art
Record: Warhol work auctioned for $ 195 million
The work “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” (1964) was sold at auction house Christie’s. Photo: -/Christie’s/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
The famous portrait “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” becomes the most expensive work of art from the 20th century ever auctioned. It was initially unclear who acquired the Warhol work for the record sum.
A portrait of Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) by US artist Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was auctioned in New York for around 195 million US dollars (around 185 million euros) – making it the most expensive work of art ever auctioned off the 20th century.
The 1964 “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn”, which is based on a photograph and shows the actress in front of a turquoise-blue background with yellow hair, red lips and turquoise eye shadow, was auctioned at Christie’s at the start of the traditional spring auction.
Only the painting “Salvator Mundi” by Leonardo da Vinci, which dates from around the early 16th century and sold at auction in 2017 for $450.3 million, has brought in more at auction so far, making it the most expensive work of art ever sold at auction. It was initially unclear who bought the “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn”, previously estimated at “around 200 million dollars”. The picture comes from the Thomas and Doris Ammann Foundation in Zurich, which intends to use all proceeds from the auction for charitable purposes.