LOS ANGELES, CA.- Los Angeles Modern Auctions will be representing a seminal early work by the pioneering appropriation artist, Elaine Sturtevant (more commonly referred to simply as “Sturtevant”), 'Study for Warhol’s Marilyn' in the October 20th Modern Art and Design auction.

Executed in 1965, the piece “repeats” a work created by Andy Warhol only a handful of years earlier, highlighting Sturtevant’s prescient ability to anticipate which artists and works would continue to make an art historical impact for years to come. Beginning in 1964, Sturtevant appropriated works by her contemporaries, including Jasper Johns, Claes Oldenburg, and Joseph Beuys, among others, and after a 10-year hiatus, continued her repetitions of a new group of up-and-coming artists, including Keith Haring and Felix Gonzalez-Torres.

Clo Pazera, Fine Art Specialist at LAMA, writes: “It’s exceedingly rare to find a museum-quality work that hasn’t been previously exhibited or seen on the market. With the fairly recent surge of interest in Sturtevant’s works, it wasn’t until recently that our collector realized they had an important piece on their hands.”

In the same collection since the mid-1970s, Study for Warhol’s Marilyn is an iconic work from one of Sturtevant’s best-known series, and one of her best-known associations. Famously, when Warhol was asked about his screenprinting process, he would reply: “I don’t know. Ask Elaine.” Though Sturtevant asserted that Warhol did not especially care to have a deep understanding of the thought process behind her repetitions, her relationships with the artists she appropriated will continue to be an area of interest for years to come.

In addition to this work, other highlights will include and early painting by John Baldessari, works by Light and Space artist Mary Corse, ceramic pieces by Ken Price, design by William Haines, and a grouping of works being sold to benefit UCLA Health, which were originally donated by gallerist James Corcoran.

The auction preview will be open to the public from Friday, October 11th to Saturday, October 19th, from 10am to 6pm. The auction will be held on Sunday, October 20th, and will begin at 12pm PST.

Top Fine Art Lots:

• Sturtevant, Study for Warhol's Marilyn, (Lot 100, Est: $400,000-600,000).
• Ken Price, The Blush, (Lot 248, Est: $100,000-150,000).
• John Baldessari, Sketch for Fragment, (Lot 159, Est: $90,000-120,000).
• Roy Lichtenstein, Reflections on a Conversation, (Lot 105, Est: $80,000-120,000).
• Mary Corse, Untitled (White Line Band), (Lot 187, Est: $80,000-120,000).