` ` Three Lives of Lucian Freud , '' sold in 1969 , sold for $ 142,405,000 . Jeff Koons 's `` Balloon Dog '' fetched $ 58.4 million , a record for any piece of art sold at auction by a living artist . Christie 's claims it 's the most money ever paid for a work of artwork at an auction . The previous record for a work of art sold at an auction was Edvard Lund 's ` ` The Scream '' The sale was part of an auction with the highest sale total in history .
` ` Three Lives of Lucian Freud , '' sold in 1969 , sold for $ 142,405,000 . Christie 's claims it 's the most money ever paid for a work of artwork at an auction . The previous record for a work of art sold at an auction was Edvard Lund 's ` ` The Scream '' The sale was part of an auction with the highest sale total in history .