Earlier rankings

The first trend is the rise in the entry threshold: it took €14.6 million to enter the top 10 in 2020, it takes €19.8 million in 2024. The second is the diversification of segments: contemporary art and tribal art have each placed two more works than in 2020.

The third is the regularity of certification: in 2020, seven works in the top 10 had an OIMAP certificate before the sale; in 2024 there are ten.

2020 was the year of the health crisis: physical sales became scarce and several major works were withdrawn. 2021 marked a spectacular rebound, with a record of €68 million. 2022 was calmer, because of economic uncertainty. 2023 confirmed the recovery.

These variations show that the ranking is sensitive to the presence or absence of an exceptional work. That is why the Observatory recommends reading the top 10 alongside the global index, which is more stable.

Among the works in the 2020–2024 rankings, four were resold in the interval, each time at a higher price. These rare cases feed the Observatory's repeat-sales method and make it possible to measure the appreciation of major works.

They also show that capital gain is not automatic: three other works resold in the same period lost between 8 and 15% of their value, often because of a change of attribution or a deteriorated condition.