Dennis Hopper (Samuel Goldwyn Films/Courtesy Everett Collection)
These are some pretty pricey bullet holes.
The Andy Warhol portrait of Chairman Mao that actor Dennis Hopper shot two bullets through sold at Christie’s yesterday for $302,500 — stunning experts who had estimated its worth at a mere $20,000 to $30,000.
That’s about $150,000 per gun shot.
The “Easy Rider” actor, who was notorious for his heavy drinking and drug use, popped off two rounds at the screen print one wild night in the 1970s because he “mistook the portrait on his wall for Mao himself and shot at it,” according to Christie’s.
Alex Hitz, a family friend and estate trustee, told the Associated Press about the bizarre incident.
“One night in the shadows, Dennis, out of the corner of his eyes, saw the Mao, and he was so spooked by it that he got up and shot at it twice, putting two bullet holes in it.”
Hopper later showed off the bullet holes to War hol, who drew circles around them, labeling the one over Mao’s right shoulder “warning shot” and the one at his left eyelid “bullet hole.”
Warhol then declared him a collaborator on the piece.
“Dennis Hopper’s Mao print has a phenomenal story around it and collectors don’t simply covet works of art, they love a good narrative,” said Christie’s Director of Iconic Collections Cathy Elkies.
“Warhol declared the work a collaboration with Hopper, so it is a unique, one-of-a-kind piece that will never be replicated.”
“There are other examples of Warhol’s Mao series out there, but none have the history, the story and, of course, the bullet holes,” she said.
The proceeds of the two-day sale of some 300 pieces from Hopper’s Venice Beach, Calif., collection will go to his four children.
Hitz said, “It was Dennis’ wish to sell everything,” after he died.
Hopper, an artist and a photographer as well, died from prostate cancer last May at the age of 74.
The sale, which wraps up today, includes a 158-page script of “Easy Rider” with handwritten notes that is expected to go for $3,000, and a three-sheet poster of the movie which is expected to fetch about $1,500.
The collection also includes an inscribed portrait of Dennis Hopper by photographer Helmut Newton, works by Annie Leibovitz, Marcel Duchamp, and also more Warhols.