Warhol’s screen prints of Queen Elizabeth on sale to mark platinum jubilee

May 2022 has been quite the merry month for records set in the world of art and antiques.

A 1913 Case 30-60 tractor made headlines when it sold for $1.7 million (€1.57 million) in Illinois, shattering the previous world record set in 2019 of $535,000 (€500,000).

Then, €135 million was paid by a private collector for the 1955 ultra-rare original 300 SLR Mercedes Uhlenhaut Coupe. With distinctive gull-wing doors, the car sold through RM Sotheby’s sale held at a Mercedes Benz museum, beating the previous record of €65 million shelled out in 2018 for a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO.

Diamonds, too, have had a good year, with a record set for the Red Cross Diamond, which achieved 14.1 million Swiss francs (€13 million) after eleven seconds at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale in May. The cushion-shaped intense yellow diamond (205 carats) was cut from a 375-carat rough stone and is one of the largest diamonds in the world.

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Andy Warhol also made the news in May when his painting Shot Sage Blue Marilyn, achieved $195 million (€181 million). From the collection of Thomas and Doris Ammann, it established the work as the most expensive 20th century artwork to sell at auction.

Now in the year of Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee, two screen prints of the monarch by Warhol will form the highlight of the Art of Literature Exhibition in London on June 6th-14th. Both works will be offered for sale in the Post War and Contemporary Art sale by Christie’s on July 1st.

Reigning Queens

Created in 1985 from Warhol’s Reigning Queens series, it brought together four ruling women monarchs: Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Queen Twala of Swaziland and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. The series was issued in two editions: a standard of 40, and a Royal Edition of 30 with diamond dust

Both screen prints are the diamond dust editions, with the blue print listed at £200,000-£300,000 (€234,000-€350,000) while the red edition is higher at £250,000-£350,000 (€290,000-€410,000).

Pop artist Warhol, who understood the cult of celebrity, made art out of what people desired most in the world: power, money and fame.

“My idea of a good picture is one that’s in focus and of a famous person,” he once said. After his screen prints of idols such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, stars and socialites were said to have lined up at his Factory door, eager to be immortalised.

At that time, Queen Elizabeth II was deemed the most recognisable person in the world by the Guinness Book of Records, so it made sense that Warhol would want her in his collection. In 1982, his dealer George Mulder wrote to the monarch’s private secretary Sir William Heseltine, requesting permission to use her portrait.

“The Queen would certainly not wish to put any obstacles in Mr Warhol’s way,” wrote Heseltine in response, adding “she would not dream of offering any comment on this idea”.

The Royal Collection purchased four prints from the Royal Edition to mark the 60th anniversary of the queen’s coronation. They are the only portraits of the queen in the collection that she did not sit for. christies.com