Christie's to auction large Warhol self-portrait

[January 11, 2011]  LONDON (AP) -- Christie's says a large and little-known Andy Warhol self-portrait will be among the highlights of the auctioneer's contemporary art sale next month.

The 6-foot-square (half a square meter) red-and-white painting is one of a series of self-portraits executed by the Pop Art master in 1967. Christie's said Tuesday that five of the 11 works in the series are already in museums.

The present work has been in a private collection since 1974 and is expected to fetch up to 5 million pounds ($7.75 million) when it goes on sale in London on Feb. 16.

Warhol died in 1987 and remains one of the world's most expensive artists.

The painting will go on public view in New York from Jan. 22 to 26.

[Associated Press]

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