Warhol’s ‘Marilyn’ public sale nabs $195M; most for US artist

By Express News Service

NEW YORK: Andy Warhol’s “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” bought for a cool $195 million on Monday, making the long-lasting portrait of Marilyn Monroe the most costly work by a U.S. artist ever bought at public sale.

The 1964 silkscreen picture reveals Monroe in vibrant close-up — hair yellow, eyeshadow blue and lips purple — on a wealthy blue background. It’s additionally the most costly piece from the Twentieth century ever auctioned, in response to Christie’s public sale home in New York, the place the sale happened.

The Warhol sale unseated the earlier file holder and one other trendy grasp, Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose 1982 portray “Untitled” of a skull-like face bought for a file $110.5 million at Sotheby’s in 2017.

Christie’s mentioned an unnamed purchaser made the acquisition Monday night time. When the public sale was introduced earlier this yr, they estimated it might go for as a lot as $200 million.

“It’s an amazing price,” mentioned Alex Rotter, chairman of Christie’s Twentieth and Twenty first-century artwork division. “Let it sink in, it’s quite something.”

The 1964 silk-screen picture, “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn,” by Andy Warhol bought for $195 million, changing into the most costly Twentieth-century paintings to promote at public sale. (Photo | AP)

“This is where we wanted to be, clearly,” mentioned Guillaume Cerutti, CEO of Christie’s. “It proves we are in a very resilient art market.”

The proceeds of the sale will go to the Thomas and Doris Ammann Foundation Zurich, which put the portray up for public sale. The basis goals to assist kids with well being care and academic applications.

Warhol created a couple of picture of Monroe; this specific portray has been exhibited in museums world wide.