Sotheby’s Presents Icons: A Landmark Exhibition Reuniting Celebrated Masterpieces

Andy Warhol. Shot Orange Marilyn, 1964. Synthetic polymer and silkscreen ink on canvas, 40 × 40 in. (101.6 × 101.6 cm)

Sotheby’s New York, May 14, 1998, lot 16. Estimate $4,000,000–6,000,000. Sold for $17,327,500

Andy Warhol’s Shot Orange Marilyn (1964), famously marked by a bullet hole from an unapproved piece of performance art at the Factory, sold for $17.3 million at Sotheby’s in 1998, more than quadrupling the artist’s previous record and becoming one of the highest-priced contemporary paintings of its time. The work transforms Marilyn Monroe into a luminous, reproduced icon, capturing both celebrity and the mass-media culture that defines her image. Its sale helped solidify Warhol’s market dominance, cementing the Marilyn series as a defining motif of Pop art and a symbol of the artist’s enduring cultural impact.

To be exhibited in New York. Made possible by Kenneth C. Griffin

Celebrating Sotheby’s Legacy and Marking the Opening of Its New Global Headquarters at the Iconic Breuer Building on Madison Avenue

A Two-Part Exhibition Spanning Abu Dhabi and New York

ABU DHABI 2 – 6 DECEMBER

NEW YORK 13 – 21 DECEMBER

This December, Sotheby’s will present Icons: Back to Madison, a first-of-its-kind exhibition bringing together some of the most iconic works ever sold under our banner—just one month after opening its new worldwide headquarters at the historic Breuer building. From 13 – 21 December, New York will welcome a remarkable gathering of masterpieces from both private and museum collections, many of which will be on public view for the first time in decades. Prior to its New York debut, Icons will be presented from 2 – 6 December as part of the inaugural Collectors’ Week in Abu Dhabi—a dynamic new program of exhibitions, auctions, and events celebrating the city’s emergence as a global hub for art and culture. The Abu Dhabi presentation will feature a carefully curated selection of highlights in dialogue with the New York exhibition. Some works will be showcased in both cities, while others will be exhibited exclusively in one location, offering visitors unique perspectives on this extraordinary assemblage of works presented by Etihad Airways.

The exhibition is a landmark “Back to Madison” moment, honoring Sotheby’s U.S. legacy: after acquiring the American auction house Parke-Bernet in 1964, Sotheby’s roots in New York were firmly established, just up the street from the Breuer at 980 Madison. This milestone is celebrated with a retrospective of extraordinary objects sold over decades, highlighting Sotheby’s role in shaping collecting history.

Icons spans more than six decades of landmark sales, encompassing African and Oceanic, Jewelry, European modernism, postwar American art, and contemporary breakthroughs. From record-setting canvases to pivotal works by John Singer Sargent, Joan Mitchell, Helen Frankenthaler, David Hockney, Barkley L. Hendricks, and others, the exhibition showcases paintings and objects that transformed artists’ careers, defined auction history, and shaped collecting for generations. Highlights include Jean-Michel Basquiat’s explosive Untitled (1982), which set a record as the most expensive work by an American artist; Andy Warhol’s legendary Shot Orange Marilyn, immortalized by the dramatic act of violence that took place in his Factory and its landmark 1998 sale; Jasper Johns’ False Start, a groundbreaking canvas that redefined the relationship between language and perception; and Willem de Kooning’s Interchange, an indisputable masterpiece from his pivotal transitional period when he fractured composition and achieved his mature style of abstraction—all four of which are made possible by Kenneth C. Griffin.

Further highlights include Banksy’s self-shredding Girl Without Balloon, the only artwork ever created in an auction room; the “Guennol Lioness,” a roughly 5,000-year-old Mesopotamian sculpture that remains the most valuable antiquity ever sold; the Lake Sentani Sculpture of a Female Ancestor, sold from the legendary collection of Helena Rubinstein in 1966; Clyfford Still’s 1949 canvas, whose sale helped establish the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver; and Francis Bacon’s Three Studies for Portrait of Lucian Freud, a quintessential and intimate portrayal of one of the most significant friendships in twentieth-century art—this painting, among other loans, made possible by YAGEO Foundation Collection, Taiwan. Also on view is Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Medusa Pendant Necklace (c. 1904), among the first jewelry pieces he ever created and one of only a few to bear his signature, which achieved $3.65 million at Sotheby’s in 2021, and Jane Birkin’s original Hermès Birkin, which sold this summer for over $10 million—among other exceptional artworks and objects. Full details of these and additional highlights appear below.

In total, the exhibition comprises more than 25 works across both locations, with an estimated value approaching $2 billion, offering a once-in-a-generation opportunity to see these masterpieces together.

The exhibition is drawn from Sotheby’s forthcoming book with Phaidon, Icons: 100 Extraordinary Objects from Sotheby’s History, which traces the stories behind 100 of the most celebrated objects to have passed through Sotheby’s—from SUE, the 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex, to Maurizio Cattelan’s infamous banana. The book illuminates how objects achieve iconic status, whether through exceptional quality, rarity, provenance, or remarkable stories—like a 1933 Double Eagle coin recovered after 60 years on the Most Wanted list, or a Giacomo Herman Roman Baroque cabinet rediscovered in a pizza parlor.

Icons: 100 Extraordinary Objects from Sotheby’s History is available for pre-order now and goes on sale globally 7 January 2026. More information here. Many of the works in the book will be featured in the exhibition, offering an unparalleled opportunity to experience these historic objects firsthand.

In bringing these works together, Sotheby’s transforms the Breuer into more than an auction house—it becomes a living testament to the enduring power of art, collectors, and culture, and a celebration of what it truly means to be iconic.

BEYOND THE EXHIBITION

The experience doesn’t end at the galleries. Inspired by Icons: Back to Madison and the world of art and auction, artist Angelica Hicks, has created a series of illustrations for an exclusive range of merchandise, available only at The Sotheby’s Shop. The British illustrator is celebrated for her witty, fashion-infused artwork that fuses pop culture with sharp humor.

Adding another layer of discovery, the Karma Bookstore will host a pop-up within the shop, presenting a selection of rare, collectible books and ephemera. With a reputation as a haven for book lovers, art enthusiasts and curious minds alike, their curation of reference treasures to visually stunning volumes deepens and enriches exploration of the icons on view.

EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS

ABOUT SOTHEBY’S

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s promotes access and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions, private sales and retail. Our deep expertise across 70 selling categories is supported by a leading technology platform and a global network of specialists spanning 40 countries. Selling categories include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits and Design, as well as collectible cars and real estate through RM Sotheby’s and Concierge. Sotheby’s Financial Services is a leading art lender and provides capital solutions for collectors around the world, having originated more than $12 billion in loans since its inception. Sotheby’s new global headquarters is now open at the iconic Breuer building at 945 Madison Avenue in New York City.

ABOUT ETIHAD AIRWAYS

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, was formed in 2003 and quickly went on to become one of the world’s leading airlines. From its home in Abu Dhabi, Etihad flies to passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. Together with Etihad’s codeshare partners, Etihad’s network offers access to hundreds of international destinations. In recent years, Etihad has received numerous awards for its superior service and products, cargo offering, loyalty programme and more. To learn more, visit etihad.com.