Pablo Picasso  巴勃羅?畢加索

 

 2011 Rank:4     Auction Revenue:US$314.46 million

2010 Rank:1     Auction Revenue:US$361.49 million

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was a prolific Spanish painter and sculptor. The co-founder of Cubism was widely recognized as one of the most influential artists in the 20th century. Picasso began to learn drawing when he was 8 years old, and was technically skilled by the age of 15. He pursued original creations throughout his whole life, defining how art can be.

The top earner in the auction market for 13 out of the past 14 years came in only fourth this year. Picasso annual total record of US$361.49 million in 2010 was broken by both Chinese masters Zhang Daqian and Qibaishi.

In 2011, his best result was generated by his "La lecture", a 65.5cm x 51cm small painting completed in 1932. It was hammered for US$36.27 million at Sotheby's in London in Feb., 2011. The oil on panel depicts his young mistress Marie-Thérèse Walter who was taking a nap with a book on her lap. His "Nude, Green Leaves and Bust" has set the best-ever auction record in artwork market by generating US$95 million in 2010. The final bid was US$95 million, but the buyer's premium took the sale price to US$106.5 million, according to the media report.