The Nov Art Quiz.. Anyone need a MAO painting??

It would seem November is THE month to dump sell A Warhol MAO.  So far at least 4 Chairman inspired images are on the Auction block. There are three just in the Christies Contemporary Sales..

• A Vik Muniz Chocolate MAO,
• this small 12 x 10 inch MAO,
• plus, a Super Sized 82 x 60 inch MAO in the Contemporary Night sale with a stunning pre-sale estimate range from $8 to $12 MILLION! Ouch that's a lot of doe, rae, me high! The MAO also got the dubious honor of being on the cover of Nov'06 Art & Auction Magazine (see page 205).

But only the most beautiful MAO can have the glorious distinction of being our November Art Quiz!

It maybe small no size queens here.. measuring in at only 10 x 12 inches.. but provenance is everything!!!  This MAO by Andy Warhol has graced the home of David Whitney (Phillip Johnson's Long Time Partner). In fact, it was a Christmas gift by Andy Warhol to David Whitney...WOW..That's Sweat! Hence you'll notice the festive Red/Green color scheme.

On November 16th, Sothebys will hold the Whitney Estate Sale including this handsome MAO. It was created in 1972, of Acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas. and the presale estimate is a wide range of $250,000 to $350,000.

FYI.. that works out to $2,000 to $3,000 per square inch!! Here's a quote from Sothebys:

Having previously 'retired' his hand from the creative process, Warhol's portraits of Mao announced his renewed interest in painting by hand. Unlike his earlier flattened silkscreens, Mao is much more painterly in style with its loose brushwork of bright hand-painted acrylic hues. Embedded beneath and defining the image of Mao, the portrait's expressionist-like background is dramatically enhanced by the authorless silkscreen of Mao. In a radical departure from the somber tones of the original source photograph, the energetic emphasis and bright hues of the paint seem more appropriate for a Hollywood star than a Communist leader. As such, Mao provides a superlative example of Warhol's examination of the inherent contradictions of fame and celebrity.

As any Contemporary Art Junkie Collector knows.. WARHOL is HOT HOT HOT!! So what do you think this MAO will sell for??  Submit your guess!! The person coming closest to the total final sales price (including the 20% auction house premium) is the winner, and gets to choose either a 1 year Museum membership or an Arts Based Charity for a generous donation to be made in their honor. Post your guess in the comments or email [email protected]. All entries must be in by 10am on Nov 16th. Good Luck!

Oh.. and Dr. Quiz.. if you were wondering what to put on my Christmas list.. see above, cause MAO's been very naughty nice this year!

Comments

[Tom]

I love this XMAS MAO!

So will everyone else.. I say the hammer price will be 500,000 + 20%.. so

My guess is $600,000

[DC]

$520,000 including buyer's premium.

btw, Sotheby's buyer's premium is actually 20% on the first $200,000 & then 12% on anything above that...

[Rick]

All this Warhol craze has gone way over the top..Plus it's small.. I bet it doesn't make the low end of the est.. $240,000

[A.J.]

rick's right... it's a midget Mao... and not my fave color scheme... but folks love garish color so it'll fetch more than a black on black... i'm going with 335thou.

[Patrick Key]

I'm going for around $319K (only because the 19th of this month is by bday!

[BillBob]

HoHoHo, for this one, my guess is Four hundred and One Thousand Dollars. At least that's what my bid will be ;-)

But why does this MAO have a top estimate of 400k and the other 12x10 MAO have a higher estimate of $400-600,000? Eh, what's an extra one or two hundred grand anyway?

[Dutch]

Too many silly people with too much silly money... 40% over estimate, plus 20% premium... equals... $588K

[lisa hunter]

Meanwhile, the artist of the original MAO portrait is probably living on rice noodles back in Beijing. Ah, capitalism.

[George]

$285,000

[Alpher]

480k final

[Mike's Mom]

$220,000

Mom says.. anyone who's wanted a Warhol Mao already bought one at L&M or from the new Gagosian Show in Chelsea.

[James Wolanin]

$640,000 - That's my final answer!

[DC]

Holy shite, is this corrrect??

Lot Sold.
Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 2,256,000 USD

[art paintings]

I love this painting, I wish I have one in my house! Long live Chairman Mao!