The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston has recently become a major player in the art world. Founded in 1900, it is the oldest and most affluent museum in Texas, boasting a campus of extravagant buildings designed by renowned architects. The Glassell School and Kinder Building alone cost around 500 million dollars. The MFAH World Religion Initiative, spearheaded by Tinterow, seeks to promote the spiritual aspect of art and emphasize the similarities between different religions - something that the deeply Catholic Dominique de Menil always highlighted in her projects. The size of the staff has not increased drastically, but Law's legacy has resulted in a wave of art acquisitions that have been kept in storage for over a decade.
These works of art are some of the most expensive in Harris County, Texas. The most expensive artwork in Harris County is a painting by Mark Rothko titled “No. 10”. This painting was purchased by the MFAH in 2006 for $75 million. It is an abstract expressionist work that features a bright yellow background with two black rectangles at the top and bottom.
The painting is currently on display at the museum. The second most expensive artwork is a sculpture by Jeff Koons titled “Rabbit”. This sculpture was purchased by the MFAH in 2018 for $70 million. It is a stainless steel sculpture of a white rabbit with its ears perked up. The sculpture is currently on display at the museum. The third most expensive artwork is a painting by Vincent van Gogh titled “Irises”.
This painting was purchased by the MFAH in 1987 for $53 million. It is an oil painting that features a field of irises with a bright blue sky in the background. The painting is currently on display at the museum. These three works of art are some of the most expensive pieces of artwork in Harris County, Texas. They are all on display at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and are sure to draw crowds from all over the world.
