Andy Warhol's 1964 portrait of Marilyn Monroe sold for $195 million at Christie's Monday night, becoming the most expensive work of American art ever sold.
What is the #1 most expensive painting in the World?
Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci
Salvator Mundi, translated to “Savior of the World,” is not only the world's most expensive painting—it's possibly the most controversial painting, as well.
Warhol's portrait of Marilyn Monroe sells for $195 million, most for any U.S. artist. NEW YORK (AP) — Andy Warhol's “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn” sold for a cool $195 million on Monday, making the iconic portrait of Marilyn Monroe the most expensive work by a U.S. artist ever sold at auction.
Warhol's Marilyn sold for $195 million | World record for the most expensive 20th Century artwork
What painting sold for $300 million?
The piece, Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will You Marry?), is believed to have fetched $300 million. The oil-on-canvas was produced in 1892 during Gauguin's first visit to French Polynesia. It features a pair of Tahitian girls seated next to a tree.
The famous actress and model passed away in August of 1962, leaving the bulk of her estate to her acting coach, Lee Strasberg. When Strasberg passed away, his third wife, Anna, inherited Marilyn's estate from him – even though Marilyn and Anna never knew one another.
What is Marilyn Monroe's net worth? Celebrity Net Worth estimates Monroe's estate was worth around $800,000 at the time of her death which is around $7.8 million in 2022 adjusting for inflation. During her career, she earned little under $3 million ($24 million by today's economy) from film salary.
She then whipped out a pistol from her purse and shot a hole right between the eyes of the paintings. A stunned Warhol eventually had them restored—to various degrees—and the canvases became known as the “Shot Marilyns.” There's no doubt this outrageous story added then and now to the value of these works.
How much was Marilyn Monroe worth when she died? When Monroe died, she was single and childless. She had a net worth of $800,000, approximately $7 million today.
The ownership of the Mona Lisa has been disputed between France and Italy. Legally, the French government holds ownership of the painting, but its figurative ownership can be a subject of debate. Cultural campaigns and online spats have called for the return of the painting to Italy, adding to the ongoing controversy.
The most common answer is that the Mona Lisa is a portrait of the real-life Lisa Gherardini who was born on June 15, 1479, in Via Maggio, Republic of Florence and died July 15, 1542. Gherardini was the wife of a Florentine merchant named Francesco del Giocondo.
The most expensive painting ever sold is the Salvator Mundi, the Saviour of the World in English, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. It was painted in the 1500s and sold for $450.3 million in 2017. The painting was acquired by Mohamed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.
Even today, Monroe is still the world's biggest sex symbol. Forbes reported that Monroe's likeness is used by nearly 100 brands around the world, including high-end fashion houses like Dolce & Gabbana. Her famous face is still her biggest money-maker, but her films still bring in cash to her estate.
As AFROTECH previously reported, ABG acquired the rights to manage the former Los Angeles Laker's name in merchandise and endorsements. From that point on, O'Neal was in business with the company that also has the rights to names like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, and Michael Jackson.
You probably already know that this famous photo of the glamorous Marilyn Monroe was taken while filming The Seven Year Itch. However, there is more to the story than that, including why she faced the photographer and posed the way she did.
Iconic American actor Marilyn Monroe lived and died in the same home in Brentwood. In 2023, the home's new owner was listed as Glory of the Snow LLC. It is a company managed by Dan Lukas, who is an Emerald Lake hedge fund manager, and his wife Anne Jarmain.
75 percent of Monroe's intellectual property and estate were left to her acting coach, Lee Strasberg, and the remaining 25 percent was given to her New York psychiatrist Dr. Marianne Kris.
The medieval work in question was unearthed in the French town of Compiègne. The homeowner found the painting in 2019, which turned out to be The Mocking of Christ (pictured above) by Florentine artist Cenni di Pepo, known as Cimabue. Following a 4 year saga, the piece is now joining the Louvre's collection.
