Andy Warhol’s “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” bought for a cool US$195mil (RM854mil) on Monday, making the enduring portrait of Marilyn Monroe the most costly work by a US artist ever bought at auction.
The 1964 silkscreen picture exhibits 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 keeping with Christie’s auction home in New York, the place the sale occurred.
The Warhol sale unseated the earlier report holder and one other trendy grasp, Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose 1982 portray Untitled of a skull-like face bought for a report US$110.5mil (RM484mil) at Sotheby’s in 2017.
Christie’s mentioned an unnamed purchaser made the acquisition Monday night time. When the auction was introduced earlier this yr, they estimated it may go for as a lot as US$200mil (RM876mil).
“It’s an incredible worth,” mentioned Alex Rotter, chairman of Christie’s twentieth and twenty first century artwork division. “Let it sink in, it’s fairly one thing.”
“This is the place we needed to be, clearly,” mentioned Guillaume Cerutti, CEO of Christie’s. “It proves we’re in a really resilient artwork market.”
The proceeds of the sale will go to the Thomas and Doris Ammann Foundation Zurich, which put the portray up for auction. The basis goals to assist kids with well being care and academic packages.
Warhol created multiple picture of Monroe; this explicit portray has been exhibited in museums around the globe. – AP
