These 10 Artworks Alone Totaled $1 Billion at Auction This Year

The $100 million club is getting crowded.
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Barring a sudden mania for illustrated Haggadahs at next week's Important Judaica sale at Sotheby's New York, the top 10 art auction lots of 2015 have already been decided.

What did it take to make it into the top 10 this year? Well, it certainly helped if the lot were a painting (9 out of 10), depicting a woman (6 out of 10), and created by a white, male artist (10 out of 10). It further helped if it were sold in New York (10 out of 10), at Christie's (7 out of 10), and at an evening sale (10 out of 10.) Finally, it greatly improved a lot's odds to be by Pablo Picasso, who painted three of the artworks in the top 10.