Andy Warhol’s ‘Big Electric Chair’ to Hit Christie’s Auction

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Andy Warhol’s “Big Electric Chair” (1967-68) is slated to be the highlight piece in Christie’s 20th Century Evening Sale, taking place during New York’s Marquee Week. The artwork is expected to sell for at least $30 million USD, making it its inaugural appearance at an auction.

The artwork debuted during the artist’s 1968 exhibit at Stockholm’s Modern Museum, marking his first significant retrospective outside of America. A year after its debut, it was purchased by Belgian collectors Roger Matthys and Hilda Colle, and has remained with them for the past fifty years.

The artwork titled ‘Big Electric Chair’ is a close-up rendering of a 1953 photo from Sing Sing Correctional Facility’s execution chamber in New York, serving as inspiration for Warhol’s famous ‘Death and Disaster’ collection. Unlike other pieces where surrounding elements like doors, pipes, and more are visible, this painting centers exclusively on the electric chair, creating a stark contrast between life and death, reminiscent of memento mori, and highlighting an unsettling acceptance or desensitization to violent imagery, a recurring motif throughout the series.

According to Christie’s Chairman of 20th and 21st Century Art, Alex Rotter, the piece titled ‘Big Electric Chair’ stands out as the epitome of still life. It is unique within Warhol’s body of work, offering a solitary image in a peaceful instant, symbolizing the fragility of the human condition.

Christie’s 20th Century Evening Sale will begin on May 12.

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2025-04-14 22:55