NEW YORK (AP) — Andy Warhol’s “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” offered for a groovy $195 million on Monday, making the enduring portrait of Marilyn Monroe the most costly paintings by means of a U.S. artist ever offered at public sale.
The 1964 silkscreen symbol displays Monroe in colourful close-up — hair yellow, eyeshadow blue and lips crimson — on a wealthy blue background. It’s additionally the most costly piece from the 20 th century ever auctioned, in step with Christie’s public sale space in New York, the place the sale came about.
The Warhol sale unseated the former report holder and every other trendy grasp, Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose 1982 portray “Untitled” of a skull-like face offered for a report $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 once introduced previous this yr, they estimated it would opt for up to $200 million.
“It’s a fantastic value,” mentioned Alex Rotter, chairman of Christie’s twentieth and twenty first century artwork division. “Let it sink in, it’s rather one thing.”
“That is the place we would have liked to be, obviously,” mentioned Guillaume Cerutti, CEO of Christie’s. “It proves we’re in an excessively resilient artwork marketplace.”
The proceeds of the sale will cross to the Thomas and Doris Ammann Basis Zurich, which put the portray up for public sale. The root objectives to assist youngsters with well being care and academic systems.
Warhol created multiple symbol of Monroe; this actual portray has been exhibited in museums all over the world.