Art is in the eye of the beholder, but in the case of Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer, its monetary value has been decided. The painting has sold for a record-breaking $236.4 million, making it the second most expensive work of art ever sold at auction. The Austrian artist painted the six-foot-tall piece in the 1910s, and it was looted by the Nazis and almost destroyed during World War II; it was then passed between various private collections before landing at auction in New York City. The only work of art sold for more at auction is Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci, which raked in $450.3 million in 2017.
Klimt was considered a genius in his time, and his art was widely sought after. But not all artists can say the same. The subjects of these documentaries on Netflix occupy a spectrum of commercial success, from an obscure sculptor and painter to a world-renowned pop artist. Read on to learn more about these docs that detail their lives and works.
The Andy Warhol Diaries, a 2022 docuseries by director Andrew Rossi (Ivory Tower) and executive produced by Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story), is narrated by the artist — or, rather, by an AI rendering of the artist’s voice that reads from his diary. Warhol’s longtime friend and collaborator Pat Hackett maintained that diary — which became the artist’s 1989 memoir — for 11 years, and she reflects on that experience here. The series also features interviews with other artists, actors, and admirers, who help detail Warhol’s relationships with interior designer Jed Johnson, Paramount Pictures executive Jon Gould, fellow artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, and others.
Surrealist artist Pedro Friedeberg is best known for his sculptural Hand Chair, but filmmaker Liora Spilk Bialostozky (Solo Para Mujeres) set out to get to know the man behind that iconic piece. This 2022 documentary follows the director as she develops a friendship with the world-renowned Mexican artist and interviews his contemporaries, loved ones, and critics.
A group of artists in 1970s Los Angeles all but stumbled upon Stanisław Szukalski, a forgotten Polish sculptor and painter whose complicated life unfolds over the course of this 2018 documentary by director Irek Dobrowolski (Portrecista). Those artists — including Glenn Bray, Robert Williams, and others who knew Szukalski in his final years — look back on his complex legacy. Struggle: The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski is produced by Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another) and his father, George DiCaprio.
Bob Ross — the creator and host of The Joy of Painting, an instructional series that aired for 11 years on PBS starting in 1983 — is primarily known for his upbeat painting tutorials. This 2021 biographical documentary by director Joshua Rofé (The Mortician) explores the American painter’s life and career, as well as the contentious battle for his business empire after he died.
This documentary by director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland) stars artist Cai Guo-Qiang, who unpacks his life and its impact on his work as he prepares in 2016 for his most ambitious project yet. The movie also interviews the Chinese artist’s friends, family, and fans as it explores his colorful pyrotechnic displays that use gunpowder and fireworks.
