Curiosities
Why did a banana taped to a wall sell for millions?
Comedian by Maurizio Cattelan — a banana taped to a wall — was auctioned for 6.2 million dollars. It was bought by the crypto billionaire Justin Sun, who then ate the banana. The substance of the work is not the fruit but the idea; the banana can be replaced at any time according to the instructions supplied with it.
Which painting destroyed itself in the auction room?
Banksy's Girl with Balloon. The moment the sale was knocked down, a shredder hidden in the bottom of the frame started up and the work partly shredded itself in front of the whole room. Paradoxically its value rose still further, and a new work with a new title came into being.
What is the most expensive work ever sold at auction?
Salvator Mundi, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, auctioned in 2017 for 450.3 million dollars. Its authorship and its present whereabouts are disputed to this day, and mystery surrounds it. It is a textbook demonstration of how a story and an attribution can send a price to dizzying heights.