- Andy Warhol's 1985 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II sold for almost $900,000, per Canadian auction house Heffel.
- The portrait of the Queen shattered global records of an editioned Warhol print ever auctioned.
One of Andy Warhol's renowned portraits of the late Queen Elizabeth II has sold for almost $900,000 — a record sum for an editioned print ever auctioned, Canada's Heffel Fine Art Auction House announced Thursday.
The print — dubbed the "crown jewel" of the sale by Heffel — was sold at the gallery's Post War and Contemporary Art auction for more than twice the estimated sale price of roughly $405,000.
Created in 1985, the silkscreen print of the late monarch is based on a photograph shot by Peter Grugeon at Windsor Castle in 1975, which was subsequently published in 1977, on the occasion of the Queen's Silver Jubilee.
The print is one of four in Warhol's 1985 Reigning Queen series, per The Art Newspaper.
This particular print features a portrait of the Queen donning the diamond and pearl Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara, juxtaposed against a striking regal blue background. The print is also sprinkled with diamond dust, producing a glimmer effect under the light.
It is also one of two prints editioned "Hors d'Commerce," meaning that the print is not for sale. Such prints are typically given by the artist as gifts.
Andy Warhol, a leading exponent in the field of pop art, is renowned for creating works that marry the themes of mainstream pop culture and societal defiance.
His most expensive work-to-date is his portrait of Marilyn Manroe named "Shot Sage Blue Marilyn", which sold for a record $195 million at an auction on May 9, 2022.