Francis Bacon

Christie's auction house sold "Three Studies for Self Portrait" by Francis Bacon, which was painted by the British artist in 1976 -- the same year as the "Triptych," auctioned at Sotheby's. "Self Portrait" fetched $28 million at Christie's May 13 sale; it was expected to sell for $25-$35 million.
(Courtesy Christie's Images LTD. 2008)














Spring Auction Highlights

Two major works by contemporary artist Francis Bacon were on the auction block this spring. This triptych, painted in 1976, was expected to sell in the region of $70 million May 14 at Sotheby's Contemporary and Post-War art sale. It sold for $86.28 -- a record sale for a painting by a contemporary artist.
(Courtesy Sotheby's New York)

Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol's "Double Marlon" went on the auction block at Christie's May 13 Contemporary and Post-War Auction. The work, signed and dated twice "Andy Warhol 1966," depicts Brando in a still from "The Wild One," which is silkscreened on unprimed linen. It was the highest-fetching work by Warhol at Christie's May 13 auction and sold for $32.52 million.
(Courtesy Christie's Images LTD. 2008)















Some consider Andy Warhol's pop art genius, but others wonder how a painting of Elizabeth Taylor could fetch over $30 million. Warhol's "Liz," 1963, was expected to fetch between $25 and $35 million at Christie's contemporary auction Tuesday. It sold for $23.6 million.
(Christie's)














Meanwhile, bidders had a chance to snatch up one of Andy Warhol's iconic Campbell soup cans, "Campbell's Soup Can (Pepper Pot)," 1962, for an estimated $7 to $9 million at Sotheby's. It sold for $8.4 million.
(Sotheby's)

Lucian Freud

Spring Auction Highlights

Among the broken records at the Christie's Contemporary and Post-War Art auction Tuesday night was a painting by Lucian Freud, "Benefits Supervisor Sleeping" (1995), which sold for $33 million. The life-size painting, which was expected to fetch $25-$35 million, was considered the British artist's most important painting to go on auction and set a sales record for work by a living artist.

Check out other record-setting sales at this spring season's auctions.

Prices include a buyer's premium.
(Courtesy Christie's Images LTD. 2008)