Andy Warhol Museum

Andy Warhol's Self Portrait Sells for Record Auction Price

Andy Warhol has never looked better---to an audience of contemporary art collectors and dealers, that is. Last night, Sotheby's sold an Andy Warhol painting titled Self-Portrait sold to an anonymous phone bidder for $32.6 million (including the buyer's premium), setting a new record for a Warhol self portrait at auction.

At least six bidders competed for Self Portrait, an acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas painting that was painted in 1986. The large iconic and rare painting, which measures 108" by 108", is from Warhol's final series of Self Portraits - widely acknowledged as the most important of his career. The estimate was $10 million to $15 million.

"This Warhol was my favorite work in the sale," says Tobias Meyer, Worldwide Head of Contemporary Art and the evening's auctioneer. "It will be seen as a very smart buy in the future."

Tags: Andy Warhol, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Andy Warhol Museum, Andy Warhol Self Portrait, auction, AuctionHouse, sothebys, Tom Ford