All the Dollars are for Warhol

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Sotheby's is announcing for their sale on November 11 in New York a very important artwork of Warhol, estimated $ 8 million. This painting on silkscreen is titled 200 One Dollar Bills.

The work dates from March - April 1962. That is important. 1962 is the year of the first exhibitions dedicated to the artist in Los Angeles and New York. Suddenly, from nowhere, appeared the Warholian founding themes of contemporary art: the Campbell's soup, Marilyn, the dollar.

Warhol's contribution is to introduce in art such popular images that are instantly recognizable by everyone, and yet are paintings. Doing it he actually created current art, or still better the art of the current world.

He operated at all scales the fruitful idea of multiples, for which he is helped by the silkscreen printing technique in two complementary ways: separate similar works with variations of colors, and juxtaposition of identical patterns on the same work.

We have here an example of the latter case: over a total area of 203 x 234 cm, the work shows banknotes in the amount and quantity indicated in the title, in twenty rows of ten units each, without interval. What's more repetitive in the life of every day than a banknote? At least, everyone wants it so. What could more easily attract the attention of an American middleman than his $ 1 ticket?

The following image, unspectacular on the web, is shared by AuctionPublicity.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

This work is historical, the result confirms that fact: $ 43.7 million including premium.

Sotheby's had left running the much conservative estimate at $ 8 million. When viewing the smile of the star auctioneer of the company in the pre sale video presentation, it became obvious that something important was to happen.

The title I chose for my article was also prescient: the release of Sotheby's had convinced me.

Congratulation to Sotheby's.