By Salome Zaalishvili
1
PABLO PICASSO (1881-1973)
Buste de femme (1944)
Buste de Femme - a portrait of Dora Maar painted by Picasso during the second world war in 1944 was the most expensive painting sold at auction in September. The painting was sold in Hong Kong and fetched $25 million, a record for Picasso in Asia.
2
ZAO WOU-KI (ZHAO WUJI, 1920-2013)
17.3.63 (1963)
“I wanted to paint what is not visible, the breath of life, the wind, the movement, the life of shapes, the blossoming of colours and their fusion.” —Zao Wou-Ki
The painting was first sold by Galerie de France in Paris, the first gallery that sold Wou-Ki’s art when he first moved to Europe. The painting had 5 different owners, before being sold in September for an impressive $10.9 million.
3
YOSHITOMO NARA b. 1959
Can't Wait 'til the Night Comes (2012)
The piece titled Can't Wait 'til the Night Comes painted bt Yoshitomo Nara in 2012 was first sold by Blum and Poe Gallery in the United States, California. The painting had its auction debut in 2019 when it was sold for $11.8 by Christie’s in Hong Kong. This time around it was sold by Sotheby’s for $10.2 million.
4
FRANCIS NEWTON SOUZA 1924 - 2002
Houses in Hampstead (1962)
Francis Newton Souza, often dubbed the “Indian Picasso” was the first Indian artist to achieve worldwide recognition after Indian independence. Souza was also one of the pivotal figures in the Indian Avant-Guarde movement. Souza’s painting titled Houses in Hampstead set a new record for the artist, fetching £5,652,000 million or $7.6 million at Sotheby’s auction in London.
5
YOSHITOMO NARA
Pinky (2000)
Yoshitomo Nara’s second painting in the list, Pinky, has been in private collection since 2009 when it was purchased at Stephen Friedman Gallery in London. At a debut auction for the painting held by the Philipps auction house the piece was sold for $7.2 million.
6
FRANCIS NEWTON SOUZA
Emperor (1957)
Francis Newton Souza’s second most expensive painting sold in September and 6th on the list was a piece titled Emperor. It was sold at auction for the second time for £5,164,000 ($6.9 million), almost five times the high estimate.
7
CLAUDE MONET (1840-1926)
Printemps à Giverny, effet d'après-midi (1885)
Claud Monet’s Printemps à Giverny, effet d'après-midi 4.8 was sold for $4.8 million, making it the 7th most expensive painting sold at auction in September. Giverny was the biggest inspiration for Monet’s work, lush gardens and lively landscapes, a place where he spent half his life, 43 years.
8
YAYOI KUSAMA (B. 1929)
PUMPKIN [TWAQN] (2015)
96 year old Japanese artist Yaoi Kusama is most known for her sculptures and installations, but despite the medium pumpkins, a sort of an emblem for Kusama, take a center stage in many of her works. PUMPKIN [TWAQN], a painting created in 2025 is the largest painting depicting more than one pumpkin brought to auction in the last 5 years. The painting was sold for $4.4 million.
9
PABLO PICASSO (1881-1973)
Nu assis appuyé sur des coussins (19 December 1964)
Nu assis appuyé sur des coussins - a portrait of Jaqueline Roque, Picasso’s second wife and muse in his late period. The painting was recently sold by Christie’s in 2019 for $2,535,000. This year it was sold by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong for $4.13 million.
10
Roy Lichtenstein 1923 - 1997
Vista with Bridge (1996)
Vista with Bridge is part of Roy Lichtenstein’s final series titled Landscapes in the Chinese Style. The series consists of 21 paintings, 2 prints, 2 sculptures and numerous preparatory sketches. On it’s debut auction the painting sold for $3.9 million. Lichtenstein’s most expensive painting titled Nurse was sold for $95 million at Christie’s auction in 2015.
