The online art gallery, overstockArt.com, revealed today its annual Top 10 Oil Paintings rankings for 2011. Topping the list is Vincent van Gogh’s masterpiece, “Starry Night.” Other artists named on the 2011 list include Salvador Dali, Wassily Kandinsky, Gustav Klimt, Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso.

Van Gogh had a spectacular year with his art taking the top three spots in overstockArt.com’s annual list of the top best-selling oil paintings of the year. “Starry Night” is back to reign supreme as the most popular oil painting of 2011 after a short relinquishment of the title to another of the artist’s masterpieces, “Branches of an Almond Tree in Blossom” in 2010.

The top 10 oil paintings sold online in 2011 according to overstockArt.com’s statistics are:

1. “Starry Night” – Vincent van Gogh
2. “Café Terrace at Night” – Vincent van Gogh
3. “Branches of an Almond Tree in Blossom” – Vincent van Gogh
4. “The Kiss” – Gustav Klimt
5. “Garden Path at Giverny” – Claude Monet
6. “Poppy Field at Argenteuil” – Claude Monet
7. “The Dream” – Pablo Picasso
8. “Farbstudie Quadrate” – Wassily Kandinsky
9. “Persistence of Memory” – Salvador Dali
10. “The Old Guitarist” – Pablo Picasso

“Van Gogh consistently remains the most popular artist in the world,” said David Sasson, CEO of overstockArt.com. “While ‘Starry Night’ and ‘Café Terrace at Night’ have been staples on our top 10 lists throughout the years, we credit the continued popularity of ‘Branches of an Almond Tree in Blossom’ to the unique interpretations of the painting we introduced last year.” In 2010, overstockArt.com debuted several renditions of the painting featuring different colored backgrounds. The online art gallery trademarked the red rendition, which according to Sasson, was an instantaneous best-seller and remains one of the gallery’s most popular paintings.

Picasso has two oil paintings in the Top 10, a testament to the wonderful year he had in the limelight as his art was featured in museums across the United States and has been stolen and recovered several times throughout 2011 alone. In addition to commissioning thieves to try and steal a Picasso, private collectors have given Picasso art the highest bids in auction in 2011 and his mass appeal has been fueled by international press coverage.

Woody Allen’s film, “Midnight in Paris,” has given the artists of the roaring Paris scene in the 1920′s a surge that is visible in the year’s top 10 list: Dali, Picasso, Monet and even Kandinsky are all mentioned in the film and aptly included in this year’s Top 10.

The Top 10 list is released annually due to popular demand, “Consumers and companies strive to keep up with the latest interior décor trends to maintain a modern appeal,” said Sasson. “Just like they care about Pantone’s annual ‘it’ color, they want to know what décor accessories are hot. Our annual top 10 list makes it easy for consumers to stay on top of the trends and find out which oil paintings are most desirable in the marketplace.”

In 2011 overstockArt.com sold more than 60,000 oil paintings. They are one of the web’s most notable distributors of wall décor items with the most comprehensive selection of hand painted reproduction oil paintings, frames, and ceramic art tiles to choose from in the online decor industry.

The American abstract expressionism won the millionaire’s hearts when coming to spending money. In recent years the Impressionist’s predominant control of the art market has been overtaken by the abstract art movement. The following is a run-down of the most expensive paintings ever sold:

The most expensive painting ever sold is said to be Jackson Pollok’s “Number 5, 1948″. It is said that the art work was bought for $140 million at a private sale in 2006, though the exact price was never confirmed. David Greffen sold it to an unknown buyer, whom is rumored to be David Martinez, a Mexican business man.

The second most expensive painting in art history is Willem De Kooning’s “Woman III,” bought for $137.5 million by Steven Cohen. It is the only woman painting by Kooning owned by a private person.

Gustav Klimt’s “Adele Bloch-bauer I” sits in the 3rd place in the top 10 most expensive artworks. The cosmetic magnate, Ronald Lauder bought it for $135 million, at a private sale, in 2006. The painting originally belonged to Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, but the Nazis confiscated it during World War II. In 1948, after the war, the art work was placed at the National Gallery of Austria.

“Nude, Green Leaves and Bust” by Pablo Picasso is worth $106.5 million. The price was paid by an anonymous buyer, at the Christine’s New York auction, in May 2010. This is the biggest price ever paid at an auction.

The “Nude” painting is followed in top 10 most expensive art works by another canvas made by Picasso, “Garcon a la pipe” (Boy with a Pipe). Now it is in the hands of an anonymous buyer who spend on it over $104 million, at the Sotherby’s auction, in May 2004.

Andy Warhol’s “Eight Elvises” completes the rank, on number 6. The painting is worth $100 million and was sold at a private auction in 2008.

Picasso is present again in the ranking to number 7 with “Dora Maar au chat” (Dora Maar with Cat). The painting was sold at the Sotherby’s auction, in May 2006, for $95.2 million.

Titian is the only old master in the rank, with “Diana and Actaeon,” sold at a private sale on February 2009. A buyer from United Kingdom has it now for $91 million.

Sold only a few months later than Klimt’s first version of “Adele,” the second painting was worth $87.9 million.

Francis Bacon closes the rank with “Tryptich 1976.” A European private buyer gave on it $86.3 million, at the Sotherby’s, in May 2008.

Interesting to note that of the top 10 most sold paintings in history, half of them were bought in 2006, just before the financial meltdown of 2008.

Some painters struck gold by selling their artworks. However most died poor.

In the list of the top 50 most expensive paintings ever sold, Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso are by far the best represented artists. Picasso became a wealthy man in his illustrious career, while Van Gogh sold only one painting in his lifetime.

The Impressionist painter and renowned collector, Anna Boch, bought her first Van Gogh (“The Red Vineyard”) shortly after his death in 1890. She spent on it 400 Francs ($1600 in today’s values), today it would have the ‘priceless’ tag as most Van Gogh’s do…

“Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers” by Vincent van Gogh was bought for of £24.75 Million on March 1987. The sale was significant because it was the first time that a modern artwork became the record holder, in contrast to the old master paintings.

However, the most expensive painting in art history has not been sold in any auction or private sale. Guinness World Records lists the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci as having the highest insurance value for a painting in history. It was estimated at $100 million on December 14, 1962. Taking inflation into account, the Mona Lisa would be valued today at around $743 million!

June 20 is approaching. That means Father’s Day. That also means that I have ten secrets to tell. Here are the top ten oil paintings to consider for Father’s Day:

10. The Martha McKean of Wellfleet, Edward Hopper (1944)

If Dad can’t yet afford the boat but is an art lover, this might be the perfect match. The painting depicts a memorable excursion across the sea on a bright, serene day. The piece would suit a room with a sailing or sea theme. The artist, Edward Hopper, had a talent for depicting classic scenes of urban and rural life, arousing nostalgia as timeless as his art.

9. The Card Players, Paul Cezanne

Sometimes it is really nice to have a weekend with the guys, to sit around, play cards, watch a game, and have a few drinks. Whether this piece evokes a few good memories or Dad is just a fan of Cezanne’s work, it stays with the viewer and makes for a likely candidate for Father’s Day.

Cezanne produced a series of card players, most of which were men who worked on the family estate. Though the title is The Card Players, Cezanne’s focus is on the peasant men playing cards, revealing a love for his culture and heritage.

8. The Tartan ‘El Son’, Salvador Dali

A son takes to the wild sea in a small boat with destination in sight. A father’s son following his dreams, an honest depiction of a sailor’s love for the sea… The painting is one that will certainly inspire association and the creation of a narrative, especially as Dali employed symbolism in his works.

Though Dali is known today as an active member of the Surrealist art movement, this work has an impressionistic realism in the vein of Cezanne. Dali’s imagination and expression extended to many movements and media, including but not limited to photography and film. Perhaps such a daring and expressive piece would be a well-suited match.

7. Violet, Green and Red, Mark Rothko (1951)

Rothko’s works were innovative, even for abstract Expressionism. Rothko used few colors, but they make an impact. The artist strove to communicate emotion through color and simplistic composition, rather than form. Violet, Green and Red seem to create a complete composition, yet beckon the viewer to look through a window of red, to ask if the colors are divided or cohesive. Each color is illuminated. This piece has the quality of an attention grabber that renders one speechless. Sound like Dad?

6. Soft Watch At The Moment Of Explosion, Salvador Dali

A true Surrealist work of Dali. For those unfamiliar with the Surrealist movement and Dali, the first question a viewer may ask is, “What?” Soft Watch At The Moment of Explosion is a satyrical pun as much as it is a Surrealist painting. Dali is certainly recalled for his use of soft, melting watches. Most interpret this as  the rejection of time having constraints. Surrealism, an art movement of the 1920s, employs non sequitur humor in his use of seemingly meaningless objects to make his audience think, as well as laugh. If Dad has a satyrical sense of humor and an appreciation for the eccentric, he may know the perfect place this work of art should hang in order to baffle his guests.

5. Girl With Pearl Earring, by Johannes Vermeer (1665)

I once overheard a married man discussing this painting over coffee. He said that it reminded him of his wife and how they met, the look she gave him. This painting isn’t meant to be a classic portrait, but truly has the look as though the viewer or artist has been captured by a moment from across the room.

Known as the “Mona Lisa of the North” this mysterious woman is certainly reminiscent of her named sister. The pearl earring, instead of a smile, is the focal point of one with attention to the seemingly insignificant details of our lives. Categorized as a Dutch Baroque painter, Vermeer’s works depict many figures interacting in a near classical sense with their environments. Yet, his works depicting a girl with a seemingly simple object, her attention on the viewer, makes one feel alone in the room with her.

4. Rhytmus, Piet Mondrian

Black lines on white, some blue and yellow. A prime mover of the De Stijl, or The Style, Dutch art movement, Mondrian’s works explore order and spirituality through the use of line and color. His works utilized primary colors and black lines. To Mondrian, the use of double lines gave his work a more dynamic expression. A pattern forms and is explored by the viewer. An artistic tetras, this work would suit a home with a similar decor and holistic exploration as its composition. Mondrian was just as particular with his studio, recreating his art on the walls and furniture of his studio, interchanging the patterns to better suit his creative mood.

3.  From The Lake I, Georgia O’Keefe

Most of us think of Georgia O’Keefe’s flowers, and also the fact that somewhere in every painting is a representational depiction of female fertility. The more serious reason to consider purchasing this painting is that it has a lot of blue. A poll gathered in various countries reveals that blue is the world’s favorite color. This color is often painted in rooms to calm, soothe, and increase the spiritual vibe in a room. This piece is modern and abstract, and would flatter a home furnished with curving, contempo furniture, specifically art deco.

2. Starry Night, Vincent Van Gogh (1889)

Name a man, woman, or child (in at least elementary school) who does not know or dislike this painting. To reiterate an earlier point, apparently blue makes humanity happy. Van Gogh, himself, was not known as a commonly happy man, and his works often reflect his emotions. Yet, Starry Night utilizes striking primary colors, barely diluted in shade from their true hues. The stars shine big and bright against the small town, swirling and changing, almost alive. The stars arch toward the upper right of the canvas, a positive direction. This work is classic and a favorite of art history. If it is Dad’s favorite, why not indulge him?

1. Night Hawks, by Edward Hopper (1942)

Another classic representation, this top selection is about atmosphere. The nostalgia of that old downtown, when everything is closed down for the night and the viewer is at their favorite haunt, like a classic noir… Think China Town, The Maltese Falcon, A Cry in the Night, Strangers on a Train, The Big Sleep… just to get started. The guy may or may not get the girl, but he almost always solves the case.

The diner extends across the length of the composition and the viewer watches from across the street, taking in the atmosphere. This piece is a must have for Dad.

Buy Original Art For Dad

The best part? These are not prints, but carefully hand rendered reproductions. Hang a bit of the artist that suits Dad in his favorite spot with original, stylish, and affordable artwork. You can also request a custom size. Find these paintings and more at overstockArt.com: Gifts For Dad.

overstockArt.com, the leader in handmade oil painting art reproductions, released today its Mother’s Day Top 10 list. This year’s list names the top 10 oil paintings featuring images of motherhood.

Topping the chart is Claude Monet’s masterpiece Poppy Field in Argenteuil. Oil paintings by master artists Mary Cassatt, Gustav Klimt, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir also made the list.

“Many master artists depicted images of motherhood in their oil paintings,” said Stacy Sasson, co-founder of overstockArt.com. “No other art form better exemplifies the tender, timeless bond between a mother and a child.”

The oil paintings that made the 2010 Mother’s Day Top 10 list are:

1. Poppy Field in Argenteuil, Claude Monet – In this colorful oil painting, originally created in 1873, Claude Monet painted his wife and son strolling together among the poppies.
2. Le tre eta della donna (Mother and Child), Gustav Klimt – Mother and Child is part of Klimt’s famous oil painting Three Ages of Woman. The painting depicts an image of a mother cradling her young son. The original was created in 1905, three years after the death of Klimt’s baby son, Otto.
3. Breakfast in Bed 1897, Mary Cassatt – The subject of mothers and children recurred in many of Cassatt’s works. In this piece, a child’s attention wanders as she is held in her mother’s loving embrace.
4. First Steps, Vincent van Gogh – From late 1889 to 1890, while van Gogh was a voluntary patient at the asylum in Saint-Rémy, he painted twenty-one copies of Jean-François Millet’s works. In January 1890, van Gogh transferred a photograph of Millet’s First Steps to canvas.
5. Maternity, Pablo Picasso – This stunning oil painting, originally created in 1905, depicts the intimate bond of mother and child.
6. Madame Monet and her Son, Claude Monet – This masterpiece, originally painted in 1875, depicts Monet’s first wife Claude and their eldest son, Jean.
7. Summertime, Mary Cassatt – Although never a mother herself, Cassatt principally painted children and scenes of motherhood. Summertime illustrates a mother and daughter enjoying a leisurely summer day boating. The original masterpiece was created in 1894.
8. Woman with a Parasol and Small Child on a Sunlit Hillside, Pierre-Auguste Renoir – Originally painted in 1874, this masterpiece depicts a mother relaxing in the grass while her young child wanders off in behind her in the tall grass.
9. Hope II, Gustav Klimt – Although images of women and children are frequent in the history of art, depictions of pregnancy are rare. In Hope II a woman lowers her head toward her swelling belly. The original masterpiece was created in 1907-08.
10. Pieta, Vincent van Gogh – Originally created in 1889 while van Gogh was staying at the asylum in Saint-Rémy, Pieta is the agonizing depiction of Mary in sorrow over her dead son.

The Mother’s Day Top 10 List was composed by pulling overstockArt.com sales data from April 2009 to March 2010. “Mother’s Day is our third busiest selling period of the year,” said Sasson. “People love giving their moms the gift of art for Mother’s Day – it is a wonderful expression of love that will last a lifetime.”

A new production called Red is set to debut on Broadway on April 1st, the play is about none other than the Abstract Expressionist Painter – Mark Rothko.

Red was written by screenwriter John Logan, maker of Gladiator, The Aviator and the Sweeney Todd movie, among others. The play focuses mainly about the discussions regarding abstract expressionist aesthetics that Rothko had with his studio assistant while the famous painter was working on some of the most revolutionary canvases of his generation.

Red is set in 1958 as New York artist Mark Rothko (Alfred Molina) receives the art world’s largest commission to create a series of murals for The Four Seasons restaurant in the new Seagram building on Park Avenue. Under the watchful gaze of his young assistant, Ken and the threatening presence of a new generation of artists, Rothko faces his greatest challenge yet: to create a definitive work for an extraordinary setting. Red is a moving and compelling account of one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, whose struggle to accept his growing riches and praise became his ultimate undoing.

Rothko is played by Alfred Molina – a rare actor who conveys intelligence with visceral intensity. He makes you believe that what Rothko says, no matter how abstract it is, is of mortal importance to the painter. Molina has developed a specialty depicting 20th century artists as he already played another formidable painter, Diego Rivera, in the movie “Frida” along side Salma Hayek.

The actors in the play get their hands dirty throwing paint around on stage, the moment you step into the theater you are struck by the smell of oil paint in the air. The smell of the oil and the rage of the painter makes Red an extremely powerful theatrical experience.

So, if you are in New York in the following weeks, stop by the Golden Theater on 45th Street and enjoy a glimpse into the mysterious world of the 1950’s Abstract Expressionism.

overstockArt.com, the leader in handmade oil painting art reproductions, has officially released its Top 10 list of the most popular oil paintings from the past decade. Topping the list is Vincent van Gogh’s irrefutable magnum opus, Starry Night.

“We release an annual Top 10 list and thought it would be interesting to look back over the past decade to determine the trendiest and most sought after hand painted oil painting reproductions,” said David Sasson, CEO of overstockArt.com. “Not surprisingly, the notoriously eccentric artist, Van Gogh, leads the list with his masterpieces Starry Night and Café Terrace at Night.” According to overstockArt.com’s statistics, Van Gogh’s total sales numbers have far exceeded those of any of the other great masters.

TOP 10 OIL PAINTINGS OF THE DECADE Most popular art on the planet: courtesy of overstockArt.com

RANK ARTIST MASTERPIECE #1 Vincent Van Gogh Starry Nightt #2 Vincent Van Gogh Cafe Terrace at Night #3 Gustav Klimt The Kiss #4 Claude Monet Poppy Field at Argenteuil #5 Leonardo Da Vinci The Mona Lisa #6 Pablo Picasso Le Rêve (The Dream) #7 Pierre Auguste Renoir Luncheon of the Boating Party #8 Edvard Munch The Scream #9 Georgia O'Keeffe Red Cannas #10 Salvador Dali Persistence of Memory

In the past decade overstockArt.com sold more than a million oil paintings. They are one of the Web’s most successful distributors of wall décor items with over 10,000 daily visitors and 100,000 loyal customers. “As the Modern Art movement was conquering the auction floors getting record breaking numbers in Sotheby’s and Christie’s, we slowly became the destination for art lovers who could not afford the high price tags of galleries, but wanted to enjoy the hand painted art of the great masters in their homes,” explained Sasson.

One of the interesting points that the top 10 oil paintings of the decade presents is that the modern artists from the turn of the last century such as Van Gogh, Monet and Klimt are still the most desirable artists in the world. “Our numbers indicate that as the years turn and our world evolves some things remain consistent,” said Sasson. “People are still captivated by the elegance and beauty that the classic artists bring to their home. It will be interesting to see when, if ever, this trend begins to fade.”