Useful links: Most Popular Artists

I found an interesting article published out of Brown University in 2005 about the most popular living artists. Popularity in this study was based on the selling-prices of the art. To be included on the list an artist must have sold a single piece of art for at least one million dollars, according to auction results. Eight artists are on David Galenson's list, which includes Robert Rauschenberg and Cy Twombly. To read the complete article click Galenson. Since I think David Hockney is among our greatest living artists, I was surprised he was not named. Especially since his painting The Spash sold for $5,389,152 at Sotheby’s in London on June 21, 2006, only one year after the Galenson article was published. It was one of eleven works to achieve record prices at Sotheby’s Evening Sale of Contemporary Art. I love that these great artists are being appreciated so much during their lifetime.