The only known painting by The Beatles, "Images of a Woman," will be auctioned this Thursday, February 1st, in New York.
Nearly six decades after being painted by The Beatles, "Images of a Woman" will go up for auction on Thursday, February 1st, at Christie’s in New York. This painting, considered the only one known to be created by the Fab Four, was produced during a challenging period for the group.
Indeed, when The Beatles arrived on June 29, 1966, in Tokyo for a series of concerts, they were under death threats from Japanese nationalists who viewed them as symbols of an overly intrusive Western culture.
The group was confined for almost the entire five-day tour in a luxurious suite at the Tokyo Hilton. To pass the time, they decided to use the artistic materials - including wooden brushes, watercolors, and oils - that had been sent to them as a gift. They began painting on a sheet of Japanese art paper, placing a lamp in the middle to illuminate their work.
They each signed the painting in the circular space where the lamp was placed.
The painting is estimated to be worth between 400,000 and 600,000 dollars. It is being sold as part of a lot titled "The Exceptional Sale," which includes other items that once belonged to icons, such as Janis Joplin's golden crochet vest and Elvis Presley's Gretsch guitar.
"The Beatles frenzy continues in the market, as we've observed decade after decade," said Casey Rogers, Head of Sales for The Exceptional Sale and Senior Vice President of Christie's. This is evident, for instance, in the 2009 sale of the drumhead from the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover for over a million dollars and John Lennon's piano for 800,000 euros in 2019.
Sign in
