We all hear about the high-end auctions that take place around the world selling some of the most famous artists work to bidders who know the true value of a piece of art, but just how much do these artists make from auctions? Here’s a list of the artists who made the most over the past year.
Despite the fact that the art market was not immune to the horrid economic climate of last year and some works or art saw their prices slashed by 40 percent, according to a research provider called Artprice, over the past years, things “have never been so good for some artists and the owners of their work.”
Top place went to Damien Hirst who works sold for a total of $193.5 million between June 2008 and June 2009, according to Artprice. It’s noted, however, that Hirst’s top position was largely influenced by his September 2009 Sotheby’s auction, Beautiful Inside My Head Forever.
Second place went to the late Jean-Michel Basquiat, a US painter of African descent whose works sold for a total of $45.5 million in auctions over the last year years.
Below is a list of the top ten earners of the art world during the 12 months leading up to June 20, 2009, according to Artpiece.
Damien Hirst (UK)
Auction sales turnover: $193.5 million
Lots sold: 381
Top hammer price: $16.6 million
Jean-Michel Basquiat (USA)
Auction Sales Turnover: $45.5 million
Lots sold: 47 Top hammer price: $13.5 million
Richard Prince (USA)
Auction sales turnover: $35 million
Lots sold: 61
Maximum auction price: $6.7 million
Jeff Koons (USA)
Auction Sales Turnover: $33 million
Lots sold: 110
Top hammer price: $5 million
Peter Doig (UK)
Auction sales Turnover: $17.5 million
Lots sold: 41
Top hammer price: $4.4 million
Fanzhi Zeng (China)
Auction sales turnover: $15.8 million
Lots sold: 42
Top hammer price: $1.4 million
Xiaogang Zhang (China)
Auction sales Turnover: $14.4 million
Lots sold: 39
Top hammer price: $3.3 million
Takashi Murakami (Japan)
Auction sales Turnover: $11.6 million
Lots sold: 271
Top hammer price: $3.3 million
Anish Kapoor (India)
Auction Sales Turnover: $9.6 million
Lots sold: 31
Top hammer price: $3 million
Chen Yifei (China)
Auction Sales Turnover: $9.5 million
Lots sold: 21
Top Hammer Price: $5.5 million
