The Most Expensive Art & Artifacts of 2024–2025
The world of art and collecting in 2024 and early 2025 has been marked by record-breaking sales, proving that the appetite for rare and significant pieces remains as strong as ever. From iconic paintings to one-of-a-kind artifacts, these sales not only set new price records but also highlighted the enduring value of cultural heritage.
I’ve gathered for you some of the most fascinating and expensive lots sold at auction during this period.
NUMBER 1. The Stegosaurus fossil was sold at Sotheby’s for $44.6 million to hedge fund billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin — setting a new auction record for a fossil and sparking debate among paleontologists about private ownership of scientifically significant specime.
NUMBER 2. Rene Magritte. One of the standout pieces is René Magritte’s L’Empire des Lumières — the very first of 17 oil paintings in this legendary series. Painted in 1949, this version (48.5 x 58.8 cm) was originally sold to Nelson Rockefeller and later acquired by Riggio at Christie’s New York in 2023 for $34.9 million. After last year’s record-breaking $121 million sale of another version from the Mica Ertegun collection, this one is expected to spark major interest.
Number 3. Claude Monet’s Nymphéas (1914–1917) isn’t just another painting — it’s a quiet explosion of color, movement, and light from the master of Impressionism himself. Part of his iconic Water Lilies series, this particular canvas captures the serene, almost meditative beauty of his garden in Giverny.
What makes it so valuable? It’s the scale, the brushwork, the depth — but more than that, it’s the emotional weight. Collectors see Nymphéas as a symbol of peace, transcendence, and timelessness. It’s no surprise it sold for $65.5 million in 2024. In a world that often feels chaotic, Monet’s lilies still feel like a breath of stillness — and that’s priceless.
Number 4. Surreal, strange, and utterly magnetic — Les Distractions de Dagobert (1945) is Carrington at her most powerful. Full of symbolism and dreamlike tension, this painting feels like a portal into her wild inner world. In 2024, it sold for $28.5 million, setting a new auction record for the British-born surrealist — and proving that her vision is finally getting the recognition it deserves.
One of the standout sales of 2024 was Leonora Carrington’s Les Distractions de Dagobert (1945), which stunned the art world by fetching $28.5 million at Sotheby’s New York — far surpassing its $12–18 million estimate. The sale not only set a new auction record for Carrington (previously $3.3 million in 2022) but also made her the most expensive British-born female artist ever sold at auction. With this milestone, Carrington joins the ranks of Frida Kahlo, Louise Bourgeois, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Joan Mitchell as one of the top five female artists at auction — and now ranks among the four most valuable surrealists, ahead of even Max Ernst and Salvador Dalí.
Number 5. In December 2024, Judy Garland’s iconic ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz sold for a jaw-dropping $28 million at Heritage Auctions. That price tag made them the most expensive piece of film memorabilia ever sold at auction. More than just shoes, they’re a symbol of Hollywood magic — and clearly, for one collector, worth every glittering cent.
Number 6. In November 2024, Tide — a delicate, flowing sculpture by Australian artist Bronwyn Oliver — sold for $1 million at auction in Sydney. The sale set a new record for Australian sculpture and marked a major moment of recognition for Oliver’s ethereal, nature-inspired work. Her legacy continues to rise, much like the tides that shaped her artistic vision.
