Popeye does Vegas Jeff Koons – Popeye
signed, dated 2009-2011 and numbered 3/3.
Warhol pipped Popeye at Sotheby’s in New York last night. A set of six self-portraits by Andy Warhol made $30,125,000 at the sale of contemporary art. It was the top lot in an auction which realised $364,379,000 million. Popeye by Jeff Koons, the catalogue cover lot, sold for $28,165,000 and is destined for Las Vegas. Other Warhol highlights include Big Electric Chair which sold for $20,437,000 and 12 Mona Lisas (Reversal Series) which made $11,365,000. There were artist records for Rosemarie Trockel, Dan Flavin, Adam McEwen, Matthew Barney, Sarah Lucas, Keith Haring, James Rosenquist, Wade Guyton, and Julian Schnabel.
Alexander Rotter, Co-Head of Sotheby’s Worldwide Contemporary Art Department, commented: “Tonight, the Contemporary market continued its solid ascent with one of Sotheby’s biggest ever sales. Global participation was evident throughout the process and helped to drive our sell-through rate of 85%. We began tonight with 19 lots from The Sender Collection, which brought a fantastic total well above the high estimate and with every lot finding a buyer. These are the artists of our generation and it was thrilling to see new benchmarks set time and again. I was also delighted that Steve Wynn was the successful purchaser of Koons’ Popeye and that the work will be going on view at his casino in Las Vegas.”
See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for April 13 and April 11, 2014.