Just in time for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, a legendary portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Andy Warhol has gone for auction at Bonhams Print Sale in London on 11 July. While the portrayal derives unprecedented relevance and momentousness for its historic value, the numbered and signed print ‘Queen Elizabeth II’ however hails from the Reigning Queen Series. Although Warhol’s exploratory works reflect expressions of artistic exploration and celebrity culture, but the rare portrait series also subsumes the Queens of Denmark, Swaziland and Netherlands.
The extremely exceptional portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Andy Warhol nonetheless is based on a portrayal of Queen Elizabeth sculpted in 1977 to mark her Silver Jubilee. But to provide a deeper insight (in case you do not know), the Reigning Queen title was rendered by Warhol as a double entendre on Raging Queens during the earlier period. The other series entitled Ladies and Gentleman and Drag Queens also shared the same bright, almost garnish palettes.
In fact, the American artist always believed in merging the nature of celebrity with the image in the modernistic world. Although there are a slew of great sculptures and portraits by the ingenious artist, the signed and numbered print of Queen Elizabeth II was however (unfortunately) the last print-portrait by Andy Warhol before his untimely demise in 1987.
But this time, a rare proof copy of Warhol’s 1985 portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II will be up for auction on July 11 at Bonham Print Sale in London – which has already witnessed auctions of several noted portraits. If we go by the buzz which has been humming for quite some time now, the painting is estimated to fetch between £40,000 – 60,000.
Considering, another one of Andy Warhol’s Elizabeth Taylor portrait sold for for over $662,000, more than its estimated price tag, back in 2011, this one will fetch upwards of its estimates.
