In brief
- Giacometti’s L’Homme au doigt is the most expensive sculpture ever sold, at $141.3 million in 2015.
- Brâncuși’s Danaïde sold for $107.6 million in May 2026, now second on the list.
- Giacometti has three of the top four places.
- Jeff Koons’s Rabbit sold for $91.1 million in 2019, a record for a living artist.
As of October 2026, the most expensive sculpture ever sold is Alberto Giacometti’s L’Homme au doigt (Pointing Man), which fetched $141.3 million at Christie’s New York in 2015. In May 2026, Constantin Brâncuși’s Danaïde sold for $107.6 million at Christie’s, moving straight into second place.
Giacometti and Brâncuși hold six of the top 10 places between them. Jeff Koons and Amedeo Modigliani each have two entries. All prices are the final auction prices including fees, not adjusted for inflation.
Most expensive sculptures ever sold: summary table
| Rank | Sculpture | Artist | Price | Sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L’Homme au doigt | Alberto Giacometti | $141.3 million | Christie’s New York, 2015 |
| 2 | Danaïde | Constantin Brâncuși | $107.6 million | Christie’s New York, 2026 |
| 3 | L’Homme qui marche I | Alberto Giacometti | $104.3 million | Sotheby’s London, 2010 |
| 4 | Chariot | Alberto Giacometti | $101 million | Sotheby’s New York, 2014 |
| 5 | Rabbit | Jeff Koons | $91.1 million | Christie’s New York, 2019 |
| 6 | La Jeune Fille Sophistiquée | Constantin Brâncuși | $71 million | Christie’s New York, 2018 |
| 7 | Tête | Amedeo Modigliani | $70.7 million | Sotheby’s New York, 2014 |
| 8 | Tête | Amedeo Modigliani | $59.5 million | Christie’s Paris, 2010 |
| 9 | Balloon Dog (Orange) | Jeff Koons | $58.4 million | Christie’s New York, 2013 |
| 10 | La Muse Endormie | Constantin Brâncuși | $57.3 million | Christie’s New York, 2017 |
1. L’Homme au doigt by Alberto Giacometti: $141.3 million
Giacometti’s Pointing Man, a tall, thin bronze figure with one arm stretched out, sold for $141.3 million at Christie’s New York in May 2015. It remains the highest price ever paid for a sculpture at auction.
Also readLuxury Gifts for Men 2026: 12 Premium Picks Worth BuyingThe seller was the estate of New York property developer Sheldon Solow. Giacometti made the work in 1947, and only a handful of casts exist, which is a large part of its value.
2. Danaïde by Constantin Brâncuși: $107.6 million
Brâncuși’s Danaïde sold for $107.6 million at Christie’s New York on 18 May 2026. It came from the collection of the late media owner S.I. Newhouse.
The sale set a new auction record for Brâncuși and made Danaïde the second most expensive sculpture ever sold at auction, behind only Pointing Man. Romania-born Brâncuși is known for smooth, simplified forms in polished bronze and stone.
3. L’Homme qui marche I by Alberto Giacometti: $104.3 million
Walking Man I sold for $104.3 million at Sotheby’s London in February 2010, when it became the most expensive work of art ever sold at auction at that time.
The seller was Commerzbank, which had acquired it through its takeover of Dresdner Bank. The buyer was widely reported to be the collector Lily Safra. The life-size bronze shows a thin man taking a step forward and is one of Giacometti’s best-known images.
4. Chariot by Alberto Giacometti: $101 million
Chariot sold for $101 million at Sotheby’s New York in November 2014. It shows a slender female figure standing on top of two large wheels.
It was Giacometti’s second sculpture to pass the $100 million mark at auction, after Walking Man I. Pointing Man would become his third a few months later.
5. Rabbit by Jeff Koons: $91.1 million
Jeff Koons’s Rabbit, a 1986 stainless steel sculpture of an inflatable toy rabbit, sold for $91.1 million at Christie’s New York in May 2019. It also came from the S.I. Newhouse collection.
The sale set an auction record for a work by a living artist. Koons is one of the few artists on this list who is still working today.
6. La Jeune Fille Sophistiquée by Constantin Brâncuși: $71 million
La Jeune Fille Sophistiquée (Portrait of Nancy Cunard), a polished bronze, sold for $71 million at Christie’s New York in 2018. It was the Brâncuși auction record until the sale of Danaïde in 2026.
The work is a highly simplified portrait of the British writer and heiress Nancy Cunard.
7. Tête by Amedeo Modigliani: $70.7 million
A limestone Tête (Head) by Modigliani sold for $70.7 million at Sotheby’s New York in 2014. Modigliani is better known for his paintings, but he made only a small number of carved stone heads, so they are rarely offered for sale.
8. Tête by Amedeo Modigliani: $59.5 million
Another Modigliani Tête sold for $59.5 million at Christie’s Paris in 2010. It came from the collection of Gaston Levy.
Both Modigliani heads come from the short period, around 1910 to 1914, when he focused on carving stone.
9. Balloon Dog (Orange) by Jeff Koons: $58.4 million
Balloon Dog (Orange) sold for $58.4 million at Christie’s New York in 2013, then an auction record for a living artist. It is one of five coloured versions of the large stainless steel sculpture.
The piece is about three metres tall and shaped like a twisted party balloon, with a mirror-polished surface.
10. La Muse Endormie by Constantin Brâncuși: $57.3 million
La Muse Endormie (Sleeping Muse), a bronze head lying on its side, sold for $57.3 million at Christie’s New York in May 2017. It came from the family of Jacques Ulmann.
Just outside the top 10 is the Guennol Lioness, a small ancient Mesopotamian limestone figure that sold for $57.2 million at Sotheby’s New York in 2007, and Henri Matisse’s bronze relief Nu de dos, 4 état (Back IV), which sold for $48.8 million in 2010.
For high-value objects designed for the home rather than the museum, see our guide to the most expensive house decor.
How we ranked these
We ranked sculptures by the nominal price paid at public auction, including the buyer’s premium, using the Wikipedia list of most expensive sculptures and auction house reports. Private sales are left out because their prices are rarely confirmed. Prices are not adjusted for inflation.
Sources: Wikipedia: list of most expensive sculptures, Romania Insider: Brâncuși record at Christie’s.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most expensive sculpture ever sold?
Alberto Giacometti’s L’Homme au doigt (Pointing Man) is the most expensive sculpture ever sold at auction. It fetched $141.3 million at Christie’s New York in May 2015. The bronze figure came from the estate of property developer Sheldon Solow and still holds the record in 2026.
How much did Brâncuși’s Danaïde sell for?
Constantin Brâncuși’s Danaïde sold for $107.6 million at Christie’s New York on 18 May 2026. It came from the S.I. Newhouse collection, set a new Brâncuși auction record and became the second most expensive sculpture ever sold at auction, after Giacometti’s Pointing Man.
What is the most expensive sculpture by a living artist?
Jeff Koons’s Rabbit is the most expensive sculpture by a living artist sold at auction. The 1986 stainless steel work sold for $91.1 million at Christie’s New York in May 2019, setting the auction record for any work by a living artist at the time.
How much is Jeff Koons’s Balloon Dog worth?
Balloon Dog (Orange) by Jeff Koons sold for $58.4 million at Christie’s New York in 2013. It is one of five coloured versions of the large mirror-polished stainless steel sculpture. The five versions are blue, magenta, yellow, red and orange, and the orange one holds the auction record.
Which sculptor has sold the most expensive works?
Alberto Giacometti has the strongest record. His works hold first, third and fourth place on the all-time list, and three of his sculptures have sold for more than $100 million each. Constantin Brâncuși is next, with three works in the top 10.
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