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Ruth With Cigarette 1 - Signed Print by Julian Opie 2005 - MyArtBroker

Ruth With Cigarette 1
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: Digital Print

Edition size: 50

Year: 2005

Size: H 103cm x W 71cm

Signed: Yes

Format: Signed Print

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Julian Opie's Ruth With Cigarette 1, a signed Digital Print from 2005, is estimated to be worth between £4,400 and £6,500. This artwork has been sold 4 times at auction since its initial sale on 19th April 2011. The hammer price over the past five years has ranged from £3,790 in November 2021 to £5,228 in September 2022. The current average annual growth rate is 3%. 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
August 2020Wilson55 United Kingdom
January 2018Phillips London United Kingdom
May 2014Sotheby's New York United States
April 2011Christie's London United Kingdom

Meaning & Analysis

The print is a half-length portrait of a woman who looks out to the viewer, cigarette in hand and her shirt open to show her underwear. Opie engages with the traditional art historical genre of portraiture through his use of pose and composition and with the fact that this is a commissioned portrait staged to show the sitter in a certain way. At the same time, Opie turns the art historical context on its head by using a photograph which is then digitally edited to produce a simplified pictogram that is decidedly modern.

Opie’s interest in finding a standardised version of the human form comes to the fore in his Ruth With Cigaretteseries. The faceless figures have no necks, and their hands are reduced down so far that smaller details like fingers are not visible in the portraits. These images are reminiscent of the signs found on lavatory doors and the sitter’s character is made distinguishable only through her pose and clothing.

  • 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.