195 million dollars per portrait pop icon
(ANSA) – NEW YORK, MAY 09 – After the appearance at the Met gala wearing the “Happy Birthday Mr. President” mermaid dress on Kim Kardashian, Marilyn Monroe is back in the limelight in New York. A screen print of his portrait “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” was sold at Christie’s for $ 195 million, the highest price ever paid for an American artwork sold at auction, but also a record for a work of the twentieth century after the 179.4 million established in 2015 for “Les Femmes d’Alger (Version ‘O’)” by Pablo Picasso.
The sale opened the spring season for New York auctions, confirming the solidity of the blue chip art market as an investment. The 1964 image of Marilyn is from a promotional photo taken for the previous year’s film, “Niagara”.
Warhol transformed the portrait into a pop icon by changing the colors, the pink face in American gum, the ruby red lips and the blue eyeshadow on the lids against the sage green background of the whole.
The gallery owner Larry Gagosian in the room won the Marilyn in a four-minute battle with as many rivals.
Christie’s had expected the result and had forecast $ 200 million as the highest starting estimate. (HANDLE).