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Ruth Smoking 2 - Signed Print by Julian Opie 2006 - MyArtBroker

Ruth Smoking 2
Signed Print

Julian Opie

Price data unavailable

AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.

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Medium: Screenprint

Edition size: 50

Year: 2006

Size: H 121cm x W 85cm

Signed: Yes

Format: Signed Print

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Julian Opie's Ruth Smoking 2 (signed), a screenprint from 2006, is estimated to be worth between £3,600 and £5,500. This artwork has been sold once at auction on 10th April 2013. There have been no sales in the last 12 months. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 50.

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Auction Results

Auction DateAuction HouseLocation
Hammer Price
Return to Seller
Buyer Paid
April 2013Christie's London United Kingdom
September 2008Phillips London United Kingdom

Meaning & Analysis

Inspired by the woodblock prints of Japanese artist Kitagawa Utamaro, as well as early Renaissance painters such as Giovanni Bellini and Fra Angelico, Opie deliberately frames these images of Ruth as three-quarter length portraits to place his work in a historical, painterly context. In referencing classical poses through the medium of computer drawing programs and photography, Opie questions the nature of representation throughout art history.

Opie presents the viewer with the absolute minimum by which the subject can be recognised, with buttons for eyes, two lines for a mouth, and the image created with flat, block colours. The model in this work is fictionalised through the highly stylised rendering of the image and in the presentation of the portrait as a type, rather than as an individual. Working to depersonalise the portrait with his drastically pared-back style, Opie opens the subject to a multitude of interpretations from the viewer.

  • Julian Opie, born in 1958, dances through the contemporary art scene with a distinctive digital allure. A trailblazer of the 1980s New British Sculpture movement, Opie's work is a highly stylised blend of Pop Art and minimalism which navigates the intersection of technology and visual expression. From his early experiments with computer-generated art to his iconic portraits and animated installations, Opie's work exudes a captivating simplicity. His signature style, marked by bold lines and reduced forms, is internationally recognisable and has made him a key player in British contemporary art.