COLOGNE.- Today the Cologne Prints & Multiples sale at Sotheby’s Cologne opened for bidding.

The online auction, which ends on 4 December 2024, presents a unique selection of prints and multiples that can be viewed by the public at Palais Oppenheim daily from 10 AM to 5 PM from today until 3 December 2024, and from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday.

Martina Janke, Director and specialist for Prints & Multiples, said: “From popular Pop Art prints to contemporary positions, the Prints & Multiples sale offering includes a wide range of fascinating editions. Whether classics by Andy Warhol, such as the ‘African Elephant’ or ‘Reflections on Soda Foundation’ by Roy Lichtenstein, the ‘Companion’ by KAWS or the small-format bronze ‘Give or Take II’ by Louise Bourgeois - the catalogue invites you to take a closer look.”

The sale is led by Andy Warhol's African Elephant from the Endangered Species series from 1983, which comes from one of the artist's most popular portfolios: Endangered Species with a total of 10 prints, in which Warhol dealt with the subject of endangered animal species just as seriously as he did with the depiction of famous personalities. In this work, Andy Warhol succeeds in depicting a very serious subject - the extinction of endangered species - in a very special way: The animals appear like trophies, powerful and sublime. The dominant colors (pink and turquoise) and the sharp contours stand in contrast to the threatening situation of the animals. This ambivalence creates a field of tension that captivates the viewer and encourages reflection. This graphic is therefore exemplary of Andy Warhol's work. Estimated at €70.000-100.000, the work comes to the auction from a European private collection.

The second most expensive lot is the color screen print Reflections on Soda Fountain - Roy Lichtenstein. The artist is one of the most important Pop Artists who made printmaking an important part of his oeuvre. This significant print from 1991 is part of his Reflections series, in which he revisits earlier motifs by abstracting and adding various elements. Reflections on Soda Fountain unites what the American artist stands for and is characterized by his visual imagery, including his characteristic dotted areas, lines of colour and clear contours. Another print of this silkscreen is in outstanding institutional collections, including the National Gallery of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. With an estimate of €50.000-60.000, this work, which is coming to auction for the first time from a German private collection, is likely to meet with a good response.

The auction comprises 45 lots and is estimated above €470.000.