There’s no denying that we’ve entered The Matrix.

With Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) being the newest incarnation of paintings using technology, many are beginning to question what the real difference is.

Per CNBC, trading in NFTs has spiked 21,000 per cent more in 2021, projecting exponential growth in the span of one year.

To delve further into this, Emirates Woman draws a stark comparison between the most expensive NFTs vs the most expensive real art pieces to date.

Most expensive NFTs

1) ‘The Merge’ by Pak

Racing to the top, the world’s most expensive NFT sold for $91 million in December 2021. The sale took place on a digital platform, Nifty Getaway, with many left speculating what exactly this piece of art conveys. This piece was acquired by the masses as buyers could purchase any number of tokens with a started price of $575.

2) The First 5000 Days

The First 5000 Days

The First 5000 Days by Beeple

Created by the popular artist Mike Winkelmann, professionally known as Beeple, this renowned piece of art is a collage of 5000 images combined together, depicting his everyday series. Eventually, the hard work paid off and it sold for $69.3 million.

3) Clock

Depicting a timer, this piece was curated as part of Pak & Assange’s censored collection. This unique piece countdowns, the days since Assange of Wikileaks had been imprisoned. The piece sold for $52.7 million.

4) HUMAN ONE

Human One

Created by Beeple, once again, this piece of art depicts his creativity over the course of his lifetime. It almost reached a mark of $30 million at the Christie’s auction in 2021.

5) CryptoPunk #5822

CryptoPunk #5822

CryptoPunk #5822

This piece features a blue alien sporting a bandana. It eventually became part of the most expensive NFT series and was sold for $23 million.

The world’s most expensive art

1) Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci

Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci

Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci

It was sold in an auction in 2016 to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud in a bid. Prior to that, this work of art was on display at the National Gallery in London in 2011. Regarded as the most prominent art sales in history to date, the auction of the painting at Christie’s amounted to more than $450 million.

2) Interchange by Willem de Kooning

Interchange by Willem de Kooning

Interchange by Willem de Kooning

Synonymous with a bygone era, the artist felt damaged by the harsh realities of the new world and depicted it in a painting that was sold in 2015 for $300 million.

3) Nafea faa Ipoipo by Paul Gauguin

Nafea faa Ipoipo by Paul Gauguin

Nafea faa Ipoipo by Paul Gauguin

Depicting post-impressionist works, this painting illustrates one of the most popular novels at the time, Pierre Loti’s The Marriage of Loti. Translated as ‘When will you marry?’, this oil painting was sold for almost $300 million to a Swiss art collection.

4) The Card Players by Paul Cézanne

The Card Players by Paul Cézanne

The Card Players by Paul Cézanne

Painted during Cézanne’s final time in the 1890s, a group of farmhands is seen enjoying a game of cards making it one of the most ambitious pieces to date. The painting was auctioned at $250 million.

5) Number 17A by Jackson Pollock

Number 17A by Jackson Pollock

Number 17A by Jackson Pollock

The American painter known for abstract art created a piece that represents emotions such as anger, sadness, or happiness. With dribble paint at the helm, this fascinating painting was sold at approximately $200 million.

While it’s raining money in the world of digital art, there’s no denying that real art still holds its value and NFTs are simply a new chapter in the creative world.

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Images: Supplied & Feature image: Pexels @pavel-danilyuk