‘Ai God’, the first work of art created by a humanoid robot with AI; ‘Comedian’, a better known work for being a banana attached to the wall; or the picture ‘Rest in the flight to Egypt’, by Tiziano, are some of the most outstanding works auctioned in 2024, according to Hiscox, an international company specialized in art insurance and high assets.
The company indicates that the irruption of artificial intelligence in the art market is a reality, as demonstrated that last November 2024 the first work of art was sold, entitled ‘Ai God’, made by a humanoid robot with ia , at a record price of more than one million euros. While initially its sale price was estimated at about 170 thousand euros, this work of art, a portrait of 2.2m high of the British mathematician and pioneer of Alan Turing computer science, exceeded all expectations.
Not only artificial intelligence marked new milestones in art in 2024, but also the most classics. Likewise in the month of November and initially estimated at 91 million euros, Magritte’s work of 1954 ‘The Empire of Light’ was sold in New York for 114 million. According to Hiscox, it is a record price for sale worldwide not only for any work of this artist, whose brand was before another painting of the same series, but also for any piece of the surrealist movement it represents.
Thus, it was described by the auction house itself as “the jewel of the crown” and consolidating itself as a climax in the autumn sales of the market. Other great classic names, such as Tiziano, have also left their mark on the art auctions market in 2024.
His work ‘Rest in the flight to Egypt’ of 1510 was auctioned last July for more than 20 million euros, the highest price paid by an artist’s painting. However, beyond its economic value, this work of art stands out for its curious journey throughout history. In addition to going through the hands of several monarchs, such as Emperor Carlos VI, he has been stolen twice. The first, by Napoleon’s troops, before reappearing in 1878 at an auction in Christie’s, and the second, in 1995, to be found a few years later in a bus stop near London, wrapped in a simple plastic bag. Until this 2024 auction, the painting had not gone to the market in almost 150 years.
Another of the most important moments of art was lived with ‘Comedian’, by Maurizio Cattelan, which was first presented at the Miami Art Basel of 2019, revolutionizing the art market itself with its sale of around $ 140,000. However, the famous banana attached to the wall reached new brands in November 2024, since it was auctioned in New York for almost 6 million euros.
The buyer, a cryptocurrency entrepreneur called Justin Sun, described it as something beyond a work of art, “a cultural phenomenon, a bridge between the worlds of art, memes and the crypto community.”
Last year a work by Gustav Klimt of 1917, ‘Portrait of Miss Lieser’ reappeared, of which only its existence was known for a black and white archive photograph. Thus, although the story is not known between the moment in which it was created until the 60s, there are some theories about its whereabouts, such as the Nazi plunder to its possible owner, Henriette Lilly Lier, during World War II.
However, it was not until April 2024 when it was finally auctioned reaching 30 million euros and establishing a new record, since it became the most valued piece in an Austrian auction so far.