Andy Warhol portrait of Michael sold

The portrait of Michael Jackson that Andy Warhol had painted for Thriller was sold yesterday at an auction at the Ward Gallery in New York. The gallery has not revealed the buyer’s name or the sale price, but sources say that several million dollars changed hands. Jannet Lauer, the director of the gallery, said the artwork sold for a million-level price. The gallery had previously estimated that the portrait would sell for $10 million. The auction deadline ended at 8:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday.

The portrait depicts Michael with a smiling face and his famous red jacket.

This portrait was bought in May for $278,505 at Sotheby’s auction in New York. After Michael’s death on June 25 and the surge in public interest in the pop legend, the buyer decided to sell the portrait. The portrait was scheduled to go up for auction on July 12, but as bids increased, the auction was postponed. During this period, the gallery received bid offers via the internet and by phone.

Source: eMJey / AP