What Is The Most Expensive Piece Of Art That The Tate Has Ever Bought?

Currently the Tate Britain is looking to secure a Turner watercolour painting, The Blue Rigi for £4.95 million.  If the painting is bought, it will be the most expensive work of art ever purchased by the gallery.

It gives a lift to watercolour painters everywhere because the medium often commands less than oil paintings.

As part of the campaign to raise the funds, the Tate will be hosting an exhibition which features The Blue Rigi and the other two paintings in the series, The Dark Rigi and the Red Rigi.  The paintings all depict Mount Rigi from the vantagepoint of Lake Lucerne.  Each is painted in a different light. The exhibition will be from 22 January to 25 March at Tate Britain in London.

Although The Blue Rigi was auctioned this year at Christie's for £5.83 million to an overseas buyer, a temporary export bar was placed on the artwork. This will give the Tate an opportunity to raise 4.95 million by March 20 in order to secure the painting.