Warhol’s Elvis portrait could fetch $ 30M at sale

London: An Andy Warhol painting of Elvis Presley — the pop artist’s only fulllength portrait — is for sale with an estimated price tag of around $ 30 million.

Double Elvis ( Ferus Type)” depicts the hipswiveling musician holding a revolver, as he appeared in the 1960 movie Western Flaming Star. A ghostly duplicate image hovers in the background. The 1963 black- on- silver portrait is being auctioned by Christie’s in New York on May 17, alongside Warhol’s “Most Wanted Men No. 11, John Joseph H., Jr.” One of a series of mug shot images created by Warhol for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, it’s also expected to fetch “in the region of $ 30 million,” Christie’s says.

The portraits are on display at Christie’s London showroom from Friday until Tuesday. Christie’s contemporary art chairman Alex Rotter said the paintings — of “the King of Rock ‘ n’ Roll and the career criminal” — are “very memorable and early examples of Warhol’s profound understanding of fame.” The record for a Warhol work is $ 105 million paid for Silver Car Crash ( Double Disaster) at a 2013 Sotheby’s auction.