WARHOL’S MARILYN SELLS FOR $195 MILLION SETS RECORD FOR 20TH CENTURY WORK OF ART
SECOND HIGHEST PRICE FOR ARTWORK SOLD AT AUCTION
THE COLLECTION OF THOMAS AND DORIS AMMANN EVENING SALE TOTALS $317,806,490
WITH PROCEEDS TO CHILDREN’S CHARITIES
NEW YORK – Monday, May 9, 2022 Christie’s Spring Marquee Week of sales began with the momentous sale of Shot Sage Blue Marilyn by Andy Warhol, selling for $195 million, establishing it as the most expensive 20th century artwork to sell at auction. The painting was the final lot of Christie’s single-owner evening sale The Collection of Thomas and Doris Ammann, which featured 36 lots and totaled $317.8 Million.
The sale was 98% sold by value, demonstrating strong demand from collectors and confidence in the market. The sale attracted participation from bidders in 29 countries, with 68% of lots selling above the high estimate. Additional highlights from the sale include record prices for six artists. Francesco Clemente’s The Fourteen Stations, No. XI, sold for three times the previous record at $1,860,000, with bids coming from at least nine bidders. Ann Craven’s I Wasn’t Sorry, 2003 achieved eight times the previous record, fetching $478,800, with competition from 15 bidders. The other records were: Mike Bidlo (three times the previous record), Mary Heilmann, Martin Disler, and Ross Bleckner. After Warhol’s Marilyn, the top lots were Cy Twombly’s Untitled, which achieved $21 million; Robert Ryman’s Untitled, which sold for $20.1 million; and Cy Twombly’s Venere Sopra Gaeta, at $16.9 million.
The sale of the collection will continue on May 13 with a dedicated day sale.
