Memorabilia

Warhol Jacko Auction

Painting of 'Thriller' album sells.

The painting is a chimera of 1980s culture: a portrait of Michael Jackson painted by Andy Warhol to commemorate the Thriller album's record-breaking sales. The painting was auctioned by the Vered Gallery on New York's Long Island this week for an undisclosed amount, although one report said the price was in excess of $1 million (the starting bid was $800,000.) That would be evidence of the art market's collapse, as the average price for a Warhol in recent years has been $17 million, while the most paid at auction for a Warhol was $71 million for "Car Crash." The most paid for a Warhold portrait was $28 million for a take on Marilyn Monroe, dubbed "Lemon Marilyn."