Are the most expensive paintings ever worth their prices? A definitive ranking

On Monday, Modigliani’s Reclining Nude joined an elite band of artworks that have commanded over $150m at auction or private sale – but are they worth it?

The art market is reaching ever new heights – or excesses – and it is blue chip modern masters who are setting the records, with Amedeo Modigliani this week joining the likes of Picasso and Cezanne in art’s financial elite. But do the prices really match the quality of these uber-expensive works? Here are the world’s most expensive paintings ranked not by price, but by actual merit. (Prices, meanwhile, have been adjusted for inflation.)

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