A Marilyn by Andy Warhol for 195 million dollars

The iconic portrait of Marilyn Monroe created by the patriarch of Pop Art, Andy Warhol, was sold at auction by Christie’s for 195 million dollars, breaking the previous record held by Les Femmes d’Alger, a work by Picasso sold in 2015 for 179.4 million dollars.

The proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Thomas & Doris Ammann Foundation in Zurich and will be used to fund health and education projects for children in underdeveloped countries.

The work, titled Shot Sage Blue Marilyn, is part of a group of five square canvases created in five different colors. It was painted by Andy Warhol in 1964, two years after the actress’s passing, inspired by a photograph taken from the film Niagara by Henry Hathaway. In the portrait, Marilyn is depicted with yellow hair, red lips, and blue eyeshadow, with her face standing out against a pastel-colored background.

Subsequently, the canvas, along with the other four in the quadriptych, was reproduced on a large scale, becoming a true global icon. According to some, the title of the work came to the artist after a woman, pretending to be a photographer, attempted to shoot the paintings with a gun. 

The famous portrait was acquired, just four minutes after the auction began, by the gallerist Larry Gagosian, who, however, did not disclose whether the purchase was for himself or for a client. What is certain, however, is that even years later, Warhol’s work continues to captivate, further enhancing not only his incredible artistic journey but also the subjects depicted in his paintings. 

Thanks to his art, Marilyn’s face is elevated to a symbol of timeless beauty, and her subtly smiling expression, in some ways reminiscent of another equally famous work, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, conveys to the viewer elegance, seduction, and femininity.