LONDON – In a high-octane display of the enduring market power of Pop Art, Andy Warhol’s vibrant reimagining of Edvard Munch’s most famous subject, The Scream (after Munch), hammered down for a staggering £5.4 million (approximately $6.6 million USD) at Sotheby’s London. The live auction, featuring works from the prestigious Pauline Karpidas Collection, drew intense international interest as one of Warhol’s most recognizable screenprints returned to the public eye after nearly three decades in private hands.
The bidding opened at a baseline of £1.6 million, but the price escalated rapidly as a fierce competitive battle broke out between collectors present in the London salesroom and high-net-worth individuals bidding via telephone. The atmosphere was electric as the increments climbed steadily, reflecting the rare provenance of the piece. The artwork had been a centerpiece of Pauline Karpidas’ personal home for nearly 30 years, a factor that experts believe contributed significantly to the aggressive bidding war.
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The auction reached a moment of unexpected drama during the final stages of the sale. A brief pause was called due to telecommunications issues, momentarily halting the momentum as auctioneers worked to ensure all remote bidders were accounted for. Once the connection was stabilized, the bidding resumed for its final stretch, eventually concluding with a definitive confirmation in the room. The final price of £5.4 million marks a significant milestone for the Karpidas Collection and reaffirms the status of Warhol’s late-period masterpieces as blue-chip assets in the global art market.
