lioness of Guennola", circa 3000-2800 BC
Height: 8.26 cm
Price: $57.1 million
Place, time: Sotheby's, January 2007
Created in ancient Mesopotamia about 5,000 years ago, the limestone figurine was found in 1931 in Iraq, near Baghdad. In the head of the lioness, two holes for a lace or chain were preserved: it was intended to be worn around the neck. Since 1948, the work has belonged to the famous American collector Alistair Bradley Martin and has been exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Announcing the decision to sell the sculpture, Martin promised to send the proceeds to charity.
The antique "Lioness" set a price record for sculptures in 2007 at New York's Sotheby's, moving Picasso's bronze "Head of a Woman" from first place, sold less than a month earlier for $ 29.1 million. The final price for the sculpture exceeded the initial more than three times.5 buyers took part in the struggle for the figurine, the winner of the auction wished to remain anonymous.
Sculpture "Diego's Big Head", 1954
Height: 65 cm
Price: $53.3 million
Place, time: Christie's, May 2010
The bronze sculpture depicts Alberto Giacometti's younger brother Diego, he was the Swiss master's favorite model. There are several "heads", the last of the series was sold at Sotheby's in 2013 for $ 50 million. Diego's Big Head was cast for installation on a street square in New York, work on it was suspended due to the death of the author. , sold under the hammer at Christie's, was $ 25-35 million.
Giacometti has been in the top 10 most expensive artists in the world since 2002, after the sale of several works by the artist at Christie's. The most expensive figurine sold then was the third of eight copies of the Cage sculpture - it was estimated at $ 1.5 million. However It was 2010 that became a landmark for the artist, when Giacometti's works began to be evaluated at the level of Picasso's paintings.
Sculpture "Nude female figure from the back IV", 1958
Height: 183 cm
Price: $48.8 million
Place, time: Christie's, November 2010
Experts call the bronze bas-relief "Nude female figure from the back IV" the brightest of the four works of the "Standing with her back to the viewer" series, and the entire series - the greatest creation of modernist sculpture of the 20th century.
Until 2010, none of the sculptures of this cycle were put up for auction, although the bas-relief sold at Christie's is not the only one: a plaster cast for each series was cast immediately in 12 copies. The height of one figure is 183 cm, weight - more than 270 kg Now the complete series of Standing Back to the Viewer are held in nine leading museums in the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Gallery in London and the Pompidou Center in Paris. Only two copies remained in private collections, one of which was sold under the hammer.
"Nude female figure from the back IV" was originally estimated at $ 25-35 million, and the amount paid for it became a record for a Matisse work ever sold at auction.
Sculpture "Madame L.R.", 1914-1917
Price: $37.2 million
Place, time: Christie's, February 2009
The legendary sculptor of Romanian origin gained worldwide fame in Paris, where he lived for 35 years. His work had a great influence on the development of modern sculpture, Brancusi was called the founder of sculptural abstraction. From the very beginning of its existence, the Pompidou Center has had a separate "Brancusi Room".
Wooden figurine of Madame L.R. was created by Brancusi in 1914-1917. This is one of his most famous works. It is believed that "Madame L.R." conveys the traditional style of Carpathian carving and the influence of African art on the author's work. The sculpture was sold in 2009 at Christie's as part of the art collection of the French couturier Yves Saint Laurent.
Sculpture "Tulips", 1995-2004
Price: $33.7 million
Place, time: Christie's, November 2012
“The numbers on the price tag sometimes seem astronomical to me. But people pay such amounts because they dream of joining the art process. Their right,” Jeff Koons reasoned in an interview with Interview magazine after his Tulips were sold for $ 33, 7 million Koons called the most successful American artist after Warhol.
"Tulips" are one of the most complex and largest sculptures from the Festive Series (with apparent weightlessness, they weigh more than three tons). This is a bouquet of seven intertwined "balloon" flowers, made of stainless steel and coated with translucent paint.
The sculpture, which, according to the author's intention, reveals the concept of childlike innocence, was bought in 2012 by one of the most extravagant heroes of Las Vegas, casino owner and billionaire Steve Wynn. He chose to showcase the acquisition at Wynn Las Vegas, a "public art" businessman who often exhibits items from his collection at his resorts.
forbes.ru
There are many reasons why a person packs his bags and goes on a trip. In most cases, this is a desire to take a break from everyone, relax and relieve stress. But there is also a desire to learn the traditions and culture of all corners of the world. Usually people are attracted by landscapes, beaches, seas, castles and museums. However, even statues can become a symbol of the country. Together with painting, sculpture is one of the most amazing art forms. It is not surprising that the value of some works exceeds all conceivable boundaries.
There are statues in the world that compete with each other for the right to be called the most attractive tourist attractions. People travel thousands of kilometers just to see them. Most of the statues are not in museums, but in the most unexpected places: on the tops of mountains, on small islands, or in private collections that are occasionally opened to the public.
10. Statue of Christ the Redeemer, $3.5 million
Statue of Christ the Redeemer
Statue of Christ the Redeemer
Every year, approximately 1.8 million tourists come to Rio de Janeiro to see the famous monument of Christ the Redeemer trying to wrap its arms around the beautiful beaches of Copacabana. The height of the statue is 38 m, including the pedestal - 8 m; arm span - 28 m. Weight - 1145 tons. The huge statue is considered one of the modern wonders of the world. Located on Mount Corcovado, the monument was created by the architect and engineer Heitor da Silva Costa. Construction lasted from 1922 to 1931. and then it cost 250 thousand dollars, now it would be 3.5 million.
9. Madame L.R.$36.8 million
Madame L.R.
Madame L.R.
Supporting the modernist movement in art, Constantin Brancusi is a representative of minimalism. Nevertheless, his work is always interesting to look at, because they look very original. Unlike other statues presented in the review, Brancusi's work is a whole concept. The sculpture was born, most likely, somewhere between 1914 and 1917. Previously, the masterpiece belonged to fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. In 2009, a 115 cm tall oak statue was sold in Paris for $36.8 million.
8. Statue of Liberty.$45 million
Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
Known all over the world, the Statue of Liberty does not require much introduction. It is a symbol of freedom and democracy in the United States of America. It was created by the French and presented to the US government for the 100th anniversary of American independence. The opening of the Statue of Liberty took place on October 28, 1886. In her left hand Lady Liberty holds the Declaration of Independence and in her right hand a torch symbolizing victory. The majestic statue was sculpted by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. The source of inspiration for him was the Colossus of Rhodes, dedicated to the God of the Sun. On the head of the Statue of Liberty is a crown with seven rays, which symbolize the seven continents. The giant steel structure that houses the statue was designed by renowned engineer Gustave Eiffel. At that time, the cost of the statue was $ 250,000. The funds spent on its construction were collected from contributions from the French people. Today, the cost of the statue is $ 45 million. Weight - 225 tons.
7.Tete.$52.6 million
Tete
Tete
Created by sculptor Amedeo Modigliani between 1910 and 1912, Tete is the most expensive limestone statue. On June 14, 2010, it was purchased by an anonymous collector via a phone call. Literally, the word "Tete" means "head". The sculpture depicts the face of a woman wearing a tribal mask with her hair thrown back. Creating his masterpiece, Modigliani was clearly inspired by African symbols. At over 60 cm tall, the sculpture features an interesting mix of elements from African culture and the minimalist approach of Constantin Brancusi.
6. Grande tete mince, $53.3 million
grande tete mince
grande tete mince
The famous "Grande tete mince" by Alberto Giacometti was created in 1954 and bought by an anonymous collector on May 4, 2010 for $ 53.3 million. Literally, the name of the statue means "big narrow head". If you look at the sculpture from a certain angle, the bust seems distorted. When looking at half of the face, the proportions seem normal, and when looking at the head from the foreground, the face looks abnormally narrow and long.
5. Buddha of the Spring Temple.$55 million
Spring Temple Buddha
Spring Temple Buddha
Currently, the Spring Temple Buddha is considered the tallest statue in the world. It is not as famous as the others presented in the review, but it deserves its place of honor among modern wonders. Its height without a stand is 128 meters, and with a stand - 153 meters. It was built in response to the demolition of the Buddha statues in Bamiyan (Afghanistan) by the Taliban in 2001. China continues to condemn the systematic demolition and destruction of Buddhist heritage throughout Afghanistan. The construction of the miracle statue was completed in 2008. It is twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty, made of copper and depicts the Vairokana Buddha. It is located in the Zhaocun village in Henan province, in the heart of China. The cost of the statue is $55 million.
4. Lioness Guennola.$57.2 million
Lioness Guennola
Lioness Guennola
Historians claim that the Guennola lioness is over 5,000 years old. The author of the sculpture is unknown; it belongs to the legacy of the Mesopotamian civilization of Elam. The sculpture is very small, only 3.2 cm high. It was discovered near Baghdad (Iraq). The sculpture depicts a hybrid creature, as human features are intertwined with animals, more precisely the features of a lioness. Historians and art historians believe that the sculpture was made at a time when man invented the wheel and began building the first settlements. In addition, the lioness is a symbol of Mesopotamian culture. The statue was purchased on December 5, 2007 by an anonymous collector for $57.2 million, making it the most expensive antique sculpture.
3. "For the love of God": $100 million
"For the Love of God"
"For the Love of God"
The most modern statue in the review. A strange combination of platinum, a human skull, diamonds and human teeth to express love for God. The work belongs to contemporary artist Damien Hirst. The sculptor received inspiration for the creation of the statue from a 200-year-old turquoise Aztec skull. The skull is cast in platinum, adorned with real human teeth and diamonds, the total weight of which is 1106 carats. It was established in 2007 and sold the same year for $100 million.
2. L "Homme qui marche.$104.3 million
L'homme qui marche
L'homme qui marche
Sold at Sotheby's on February 3, 2010, the statue of L "Homme Qui Marche is the most expensive statue ever sold. Sculptor Alberto Giacometti created a masterpiece in 1961, which is a life-size man. Height - 1.82 meters. Title "L "Homme Qui Marche" literally means "a person who walks". The bronze statue symbolizes human strength. A person with feelings, cheerful and at the same time sad memories walks through life, trying to maintain balance. This is not only the most expensive sculpture ever sold. The Giacometti statue is also one of the most expensive pieces of art in human history. In 2010, Lily Safra, an avid art collector, paid $104.3 million for it.
1. Mount Rushmore.$11 billion
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore is one of the symbols of American independence and freedom in America. In addition, it is also a tribute to the four great presidents of the United States. Also known as the "mountain of presidents", Rushmore in South Dakota commemorates the faces of four American presidents who changed the fate of the country. From left to right - George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Work on the 18-meter sculptures began in 1927 and was completed in 1941. At the time, the project cost was almost $1 million. The masterpiece is currently valued at $11 billion in modern dollars, making Mount Rushmore the most expensive statues in the world.
