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$72M Sale Shatters Warhol Record

Auction madness continues as contemporary-art market sizzles

By M. Morris, Newser Staff

Posted May 17, 2007 4:33 PM CDT

(Newser) – An Andy Warhol painting sold for $71.7 million last night at Christie's, more than quadrupling the previous record price for a work by the pop artist. The price for "Green Car Crash (Green Burning Car I)," part of Warhol's "Death and Disaster" series, more than doubled the presale estimate and overshadowed the $28 million sale of "Lemon Marilyn."

Prices broke records for more than half of the 50 contemporary artists included in the sale, another sign of the red-hot market that saw a Rothko painting go for nearly $73 million at Sotheby's just one night earlier. The Christie's auctioneer called last night's feeding frenzy "one of the most remarkable sales I've ever seen."

Ken Yeh, deputy chairman of Christie's Asia gestures in front of a painting by Andy Warhol entitled "Lemon Marilyn"during an auction preview in Hong Kong Wednesday, April 4, 2007. The painting estimated... (Associated Press)

The painting titled " Green Car Crash " by Andy Warhol is seen... (Getty Images)

The painting titiled "Lemon Marilyn " by Andy Warhol is seen... (Getty Images)

A Christie's staff member stands near a (Getty Images)

%u20AC%u2122s shows Andy Warhol's "Lemon Marilyn," an acrylic and silkscreen on linen which is scheduled to be auctioned at Christie's in New York Wednesday evening, May 16, 2007. (AP Photo/Christie... (Associated Press)

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$72M Sale Shatters Warhol Record

Auction madness continues as contemporary-art market sizzles

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art market • contemporary art • art • Andy Warhol • Sotheby's • Christie's • painting • pop art • Mark Rothko • art auction

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Lichtenstein Painting Fetches $43M

It's a record for the late pop artist

Painting Looted by Nazis Sells for $40.4M

Gustav Klimt landscape goes way above expectations at Sotheby's

Warhol Self-Portrait Fetches Record $38.4M

Private bidder prevails after 'longest lot in history'

Rebounding Art World Expects Huge Spring Prices

A dozen works are priced near $20 million each at auctions

Andy Warhol Self-Portrait Fetches $17M

It goes for twice as much as expected

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$72M Sale Shatters Warhol Record

Auction madness continues as contemporary-art market sizzles

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

art market • contemporary art • art • Andy Warhol • Sotheby's • Christie's • painting • pop art • Mark Rothko • art auction

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Lichtenstein Painting Fetches $43M

It's a record for the late pop artist

Painting Looted by Nazis Sells for $40.4M

Gustav Klimt landscape goes way above expectations at Sotheby's

Warhol Self-Portrait Fetches Record $38.4M

Private bidder prevails after 'longest lot in history'

Rebounding Art World Expects Huge Spring Prices

A dozen works are priced near $20 million each at auctions

Andy Warhol Self-Portrait Fetches $17M

It goes for twice as much as expected

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

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Tools

More News

What is Newser?