Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe image could become most expensive 20th Century artwork

As reported by Sky News, the silkscreen image known as Shot Sage Blue Marilyn is expected to sell for around $200m (£151m), according to auction house Christie's.

The work - a close-up of Monroe with her hair in yellow, blue eyeshadow, and bright red lips - was created in 1964.

Warhol had been inspired to paint the portraits of Monroe following her death two years earlier, and took visual inspiration from a promotional photo for the 1953 film Niagara by Henry Hathaway.

The screen-printing technique he used was a departure from the mass production techniques he was best-known for.

WOW! Just read that Christie's is asking for $200 MILLION for Andy Warhol's silk screen portrait of Marilyn Monroe. The highest price ever asked for any work of art.

Looks like Pop Art and Marilyn win the day! pic.twitter.com/WFco42o5uT

— Quillan Sprague (@QSpragoo) March 21, 2022

Each was painted on a background of different colours - red, orange, blue, sage blue (the one being auctioned), and turquoise.

If the work does sell for the estimated price, it would shatter Warhol's current auction record - set in 2013 by Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster), which fetched $105.4m (£80m).

The most expensive 20th century painting sold at auction is Les femmes d'Alger (Version 'O') by Picasso, which fetched $179m (£135m) in May 2015 at Christie's New York.

It is currently set to be auctioned in May.