Brief
David Bowie self‑portrait with handprints to fetch up to £55,000 at Sotheby’s
The work, gifted to Bowie's St Ives gallerist, will appear in Sotheby’s Modern British & Irish Art Day auction in London.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Sotheby’s announced that a 1996 self‑portrait by David Bowie, marked by the musician’s own handprints, will be offered at its Modern British & Irish Art Day auction in London on Oct. 15.
What happened
The paper work, produced during a prolific mid‑1990s painting period, was gifted by Bowie to his St Ives gallerist and has remained in that collection until now. Sotheby’s listed the piece for sale with an estimated price range of £35,000‑£55,000 (approximately $46,000‑$72,500). The auction catalogue describes the portrait as “one of the most striking and personal self‑portraits by David Bowie ever to appear at auction”.
What the reports add
Standard.co.uk noted that the portrait includes two handprints that Bowie pressed directly onto the composition, creating an “unusually intimate connection to the artist”. Variety added that the work emphasizes Bowie’s signature anisocoria – the uneven pupil size that became a visual hallmark – and that the handprints appear in the lower corners of the paper piece. Both outlets reported the same auction date and price estimate; no contradictory details were found.
What was said
Jen Hardie, Sotheby’s director and senior specialist of modern British and Irish art, told Variety, “There’s something incredibly direct and personal about this self‑portrait… Bowie looks straight out at you, and his own handprints appear on the work itself.”
How it came about
The portrait is part of a small group of eight self‑portraits Bowie created in the mid‑1990s, a period described by Sotheby’s as “prolific”. Earlier this year, Felo News covered other high‑profile Sotheby’s sales, including Princess Diana’s “revenge dress” (link) and a Van Gogh‑Cézanne collection (link). Those pieces, like Bowie’s self‑portrait, illustrate Sotheby’s focus on iconic cultural artefacts entering the market in October 2026.
Key facts
- Sotheby’s will auction a 1996 self‑portrait by David Bowie on Oct. 15, 2026. (standard.co.uk)
- The work features Bowie’s handprints pressed onto the paper. (variety.com)
- The estimated hammer price is £35,000‑£55,000. (standard.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2026-09-18 — Princess Diana’s “revenge dress” scheduled for Sotheby’s auction.
- 2026-09-30 — Van Gogh and Cézanne masterpieces announced for Sotheby’s auction.
- 2026-10-15 — David Bowie self‑portrait to be auctioned.
Sources
- [1] standard.co.uk
- [2] variety.com
