The upcoming sale of Andy Warhol’s portrait of Hollywood legend, Elizabeth Taylor, titled ‘Silver Liz’ has everyone talking.

The 40 inch-square painting, one from a series of 13, has never been on public display, rather it has been held in private collections. Funnily enough, the previous owner was the actor, Hugh Grant, who admits that he bought it after a drunken dinner with his father the night before the auction. He and his father then flew to New York, to meet up with his brother for lunch (a decision made at dinner the night before no less) and after few beers it would appear that he called his assistant and asked her to bid on it.

Bid on it she did and Hugh became the new owner of the painting in 2001 for £2 million. Initially dismayed that his assistant had carried out her duties with such aplomb, he was somewhat happier when the painting sold for £13 million in 2007.

Due to the current financial climate, it is estimated that ‘Silver Liz’ will go for around the same price it did in 2007, when the market was much more buoyant.

Christies will be auctioning ‘Silver Liz’ on 30 June 2010 in London, as part of a ‘post war and contemporary art’ auction.

I wonder how much she will go for? But more importantly, I hope she goes to a loving home.

'Silver Liz' by Andy Warhol