Pop Art: Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe Portrait is Expected to Set a Record at an Upcoming Auction - Arts & Culture

The piece will set at Christie’s Marquee Week two months from now.

American artist Andy Warhol’s “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” painting will lead British auction house Christie’s Marquee Week of sales in May.

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“Poised to be the most expensive 20th-century artwork to ever sell at auction, ‘Shot Sage Blue Marilyn’ is among the most iconic paintings in history,” Christie’s wrote in a press release.

The painting described as “one of the rarest and most transcendent images” is estimated at $200 million in value.

“The most significant 20th-century painting to come to auction in a generation, Andy Warhol’s Marilyn is the absolute pinnacle of American Pop and the promise of the American Dream encapsulating optimism, fragility, celebrity, and iconography all at once. The painting transcends the genre of portraiture in America, superseding 20th-century art and culture,” chairman for 20th and 21st-century art Alex Rotter said.

He compared Warhol’s work to Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus,” Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” and Picasso’s “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon.”

All proceeds of the sale will benefit the Thomas and Doris Ammann Foundation Zurich, which establishes support systems for healthcare and educational programs for children.

Furthermore, the sale of the painting is seen to mark the highest-grossing philanthropic auction since The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller in 2018.

“Philanthropy is core to our mission and we are proud to have raised significant funds for foundations and non-profit organizations alike. As a global company, we believe it to be absolutely essential to engage in a dialogue of effecting social impact worldwide,” Christie’s America chairman Marc Porter said.

Banner Photo via Christie’s website

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