Warhol’s ‘Marilyn’ auction nabs $195M; most for U.S. artist

NEW YORK — 

Andy Warhol’s “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” sold for a awesome $195 million on Monday, earning the legendary portrait of Marilyn Monroe the most high-priced work by a U.S. artist ever marketed at auction.

The 1964 silkscreen impression reveals Monroe in vivid shut-up — hair yellow, eyeshadow blue and lips purple — on a wealthy blue track record. It’s also the most expensive piece from the 20th century ever auctioned, in accordance to Christie’s auction dwelling in New York, where the sale took area.

The Warhol sale unseated the prior document holder and a further fashionable master, Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose 1982 painting “Untitled” of a cranium-like deal with marketed for a report $110.5 million at Sotheby’s in 2017.

Christie’s explained an unnamed buyer built the acquire Monday night. When the auction was declared earlier this year, they believed it could go for as considerably as $200 million.

“It’s an amazing rate,” claimed Alex Rotter, chairman of Christie’s 20th and 21st century artwork division. “Let it sink in, it’s very a thing.”

“This is wherever we wanted to be, clearly,” said Guillaume Cerutti, CEO of Christie’s. “It proves we are in a extremely resilient artwork market place.”

The proceeds of the sale will go to the Thomas and Doris Ammann Foundation Zurich, which set the portray up for auction. The basis aims to assistance youngsters with wellbeing treatment and educational courses.

Warhol created more than 1 graphic of Monroe this particular portray has been exhibited in museums all around the world.