New York City Auctions: The Top 5 Record-Breaking Prices This Spring (PHOTOS)

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Here are the top five works that set record-breaking prices for contemporary, impressionist and modern art at Christie's and Sotheby's spring auction sales.

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• Edvard Munch, 'The Scream'

  May 2, Sotheby's; $119.9 million, the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction.

• Mark Rothko, 'Orange, Red, Yellow'

  Tuesday, Christie's; $86.8 million, record for any contemporary artwork at auction.

• Roy Lichtenstein, 'Sleeping Girl'

  Wednesday, Sotheby's; $44.8 million, record for the artist at auction.

• Francis Bacon, 'Figure Writing Reflected in Mirror'

  Wednesday, Sotheby's; $44.8 million, the highest auction price for a single-panel painting by the artist.

• Yves Klein, 'FC1'

  Tuesday, Christie's; $36.4 million, record for the artist at auction.

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Comments

[dtroppy]

12:37 PM on 05/14/2012

Who dreamed that the artwork would end up catering to only the 1% ???

[GraphicMatt]

01:47 PM on 05/15/2012

How does it cater to only the 1%? Can you not go to museums and see works by every one of these artists? Just because only a few can afford to have expensive art in their homes does not mean that the art "caters" to them. Go to a museum and stop whining.

[JGBKIDS]

12:30 PM on 05/30/2012

true.... and nothing can stop u from making art yourself........ and if its coming from deep down in your soul... which might take practice.. - its more valuable than money

[alumcreek]

07:31 AM on 05/14/2012

We live in a nation that declines to afford to support its most vulnerable citizens but there are still many who can spend $100 million on a piece of art and then pay a lobbyist to make sure they pay very little by way of taxes to uphold the nation's stature as a modern bastion of liberty, equality and democracy.

[GraphicMatt]

12:03 PM on 05/14/2012

So what is your point? There are many that can spend $100 million on a piece of art and then donate money to various charities. There are many that can spend $100 million on a piece of art and then pay their fair share of taxes. There are many that can pay $100 million on a piece of art from countries other than the US. You have no clue who bought these works do you?

[alumcreek]

01:08 PM on 05/14/2012

Don't care who bought it. I care that it was worth spending money on it when the funds could so a bit of good. I care about perverted priorities like the ones you believe are of value.