My Autobiography: David Balleza K(C)atague: The Top Ten Most Expensive Paintings in the World

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

The Top Ten Most Expensive Paintings in the World

I have been been writing a series on Art museums and historical landmarks here in the US. This is #3 of 10 articles of the Series. Enjoy!

The website at the bottom of this page lists the top ten most expensive paintings in the world. The Number #1 is Salvador Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci below.

1. Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci (US$ 450.3 million) Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci This piece by Leonardo da Vinci painted in the 1500’s was often put under the radar for its authenticity. The art world is still divided whether it’s da Vinci’s real work or the work of one of his skilled students. Regardless, it fetched a hefty $450 million at a Christie’s auction in 2017. The piece was bought by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud through his Minister of Culture. The painting was due to be displayed at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, however, it was later cancelled. It’s rumoured to have been held up on a Saudi prince’s yacht and reserved for display at Saudi’s very own future cultural centre in Al Ula, according to the Wall Street Journal. 2. Interchange by Willem de Kooning (US$300 million) de Kooning Interchange Painted by Dutch American abstract painter, Willem de Kooning, ‘Interchange’ was one of his first abstract landscape works. In September 2015, it was sold to Kenneth Griffin, CEO of hedge fund Citadel for US$300 million. It currently is on loan at the Art Institute of Chicago. Griffin is also reported to have bought a Jackson Pollock art piece in addition to this one. 3. The Card Players by Paul Cezanne (estimated between US$250 and $300 million) The Card Players by Paul Cezanne Paul Cezanne painted the Card Players during the point where he was the most acclaimed. The buyers of the piece were the Royal Family of Qatar in 2011. There are 4 other pieces titled the same, but they are placed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Musée d’Orsay, the Courtauld, and the Barnes Foundation. 4. Nafea Faa Ipoipo by Paul Gaugain (Almost US$300 million) Nafea Faa Ipoipo Translating to ‘when will you marry’, this interesting painting was completed by Paul Gaugain in post-impressionist 1892. It features two women from Tahiti, where Gaugain spent some time. It was reportedly sold to Qatar's royal family in 2014. 5. 'Number 17a' by Jackson Pollock (US$200 million) 'Number 17a' by Jackson Pollock Jackson Pollock is one of the most famous abstract expressionist painters of all time. His painting ‘Number 17a’ was bought as part of a deal with the David Geffen Foundation and Kenneth Griffin, who also bought Interchange. The total deal cost him US$500 million. 6. 'No 6 - Violet Green and Red' by Mark Rothko (US$186 million) NO 6 - VIOLET GREEN AND RED' BY MARK ROTHKO You don’t really need a picture to envision this painting as the title is self-explanatory. However, it was painted in 1951 by famous Russian-American abstract expressionist Mark Rothko. It was bought by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev from Yves Bouvier, who later reportedly fell into trouble in a string of international lawsuits due to misrepresenting the works and subsequently overcharging them. This painting sold to Rybolev was originally bought for roughly half the price, with Bouvier pocketing the difference. 7. 'Wasserschlangen II' by Gustav Klimt (US$170 million) Wasserschlangen translates to ‘water serpents’. Painted by Gustav Klimt, a popular Austrian painter, it features some gold leaf elements. This painting was also sold to Dmitry Rybolovlev by Yves Bouvier. Rybolev also reportedly owned the most expensive painting in the world – the Salvator Mundi. This painting originally belonged to a Viennese silk factory owner, but was later seized by the Nazis and then finally to Gustav’s alleged illegitimate child, Gustav Ucicky before it was sold. 8. Pendant portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit - Rembrandt van Rijn (US$180 million) Rembrandt The couple portrait of Soolmans & Coppit were painted by Rembrandt in 1634 during their wedding. These paintings were his first full length portraiture works. The painting is currently hung at the Rijksmuseum and is co-owned by it and the Louvre. It used to belong to the Rothschild family. They are always displayed together and have never been separated, even though they shuttle between both museums. 9. Les femmes d'Alger (Version O) by Pablo Picasso (US$179.4 million) This unique painting by Pablo Picasso was bought by the Qatari royal family in 2015. This version is one in a 15-piece collection owned by the Ganz family. The picture is representative of Algerian concubines in their harem with a hookah used to smoke hashish or opium. This particular painting is considered the masterpiece in the series. Christie’s calls this painting a phenomenon, with its references to Cubism, a response to the artist Delacroix’s work as well as an echo of Matisse’s work. It’s almost considered a new style of painting. 10. Nu Couche by Amedeo Modigliani (US$170 million) Sold in 2015, this particular nude painting was first shown to the public in 1917. After a few hours of its debut, the French police had to intervene as it was termed as obscene by many visitors. It is just one of a collection of popular nude paintings by Modigliani. It was sold to the Chinese billionaire Liu Yiqian for $170.4 million in 2015. Editor's Note: Some of the images of paintings have been excluded as they do not align with the UAE's National Media Council rules & regulations.

Read more at: https://www.luxhabitat.ae/the-journal/top-10-most-expensive-paintings-in-the-world/
LUXHABITAT © 2021

This piece by Leonardo da Vinci painted in the 1500’s was often put under the radar for its authenticity. The art world is still divided whether it’s da Vinci’s real work or the work of one of his skilled students. Regardless, it fetched a hefty $450 million at a Christie’s auction in 2017. The piece was bought by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud through his Minister of Culture. The painting was due to be displayed at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, however, it was later cancelled. It’s rumoured to have been held up on a Saudi prince’s yacht and reserved for display at Saudi’s very own future cultural centre in Al Ula, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Read more at: https://www.luxhabitat.ae/the-journal/top-10-most-expensive-paintings-in-the-world/
LUXHABITAT © 2021

Photo Credit: Luxhabitat: Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci (US$ 450.3M)

The three videos are worth your time if you want more details.

For Details visit:

https://www.luxhabitat.ae/the-journal/top-10-most-expensive-paintings-in-the-world/

Meanwhile enjoy Jesse Santos Nude owned by the Katagues, 1974 ( Priceless)

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Highlights of My Professional Career

In my more than 40 years of professional career, I have experienced both working rank and file, as well as supervising the work of subordinates. I have worked in four private firms and the Federal Government, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where I retired. I enjoyed the challenges and difficulties of both types of job situations. This is the highlights of my work experience story.

My first job after completing my doctorate degree was a Chemist for Chemagro Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a subsidiary of Bayer Corporation, a German conglomerate. I worked for the analytical chemistry department comprised of about fifty people; half that number was either chemists or biologists. My specific task was to develop analytical methods for the detection of pesticide residues in plant and animal tissues. I worked on my own, similar to six other bench chemists, and we all reported to the same supervisor.

The firm sponsored my visa conversion from a student to a permanent resident, and I was able to legally work and reside in the United States with my family. The company generously took care of its employees. At the end of each successful year, everyone received a 13th month salary bonus. The employees and their families celebrated wonderful annual Christmas parties in a downtown Kansas City hotel, with dancing and free drinks for the whole night.

Inasmuch as I enjoyed and loved working for Chemagro for five years, I found a new job which offered a substantially higher pay. Due to my exemplary work performance, my supervisor preferred and lobbied for me to stay with the company. I had to turn him down because they could not match the package presented by my new employer. It was also a chance for me and my family to move and live in the US west coast, where the mild winter climate is bearable compared to the Midwest.

My next job was at the agricultural research division of Shell Development Company in Modesto, California. I was a Research Chemist, and again I worked individually, same as five other chemists who all reported to a supervisor. My specific duty was similar to my previous job. I worked for them for five years, until the company decided to get out of the pesticide business. They closed their research facility affecting the jobs of more than 200 employees.

My third industrial job was with the agricultural research division of Stauffer chemical company, located in Richmond, California. I was a Senior Research Chemist doing the same project as my two previous jobs. I worked for twelve continuous years for the company, with outstanding annual job performance. I became a Principal Research Chemist, the highest attainable non-supervisory position.

One day in 1986, my supervisor informed me that my job had been eliminated, and I had one day to vacate the facility. It was the most dreadful lay off experience in my life. I felt anger, sadness and humiliation to be dismissed from work with one day notice, after all the years of hard work invested for the company. This was an unforgettable incident and was the gloomiest point in my professional career.
The company terminated sixty research employees, who were upset of the bad news.

One of the chemists was distressed and expressed his outrageous anger by threatening the company and its workers. He told his supervisor of his intention to bomb and burn down the laboratory. He was immediately escorted by the security staff out of the building and into his car. He was informed to leave behind his personal belongings; they will be mailed to his residence. He was warned never to show up again near the company premises or risk getting arrested.

My supervisor was kind and allowed me to take my time to pack up my belongings. It took me two days to clear up my workplace, after toiling for a long period in the same jobsite. We were provided clerical help and office space, in preparation to look for another job, such as updating our resumes, and using the computer and copy machine. We were given six weeks of separation pay plus benefits.

Fortunately, with the help of a friend who is a Church parishioner, I found another job thirty days after leaving Stauffer chemical company. He hired me as a senior research chemist and as a group leader with two technicians to supervise. It was in the same field as my expertise in my previous three jobs spanning the last twenty one years. My new employer was Chevron Chemical Company, and which was located in the same area as my former employer.

This job gave me the introduction and basic knowledge of managing the work of subordinates. I worked for Chevron Company for four and a half years. The company decided to consolidate their research facilities in Texas, and lay off all its research employees. This time I had enough distress and agony from working, and eventually getting laid off from several private companies. To avoid going through any more miserable layoffs, I made a vow that I would never again work for a private company.

In my work experiences, there were noticeable and unavoidable jobsite occurrences. One can never miss the office romantic relationships between co-workers, both illicit and permitted. Though it was frowned upon, there was a boss and staff relationship, which was used as a ploy to get ahead in the company. Some relationships had chemistry, no pun intended, but some never worked out. Oftentimes, there was a sense of distrust among bench chemists for some workers who unjustly obtained preferred work assignments.

Some employees resorted to bribing superiors to get special privileges, such as being able to attend choice conferences and meetings in exciting venues or locations. Likewise, politics was always present at the worksites. It was during an era when various forms of harassment, equal opportunity and discrimination laws were not yet enforced in the workplace. Occasionally, an unexpected chemical explosion happens in a laboratory setting, where luckily no one got seriously hurt.

In the three private companies I worked for, I was able to publish scientific journals for some of the research studies and analytical methods which I developed for the respective companies of Chemagro, Shell Development and Stauffer.

After deciding and making a vow to avoid working in the private sector, I made my new goal which was either to work for the state of California, or the Federal government in Washington, D.C. Four months after I lost my job in Chevron, I was lucky and joyful to be hired by the Food and Drug Administration as a review chemist in the fall of 1990.

In 1994 I was promoted as an Expert Research Chemist with a GS-14 rating. My expertise was on Anti-malarial and Anti-parasitic drug products. In 1997, I was again deservingly promoted to Chemistry team leader, supervising the work of six Chemistry reviewers including five with doctorate degrees.

As team leader, I was responsible for prioritizing, assigning, and assuring the technical accuracy of all chemistry, manufacturing and control issues for all new drug applications submitted to the Division of Anti-Infective Drug Products, Center of New Drugs.

It was part of my responsibility to give advice, instruct and promote high morale and teamwork in my group. My work in the FDA is confidential, until the drug patent on the products I worked on has expired. There are manufacturing supplements that I have approved that are now open for the public in the Internet.

In 1998, I won the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Award. The citation reads, “For outstanding accomplishments in fostering the objectives of the EEO Program by hiring minorities and encouraging their professional growth while providing excellent leadership.” I have received numerous certificates of appreciation, awards in leadership and communications, commendation for teamwork and excellence in the accomplishment of the FDA mission. I have also received several letters of appreciation from private industry for my review work.

There are many good things working as rank and file while enjoying doing one’s job individually. It is a humbling, satisfying and productive experience, if one can work in harmony with one’s immediate supervisor. Working individually develops one’s skills in goal setting and scheduling. But in general, the financial rewards are less than a person who has supervisory responsibilities.

Managing the work of others has its challenges. Moreover, it develops one’s skill in handling and developing people, and the compensation rewards and benefits are better. Due to additional duties, responsibilities and leadership, supervisory work can be more stressful than working as a subordinate. However, supervisory jobs give one more personal growth and satisfaction, based on my personal experience. My work in FDA as a team leader managing the work of six scientists had been the happiest and rewarding work experience in my career in Chemistry. You might also like:

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

The Top Ten Most Expensive Paintings in the World

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