Who are the richest painters in the world? A list of the top 10 world's wealthiest
Painting is one of the highest crafts in art because it requires skill and devotion to produce a masterpiece. A good painter can take years to finish a piece of work because he knows that everything must be done perfectly. Such commitment is usually rewarded with a lot of money in the form of an exhibition or when the paintings are sold. The richest painters in the world can get millions of dollars just for a single piece of work.
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With the help of today’s technology, a painting can be done in a matter of seconds using a computer. However, such paintings cannot be appreciated like those done by hand because painters add emotions to their work. That is why the most expensive artists are still sought after and cannot be replaced by any piece of technology.
Richest painters in the world
Who is the richest painter in the world? If you are asked such a question, the first name to come to mind would probably be Damien Hirst.
If you want to know how rich painters can be, you have to ask yourself how much is the Mona Lisa worth. This masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci is worth $900 million. Below are some of the wealthiest in the industry:
1. Damien Hirst – $700 million
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Damien Hirst has remained the richest painter in the world, not just because he is a skilled painter but also due to his business acumen. He is an art collector, artist and entrepreneur who gained prominence in the 1990s and has remained in the spotlight ever since. He is famous for ‘spin’ and ‘spot’ paintings.
One of its most famous artworks of Damien is the installation that features dead animals preserved in formaldehyde and displayed in clear cases. If you have to name a famous painter, it would be Damien because he is among the most commercially successful artists.
2. Anish Kapoor – $700 million
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Anish Kapoor hails from India and is as rich as Damien Hirst. In 1973, he moved to London to study art at Hornsey College of Art. He also studied at the Chelsea School of Art and Design and has lived in London since he went to the UK.
Some of his famous works include Sky Mirror, Cloud Gate, Temenos, Kensington Gardens, ArcelorMittal Orbit and Leviathan. He has a net worth of $700 million. In addition, he has won several prizes such as the Turner Prize, Premio Duemila Prize and a Knighthood.
3. Jeff Koons – $500 million
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Jeff Koons’ net worth of $500 makes him one of the wealthiest painters in the world. He is an American artist famous for works such as Banality and Bouquet of Tulips. His works have gathered huge sums at auctions throughout the years.
His Ballon Dog art sold for $58.4 million, while Rabbit grossed $91.1 million at Christie's auction in 2019. He has carved a name for himself through artwork that depicts everyday objects.
4. Jasper Johns – $300 million
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Jasper Johns is a contemporary artist who has contributed significantly to movements like Neo-Dada, Pop Art, and Abstract Expressionism. He made a name for himself through works such as Numbers, Flags, Stenciled Words and Maps. He is fondly remembered in the art world for the Grand Prize for painting at the 1998 Venice Biennial Artist of the year.
The artist has bagged several accolades, including the National Medal of Artists and the Presidential Media of Freedom. In addition, he works with the Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts to encourage and foster artistic endeavours.
5. David Choe – $300 million
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David Choe is more than your regular painter because he is also a graphic novelist, graffiti artist and muralist. He may not be as formidable as the industry pioneers, but he is still good enough to attract a huge fortune to his name. Choe's net worth is estimated to be around $300 million as of 2022.
He has distinguished himself with "dirty style" figure paintings, but most of his money has come from Facebook shares. In 2007, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg asked him to make murals on the walls of the Facebook headquarters. In return, he was paid in the form of Facebook stock instead of cash.
6. David Hockney – $150 million
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He is an iconic painter believed to be among the most influential artists of the 20th century. He is one of the earliest artists to use acrylic paint and made great contributions to the Pop Art movement in the 1960s. In 2018, he became the most expensive living artist after selling one painting for $90.3 million.
Hockney's works have been featured in several exhibitions, books and stages. He is the founder of the David Hockney Foundation, which has been operating since 2018. His major occupation now is to promote art appreciation among the public.
7. Andrew Vicari – $142 million
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Vicari is a Welsh painter who established a thriving career in France even though he was largely unknown in his own country. He is known for painting portraits of prominent people. In 2004, he was Britain’s wealthiest living painter.
His works have attracted international recognition, especially in the Middle East, where three museums are solely dedicated to his work. He was appointed the official painter to the king and Government of Saudi Arabia in 1974. At one time, he sold a collection of 125 paintings for $17 million.
8. Takashi Murakami – $100 million
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No other painter has been able to showcase Japanese culture to the world like Takashi Murakami. The Japanese painter has focused his artwork on the age-old traditions of his country. He has done everything from high to low arts, fashion, anime, and merchandise.
His works attract huge sums, such as the Hiropon, which sold for $427,500 at Christie's in 2002 and Miss Ko2, which sold for $567,500 in 2003. But, perhaps his biggest sale is the $15.2 million he got for My Lonesome Cowboy at Sotheby's.
9. Banksy – $50 million
Banksy is a mysterious painter whose identity has never been revealed, even though his work is known worldwide. He has spent years creating complex street art at night to conceal his identity. Nevertheless, he is among the most celebrated artists of today.
He uses a unique stencilling technique and focuses on images with poignant messages. His work exhibits dark humour and revolves around political and social issues. His work started getting attention in Bristol before expanding his reach to other parts of the world. Banksy’s net worth is $50 million as of 2022.
10. Gerhard Richter – $40 million
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Gerhard is a German visual artist known for abstract and photorealistic paintings. He is considered one of the most important contemporary German artists. He may not be the richest painter in the world, but some of his works have set record prices at auction.
At the start of his career in 1955, he made a wall painting for the refectory of his Academy of Arts. In the 1960s, he created several painting pictures from black-and-white photographs. As of 1964, he focused on making portraits of dealers, artists, collectors and other people from his immediate professional circle.
There is no limit to the amount of money the richest painters in the world can make because all they have to do is keep painting for as long as they are alive. Many contemporary artists are inspired by futuristic things like skyscrapers in the place of natural settings. All the same, a work of a true artist gains admiration regardless of the object of his work.
Yen.com.gh shared an interesting article about the richest politicians in Ghana. With the tremendous growth of the economy in the country, some people's worth has also increased. One habit of rich people is investing their money in profitable ventures.
The list in this article shows that Ghana is one blessed country. Having wealthy people in the country impacts the economy positively. The rich people in society do this by creating more employment and investment opportunities.
Source: YEN.com.gh
