Warhol Downs And Ups

Warhol ranks fourth in the world index of artists by lots sold, behind Picasso, Chagall and Miro, and has the eighteenth highest price at auction for any artist in the last 10 years. Rarity is not the sole determining factor in the price of an art work. Prolific output frequently reflects an artist's fame. Over 800 of Warhol's works come up for auction each year and three-quarters are prints. Half sell for less than USD 6,000. At an auction held by Sotheby's New York in 1998, an "Orange Marilyn" sold for over 17.3 million USD, consolidating the price levels for this artist. This work had originally been sold straight out of the studio for 2,500 USD. In 1998 his price level rose 80%. For the full story - click the title Irish Art