Top Ten Part 1

Last Year I watched a programme presented by the art critic Alistair Sooke, it was about the top ten worlds most expensive paintings. It got me thinking about my own top ten art works, not expensive art just things that I like and if I could own just one what would be my ultimate number one. So in no particular order ( I will reveal that in the last part ) the first two paintings that have made my top ten are:

The Dessert: Harmony in Red ( The Red Room ) by Henri Matisse was painted in 1908. Apparently the canvas started out as Harmony in Green and then was transformed into Harmony in Blue and finally ending up as Harmony in Red. I love the flat picture plane of this painting and the way the blue pattern from the tablecloth continues to climb up the red wall. Currently the painting resides in The Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.

Betty by Gerhard Richter completed in 1988 a beautiful painting of a moment captured in time, the original photograph was taken in 1978 and is the artists daughter Betty when she was ten years old. When I saw this painting I was immediately struck by it's mystery, what is Betty looking at, I like the contrast in colours and the softness of the hair and that beautiful red and white patterned jacket.

If I remember correctly at the time of the programme numbers one and two of the worlds most expensive paintings were both Picassos.
I would be really interested to know what would be in your top ten and if you could own just one piece of art what would it be.