Pablo Picasso Value: Top Prices Paid At Auction

Inspired by an Algerian harem, Picasso's Les Femmes d'Alger (Version 'O') (1955) depicts abstracted figures with a hookah for smoking hash and opium, capturing 19th-century sensuality and orientalism. This masterpiece, part of Picasso's 1954–55 exploration of Delacroix's “femmes,” includes nearly 100 paper studies and 14 other paintings. Known for its vibrant colours and flattened perspectives, this painting marked a new style for Picasso. With a preovenance including prestigious private collections, this work was auctioned at Christie's in 1997 for £18.8 million and set Picasso's current auction record in May 2015, selling for £116.2 million.

In November 2023, Picasso’s Femme À La Montre (1932) sold for an impressive £113.3 million at Sotheby’s New York, emerging from the Emily Fisher Landau collection. Created in 1932, this piece epitomises Picasso's emotionally intense year during his passionate affair with his lover and muse Marie-Thérèse Walter. The artwork, portraying an elegantly dressed woman against a vivid blue backdrop, reflects the rich detail and complexity Picasso achieved after retreating to Boisgeloup post-Paris retrospective. Portraits of Marie-Thérèse are valued highly on the secondary market reflected in it's top performing sale.

Picasso's Fillette À La Corbeille Fleurie (1905) captures a girl on the cusp of maturity, symbolising the transition from childhood innocence, a key theme in his Rose Period. Picasso uses a classical style with clean, simple lines to outline Linda's figure, imbuing the scene with innocence and purity. This stylistic choice subtly hints at the underlying struggles of her life despite the outward simplicity. This poignant portrait lands among Picasso's top-selling works achieving £84.8 million at Christie's in 2018.

In May 2021, Picasso’s Femme Assise Près d'Une Fenêtre (1932) sold for £73.6 million at Christie’s. Completed in 1932, this monumental portrait marks the height of a prolific year with Marie-Thérèse Walter serving as Picasso's primary muse. In this grand portrayal, Marie-Thérèse exudes a regal and commanding presence, almost divine, engaging directly with the viewer and asserting celestial dominance. Picasso transitions from depicting her as a passive, reclining nude to presenting her as a powerful figure, fully clothed and seated. Her penetrating gaze reinforces her sovereign role over both the artist and his creative oeuvre.

Picasso's 1932 painting Nude, Green Leaves and Bust is a towering portrait, over 5 feet tall, featuring Marie-Thérèse Walter against a vibrant blue and lilac backdrop. At the time, Picasso had an exclusive arrangement with art dealer Paul Rosenberg, who acquired the painting directly from him. As war loomed in the late 1930s, Rosenberg moved this and other artworks overseas under the guise of the 1939 New York World's Fair. After relocating to New York following the Nazi invasion of France in 1940, Rosenberg showcased this significant work in his new gallery, symbolising the resilience and enduring influence of Modern Art amidst wartime. This painting came to auction in May 2010 at Christie's and sold for £69.8 million, demonstrating the continued demand and high value for Marie-Thérèse portraits.

Garçon À La Pipe (1905) deters from Picasso's usual featured women and depicts a youthful Parisian lad in blue, holding a pipe, and adorned with a rose garland. This samller-scaled canvas is celebrated for its exquisite portrayal of youthful allure. The subject is believed to be a boy nicknamed P'tit Louis, often seen around Picasso's Montmartre studio. In 2004 this work appeared in it's first time auction appearance and achieved just over £58 million, setting a record at the time as the most expensive artwork ever sold.

Femme Nue Couchée (1932) is one of Picasso’s most grandiose and unrestrained depictions of Marie-Thérèse Walter, showcasing his painterly brilliance and vitality. In May 2022, the artwork sold for £54.1 million at Sotheby’s. This masterpiece encapsulates Picasso’s revolutionary style in a vibrant, energetic composition. Set within his Boisgeloup residence, it portrays the nude Marie-Thérèse in an abstract setting, radiating fertility, sensuality, and elegance, representing the pinnacle of an artistically prolific year for Picasso in 1932.

Picasso's Dora Maar au Chat (1941) was created during the onset of World War II in France, and at the height of Picasso and Maar's tumultuous relationship. This artwork is noted for its energetically balanced portrayal. A key focus is Maar's hat, her trademark accessory, reflecting her ties to the Surrealist movement. Adorned with vivid flowers and encircled by a bright red band, the hat sits on her head like a regal crown, making it a symbolically rich element of the portrait. This work achieved just over £52 million at Sotheby's in 2006 and remains one of Picasso's highest-valued works.

Femme au Béret et à la Robe Quadrillée (Marie-Thérèse Walter) (1937) exemplifies the innovative form and deep emotional resonance of Picasso's most acclaimed, and sought-after, female portraits. Fetching £49.8 million at Sotheby's, this piece presents Marie-Thérèse Walter in profile, her features facing forward, a technique Picasso refined in earlier works. The vibrant primary colours and bold paint application reflect a departure from Picasso's early 1930s portrayals, illustrating the evolution of his relationship with Marie-Thérèse. While Marie-Thérèse is the clear subject, the painting hints at the influence of Picasso's new lover, Dora Maar, whom he met in early 1936.

Picasso's La Gommeuse (1901), a distinguished work from his Blue Period (1901-1904), is among his most sought-after paintings from this phase. Created in late 1901, following his successful exhibit at Vollard's gallery and influenced by the tragic suicide of his friend Casagemas, La Gommeuse depicts a captivating cabaret artist emblematic of the era's allure. She represents both the enticement and peril of her time, embodying deep sorrow and vibrant life. This piece sold out at Sotheby’s in November 2015 achieving £43.7 million.