The art market's upward growth shows no signs of stalling. This has been another bumper year, with a phenomenal $179.3m world record for Picasso's La Femme d'Alger (Version 'O') in May.
New records were also set in the field of sculpture and for a range of artists across the board.
Things look very positive for next year, as we edge ever closer to that landmark $200m sale.
Top art and photography sale of 2015
 Femme d'Alger was inspired by the work of Picasso's recently departed friend Matisse |
This year belonged to Picasso, after his La Femme d'Alger (Version 'O') sold for a world record $179.3m at Christie's in May.
The painting smashed the previous record, set at $142m for Francis Bacon's Three Studies for a Portrait of Lucian Freud in 2013, by 26.2%.
It's among the largest paintings by Picasso still on the market, making it a seriously attractive proposition for collectors.
2015's most important art and photography sales
 Giacometti's Pointing Man set a new record for a sculpture at auction |
A new world record was set for a sculpture at auction when Giacometti's iconic Pointing Man crossed the block at Christie's in May. It realised $141.3m.
Modigliani's Nu Couche became the second most valuable painting ever sold at auction when it achieved $170.4m at Christie's New York in November. It's an impressive result for a relatively niche artist.
Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) was a key painter of the German renaissance. His Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth) set a new £9.3m ($14.4m) record for his work at Christie's in July.
Van Gogh's L'Allee des Alyscamps (1888) was another of the year's top sales, achieving $66.3m at Sotheby's in May.
The most unusual art sale of 2015
 Banksy painted Silent Majority at the 1998 Glastonbury Festival |
A trailer painted by Banksy during the 1998 Glastonbury Festival made $455,500 in a June sale at Digard Auction in Paris.
The consigner was a traveller active in the UK free party scene who had been living in the trailer for many years.
It was a breakout year for�Ǫ
Villhelm Hammershoi's Strandgarde 30 set a new auction record for a piece of Danish art this year, selling for £2m ($3.1m) at Sotheby's London in May.
The previous record for his work was £1.7m ($2.6m), set in 2012, indicating a growing interest in his unique work.
It was a year to forget for�Ǫ
English football, after a monument by Maurizio Cattelan listing England's failures at the World Cup since its inception was sold for £425,000 ($640,071) at Sotheby's London.
Unsurprisingly it was bought by a French bidder.
One you may have missed
In January a painting by the late New Orleans artist George Rodrigue valued at $250,000 was stolen from his gallery in the city.
The following day it was recovered by local punk band Stereo Fire Empire, who discovered it by some bins.
