Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

Modern art lovers paid at auction tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars per cubic Women Picasso, Malevich's Suprematist compositions for, for an abstract painting by Kandinsky. However, there is the art of painting canvases, for which collectors are willing to pay is also a considerable amount. This is a picture with the image of cute cats that have become favorites of many people. In this survey collected the top 6 of the most expensive paintings of cats, sold at international auctions of the art market.

Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

The artists from ancient times often turned to the images of cats, cats and kittens, depicting them in his paintings. What we are not only used to seeing them in pictures: independent and graceful, soft and gentle, narcissistic and insidious, sweet and wild, stunningly realistic and similar to humans. And since cats from prehistoric times have always lived side by side with people, very few of the artists walked them to their attention.

6th place: Ian Faith (1611-1661). "Still life with a hare, game and a cat" - $ 221,000

Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

The Dutch painter and etcher JAN FYT (Jan Fyt) lived in the 17th century and painted still lifes, so-called - hunting, with pictures of animals and birds. His paintings are realistic and detailed, very colorful and harmonious, and the stories are taken from the hunting life. On his canvases the artist depicted the game basically, hounds and greyhounds dogs. I not missed by the painter and cats.

On canvas "Still Life c hare, game and cat" shows the production of a hunter and a cat-thief pulling the paw of the killed bird. This painting was sold for 221,000 dollars at Sotheby's.

5 th place. Henrietta Ronner-Kniep (1821-1909). "Playing Kittens" - $ 429,000

Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

The Dutch artist Henriette Ronner-animal painter-Knip (Henriette Ronner-Knip) began painting at age 5, and by 6 years became a diligent student of his father. And very soon she had to be his indispensable assistant, as my father became very quickly going blind and could not prescribe the fine detail. And with 16 years, she has taken care of daily bread for their large family on their own.

At the beginning of his creative career Henrietta wrote mostly landscapes and still lifes. But then her paintings began to appear and animals. Preference is given to the dog, and when in the house of the artist's cat appeared, she enthusiastically began to draw her and sweet pussies. And these paintings brought very good returns. Henrietta appeared solid customers among the royal families of Portugal and Belgium.

Her picture of my mother-cat and frolicking kittens was sold at an art auction in 2006 for 429,000 dollars to an unknown buyer.

Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

The curious kitten. (1893). Oil on wood. 11 x 10 cm Author:. Henriette Ronner-Knip.

By the way, a miniature painting on wood 11 x 10 cm "Curious Kitten" written in 1893, with an auction in 2009 sold for 29 thousand dollars.

4th place. Liu Ye (1964 born.). "Meow" - $ 601,000

Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

The representatives of contemporary Chinese art is undoubtedly today occupy an important place in world culture. So, the artist Liu Ye from Beijing paints a picture of animation with a little strange stories. Some of his works resemble the illustrations for children's books, while others are made in abstract style. All artist's work is focused on the emotions of the master, on the inner world view of the world. One of the most expensive of his creations was the picture - "Meow", depicting a girl with a kitten. The plot of this work is very strange, but that did not stop selling it on the art auction for 601 thousand dollars.

third place. Warhol (1928-1987). "Cats and dogs (Broadway)" - $ 701,000

Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

Andy Uorhol- famous American artist and founder of commercial pop art, a prominent figure in the history of pop art movement and contemporary art in general. At one time, over the years, Andy has been the center of art in New York parties, despite the fact that the life he was a very private man.

But the artist had a passion for cats who love immensely. It said that Warhol systematically wound up Siamese cats, which are in his house was full, with all he indiscriminately called - Semami. Uorohol often made sketches of their favorites in static poses, since moving objects were given to him with difficulty. Later, these sketches were used as illustrations of the famous album "25 cats named Sam and One Blue Cat", published in 1954.

But the most expensive works of Warhol on a cat theme was the picture of "Cats and Dogs (Broadway)", which was sold by Sotheby's auction for 701 thousand US dollars.

2 nd place. Carl Kahler (Karla Kahler) (1855-1906). "Lovers of my wife" - $ 826,000

Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

The huge canvas with a picture on it 42-bedroom cats painted by the Austrian artist Carl Kahler (Carl Kahler). In 1891, a wealthy lady a big fan of cats Kate Birdsall Johnson wanted to immortalize their pets on a huge canvas. In her mansion in California, home to more than 300 cats, but only forty-two of them were honored to go down in history. The artist spent three years writing this canvas. In 2015, the picture of the weight of 100 kilograms and a very impressive size: 2, 6 meters in length and a height of 1, 8 meters was sold for 826 thousand dollars to the buyer, who wishes to remain anonymous.

The initial price of the lot was 500 thousand dollars. The interesting thing is that because of the heavy weight of the painting auction organizers were not able to attach to the wall. They had to build a special design for this exhibit.

1 st place. Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). "Dora Maar au Chat" - $ 95.2 million

Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

"Dora Maar au Chat". (1941). Author: Pablo Picasso.

The undoubted leader in this top is the work of genius of Picasso - "Dora Maar au Chat", created in 1941 and dedicated to the French artist and his mistress. This is one of the most unusual portraits lover and muse of Pablo Picasso - Dora Maar. The work is done in the style of abstract art and carries the inner experience of the artist on the upcoming break-up with his girlfriend, after 9 years of relations.

Relations between the two creative minds were filled with boundless passion and controversy, and probably why Pablo painted the Douro as solid angles and broken lines and also very unattractive. And on the back of the chair on which sits Dora, seeing a sweet little black cat, or rather its silhouette. By the way, the muse of painter cats did not like, but Picasso painted the cat as a symbol of the turbulent relationship between the two.

This painting was included in the top ten most expensive paintings in the world, since it was sold for the incredible sum of 95, 2 million US dollars in 2006.

Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

Pablo Picasso.

Pablo Picasso himself did not favor pedigreed cats, but to the rootless and homeless always treated with genuine affection. "I like the feral cats that prey on birds, rush through the streets like mad, dragging all that no hitting" - recalled the artist's statement his colleague Brassaï. There he wrote in his series of cat, including the painting "Cat, grabbed the bird," "cat devouring a bird," "Cat and lobster."

Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

"The cat, grabbed the bird." (1938). Canvas, oil. Author: Pablo Picasso.

Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

"The cat devouring a bird." Author: Pablo Picasso.

Top 6 most expensive paintings with cats

"The Cat and lobster." (1965). Author: Pablo Picasso.

These are huge sums of money are willing to pay for art lovers pattern with cats. A look into the history of painting can make sure that these lovely creatures captured a great many artists, from ancient times to the present day.