A remarkable canvas from the 1960s by the renowned Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein is poised to make waves at the auction block. This piece, titled Anxious Girl (1964), is estimated to fetch between $40 million and $60 million, potentially ranking as one of Lichtenstein's highest-selling artworks to date.
The painting will headline Christie's prestigious 20th-century art evening sale on May 18, originating from the esteemed collection of Holly Solomon and her husband, Horace. If it reaches its upper estimate, it will become the artist's second-most expensive piece sold at any public auction.
As auction houses like Christie's and Sotheby's gear up for their significant May sales, excitement is building with other notable lots, including the $53 million Wingate collection at Sotheby's and a $35 million Renoir at Christie's. Both auction houses have reported improved results for 2025, indicating a stabilization in the auction market.
Lichtenstein's current auction record stands at $95.4 million, achieved for Nurse (1964) at Christie's New York in 2015. This iconic piece was acquired by a single bidder, speculated to be François Pinault, and has passed through the hands of several prominent collectors. His next highest auction price is $56.1 million for Woman With Flowered Hat (1963), inspired by Picasso's Cubist style.
The upcoming auction piece is one of only ten works from 1963 to 1965 that focus closely on a woman's head. Lichtenstein's signature style, which employs Ben-Day dots--a printing technique he famously adapted--brings the subject to life, echoing the imagery from a 1963 DC Comics cover.
According to Sara Friedlander, chairman of postwar and contemporary art at Christie's, Anxious Girl exemplifies Lichtenstein's mastery, showcasing his ability to distill complex visual narratives into essential elements of line, color, and form, evoking profound human emotions through a blend of love stories and comic art.
The Solomon collection is notable for its assembly of works from artists like Claes Oldenburg and Andy Warhol. In 1966, Solomon commissioned Warhol for a famous nine-paneled portrait, further solidifying her legacy in the art world. Following the creation of Anxious Girl, Lichtenstein depicted Solomon in I...I'm Sorry, now part of the Broad Museum collection in Los Angeles.
In the forthcoming months, Lichtenstein and the Pop art movement will take center stage in New York, with the Guggenheim Museum launching "Pop: 1960 to Now" and the Whitney Museum presenting a comprehensive Lichtenstein retrospective this fall.