This 18th-century painting was the most expensive painting on Earth at the time. In 1754, Augustus III of Poland purchased the painting for somewhere between 110,000 and 120,000 francs. But it was worth it: the painting has been hailed as “supreme among the world's paintings” and “divine.” To this day, the little cherubins are one of the most reprinted art motifs out there.
Sistine Madonna
oil on canvas • 265 × 196 cm