From the Louvre Heist to Frida Kahlo’s Records: The Art Moments Setting the Tone for 2026

From record-breaking sales to audacious heists and groundbreaking museum openings, 2025 reshaped the global art scene. In this opinion piece, art advisor Alisa Mamonova reflects on the moments that defined the year and what they mean for collectors and culture lovers heading into 2026.

The Year Beauty Broke Records

Two historic sales defined 2025.

Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer became the world’s second most expensive painting ever sold, changing hands for 236 million USD. For comparison, Salvator Mundi, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, still holds first place, having fetched over 450 million USD in 2017.

It was also a landmark year for women artists. Frida Kahlo’s self-portrait El sueño (La cama), depicting the artist asleep beneath a smiling skeleton wrapped in dynamite, sold for 54.7 million USD, making her the most expensive female artist in history. This record signals a shift in the art market. Female artists are not only being rediscovered – they’re being revalued. 

• As an art advisor, I’ve seen this reflected in the growing confidence among collectors who are expanding their focus, recognising historical gaps and seeking greater diversity in their collections.

The Louvre Heist

In a story that stunned the world, the Louvre Heist became one of last year’s most talked-about headlines. A century after Vincenzo Peruggia, a former museum employee, famously walked out of the Louvre with the Mona Lisa hidden under his coat in 1911, history repeated itself.

Despite the museum’s reputation as an unbreakable fortress, the thieves used a furniture crane to reach a balcony and, within just eight minutes, seized jewels worth over €88 million in broad daylight. The jewels remain missing, leaving the world to wonder when – or if – they’ll reappear.

• With recent protest vandalism and tighter security measures in museums, the challenge now is to protect art without isolating it — ensuring a balance between safety, accessibility, and the curiosity museums were built to inspire.

The Grand Egyptian Museum 

After over 20 years of construction and an estimated 1 billion USD in costs, Egypt finally unveiled one of the world’s most ambitious cultural projects: the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. Spanning 490,000 square metres and housing around 100,000 artefacts that trace 7,000 years of history, it stands among the largest archaeological institutions ever devoted to a single civilisation.

A landmark set to redefine Egypt’s cultural appeal, the museum is already a must-visit destination. One every art and history lover should add to their bucket list.

Norway’s Cultural Triumph

Norway’s art landscape has been thriving in recent years, drawing increasing global attention. In 2025, this reached new heights when Kunstsilo, in the southern town of Kristiansand, was named the “World’s Most Beautiful Museum.”

The museum – its name originating from the building’s former use as a grain silo – sits about 400 km south of Oslo and earned international recognition when it received the Prix Versailles at UNESCO, one of the highest distinctions in architecture and design. It was also highlighted by Forbes, TIME, The Guardian, The New York Times, and National Geographic as one of the best new museums and cultural destinations in the world.

A cultural visit to Kristiansand is truly worth it – not only for the museum’s architectural brilliance and its exceptional collection of Nordic modern art you are not likely to see anywhere else, but also for the stunning coastal setting and a unique underwater Michelin-starred dining experience nearby.

As 2026 begins, the art world builds on an extraordinary year — one that reminded us that beauty still captivates, heritage unites, and curiosity drives discovery.

Alisa Mamonova is an art advisor and founder of The Art Trotter, a Norway-born  international platform that empowers art lovers to discover, learn, and collect art with joy and confidence.