Andy Warhol Marilyn Monroe print sells for $195 million U.S. dollars

The iconic Marilyn Monroe print created by Andy Warhol sold for $195 million US dollars

The print went for sale at an auction in New York at Christie’s and is now the most expensive piece of American art ever sold.

Ahead of the auction, Christie’s described the painting as “one of the rarest and most transcendent images in existence”.

The print called ‘Shot Sage Blue Marilyn’ is based on a promotional photo of Monroe in the 1953 film Niagara.

Warhol painted the piece after her death with bright colours over her eyes, hair and lips.

Warhol’s print has become highly reputable in the art world and is considered the principle of pop art.

Despite selling for 195 million dollars the artwork was predicted by art analysts to sell for over 200 million dollars.  

Some even predicted the artwork to sell for between $250 and 300 million dollars.

The sale broke a previous 2017 record for American artwork at auction of 110.5 million dollars. 

The 2017 piece was an artwork by Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Prior to the sale Swiss art dealers, Thomas and Doris Ammann held the print in their art collection.

The new buyer is not identified.

Monroe was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars before her death from an overdose on August 4, 1962.

Artist Andy Warhol died in 1987.

Amanda Gunn contributed to this report.