Closeted Warhol Painting Up For Auction

A Manhattan woman who has been keeping her Andy Warhol original in the closet for decades, has finally taken it out of the makeshift storage room so she can cash in. The painting (a self portrait) will go on the auction block at Sotheby's on November 11th. The woman was reportedly a receptionist in Warhol's factory at age 17, and in 1967 he gave her the painting, which is inscribed to her. Why sell such a personalized gift? It's estimated there are about one million reasons.

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By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on October 30, 2009 4:54 PM

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BP Jackson

Geez, you guys. The Sotheby's site says the painting (silkscreen) has been authenticated, so if it's not legit we'll never know. Besides, all they really need to do is authenticate her story- she worked there. That's really enough, as the story here is part of the value of the piece. I'd suggest that if this is really a discovery (that there aren't other ones like it) that this should fetch more than what they're suggesting here.

hunter.blatherer

Who is this closeted Warhol you speak of?

NannyState

She had to outlive a few people before doing this.

suepart

buyer beware. easily a fraud. one million reasons to check for authenticity. much like the jackson pollock painting which x-rayed found it to be painted two or three decades after his death....