Displaying items by tag: Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor jewels are back in the news.

Christie's 2011 sale of the collection of Elizabeth Taylor was a landmark event celebrating the iconic Holllywood star's life with back-to-back auctions of her art, fashion, and jewels. The evening jewels sale alone achieved $115.9 million, the most valuable jewelry auction in history and seven new world auction records were established.

But now it seems that some of those "record" results have become a royal embarrassment.

The Andy Warhol Foundation's recent lawsuit to block the $20 million sale of an allegedly stolen Elizabeth Taylor portrait has sent shockwaves through the Pop-Art icon's family.

Though the foundation says their namesake's former bodyguard, Agusto Bugarin, stole "Liz" and then waited decades to sell it as potential challengers died off, two of Warhol's nephews came to Bugarin's defense in exclusive interviews with Courthouse News.

Like the rest of Andy's family, James and George Warhola have kept their Slovakian surname intact. Unlike their cousin, Donald Warhola, however, James and George have no association with the foundation. Four years ago, Donald took over for his late father, John, as trustee of an arts organization created in Warhol's will.

On November 11 and 12, Sotheby’s will offer an unprecedented line-up of celebrity portraits by Andy Warhol during its Contemporary Art sales in New York. Led by a luminous portrait of Elizabeth Taylor titled “Liz #3 (Early Colored Liz),” the lot includes paintings of Brigitte Bardot, Marilyn Monroe, Jacqueline Kennedy, Judy Garland, Debbie Harry, and the socialite São Schlumberger.

“Liz #3,” which presents the beguiling actress on a striking mint green background, has only been exhibited once since 1972.

Andy Warhol’s foundation sued the iconic pop artist’s former bodyguard, accusing him of stealing a 1964 painting of actress Elizabeth Taylor, entitled “Liz,” and hiding it for more than 30 years.

The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, established by the artist’s will to hold his works, alleged in a civil complaint that former bodyguard Agusto Bugarin is a “patient thief” who stole the work in 1984 and is now trying to sell it “after everyone he thought could challenge his ownership of the work had died.”

The traveling exhibition, Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal, marks the 25^th anniversary of Andy Warhol’s (1928-1987) death. The tribute to the pioneering pop artist features over 300 works including paintings, photographs, screen-prints, sculptures, and films and presents Warhol’s famous Campbell’s soup cans as well as his iconic portraits of Jackie Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, and Mao Zedong.

15 Minutes Eternal, the largest traveling exhibition of Warhol’s work to date, has already been on display in Singapore and is currently on view at the Hong Kong Museum of Art through March 31, 2013. However, a few changes will have to be made before the works appear in Beijing next year as China’s Ministry of Culture has requested that the 10 Mao paintings be left out of the Beijing leg of the tour. Created in 1972 after Richard Nixon made his historic visit to China, the Mao portraits were made by applying acrylic and silkscreen-ink to canvas and went on to become some of Warhol’s best-known works.

The 26-month Asian tour has already been a success with 175,000 people visiting the exhibition in Singapore. Officials hope that the absence of the Mao paintings will not affect attendance in Beijing. The last stop on the tour is Tokyo, where the exhibition will be on view from February 1, 2014 to May 6, 2014.

Viewing: April 28-May 11, 2011

Auction: May 12, 7pm

Location: Phillips de Pury & Company, 450 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022

Phillips de Pury & Company is honored to announce the sale of a rare, iconic portrait of the legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor, painted by Andy Warhol in 1963. The stunning painting will be offered for sale in the Contemporary Art Part I auction on May12th and is estimated at $20,000,000/$30,000,000.

"Liz #5 is a pristine gem. It is Warhol at his very best with a perfect screen, glowing colors, and impeccable provenance. She is classic yet every bit as cutting edge as she was when Warhol painted her nearly 50 years ago. Liz #5 embodies everything that a major collector of 20th century art desires and we are thrilled to offer this rare and exciting opportunity to the market." Michael McGinnis, Senior Director and Worldwide Head, Contemporary Art.

Liz #5 was painted at the height of the actresses' fame which coincided with the most significant creative period of Warhol's career. The glamorous portrait embodies the most important themes of Warhol's oeuvre including including celebrity, wealth, scandal, sex, death and Hollywood. The epitome of old-world Hollywood style and glamor, Liz Taylor was one of Warhol's most famous inspirations alongside Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy. Taylor captured Warhol's attention early on with her life's high profile romances and tragedy; it was this vibrancy and pathos that so attracted Warhol to her and ensured she was a formidable influence on his work throughout his career. In his own words he once said, "Elizabeth Taylor, ohhhh. She's so glamorous.

In Liz #5, her unforgettable face emerges from a rich turquoise background, perfectly capturing her luminous skin, striking violet eyes and red lips. The power of her attraction has never been as evident as it is in this Warhol painting - a dazzling tribute to Elizabeth Taylor. This striking portrait is a testament to the legend and beauty of one of the world's most beloved and iconic actresses, both capturing her very essence and transcending the limits of time.

Liz #5 comes from an important private collector who acquired it from the estate of famed art dealer and collector Ileana Sonnabend. Beginning in the early 1960's, her gallery was instrumental in introducing postwar America Art to Europe and she represented the most prolific and groundbreaking artists of her time including Jasper Johns, Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol. Liz #5 remained in her personal art collection until her death in 2007. This is the first time a work from her estate will come to auction and it offers the rare possibility to acquire one of the Sonnabend treasures in the open market.