$4 David Bowie Painting Expected To Sell for $80,000+

A painting by David Bowie, bought at a donation centre in Toronto, is expected to sell at auction for over $80000.

As of 1:42pm 22 June, 2021 (Australia time) the bid for the painting was at $75,100.

The semi abstract portrait has been authenticated by Bowie archivist Andy Peters. Bowie is thought to have created the painting in 1997, around the time be painted 47 pieces similar to the one being sold.

The painting is titled DHEAD XLVI.

Auctioneers Cowley Abbott posted:

David Robert Jones, known more commonly as David Bowie, was an icon of the music industry. Like many musicians, Bowie studied art and design as a young man, which would foster a love of fine art throughout his lifetime. He was also a passionate collector and painter, heavily influenced by the modernist art trends of the twentieth century; his paintings possess the stylistic influences of the German expressionists, Francis Bacon and the London School of painters.

Between 1995 and 1997 Bowie created a series of approximately forty-seven works on canvas which he entitled Dead Heads (or D Head). Each title included a non-sequential Roman numeral. The sitters ranged from band members, friends and acquaintances and there were also some self-portraits. It has been suggested that, for some of these important paintings, Bowie drew inspiration from the Ziggy Stardust era. With long hair and a pronounced profile, this energetic and enigmatic portrait is truly a rare representation from a celebrated artist.

We would like to thank Andy Peters at davidbowieautograph.com for his assistance in confirming the authenticity of this lot.

The painting is 24 cms by 19 cms in size (9.5 inches by 7.5 inches).

The auction for the Bowie painting is open until 24 June 2021 at 2:15pm EDT (Canada)