| Colored Mona Lisa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Andy Warhol |
| Year | 1963 |
| Medium | Silkscreen inks and graphite on canvas |
| Movement | Pop art |
| Dimensions | 208.6 cm × 319.7 cm (82.1 in × 125.9 in) |
| Location | Private collection |
Colored Mona Lisa is a painting created by the American artistAndy Warhol in 1963. The painting, which depictsLeonardo da Vinci’sMona Lisa, sold for $56.2 million atChristie's in 2015.[1]
Leonardo da Vinci’sMona Lisa has become one of the most recognizable paintings in the world since it was created in 1503.[2] In 1963, the painting made a rare voyage across the Atlantic from Paris for exhibitions at theNational Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and theMetropolitan Museum of Art in New York.[3]
Andy Warhol, the leading artist of thepop art movement, was an enthusiast ofpop culture. In response to the US tour of theMona Lisa, Warhol created his own multicolored depiction,Colored Mona Lisa.[4] It is an early example of his prowess of inextricably linking high art and consumer culture.[2] Metropolitan Museum of Art curatorHenry Geldzahler came up with the idea for the painting and the work's source image was taken from a brochure published by the museum.[4]
In May 2015, Warhol's painting sold for $56.2 million at Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale, surpassing its high estimate of $35 million.[1]
