Hockney painting expected to fetch more than $80m

British artist’s Portrait of an Artist likely to to sell for more than Christie’s estimate

One of David Hockney’s famous “pool paintings” is coming to auction and is expected to sell in the $80 million (Dh294 million) range, easily breaking the record for a work by a living artist.

The British artist’s Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), to be auctioned at Christie’s on November 15, is considered one of his premier works. Christie’s has estimated the work at about $80 million, but says it expects it to sell for more.

The previous record for a work by a living artist was by Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog, which sold for $58.4 million in 2013.

The 1972 painting by the artist, now 81, is “the holy grail of his paintings, from both historical and market perspectives,” said Alex Rotter, co-chairman of post-war and contemporary art at Christie’s.

AP A Christie’s employee views the David Hockney work going up for auction, on Thursday, in New York.