New Tork - (Ass Mess): A spookily prescient Andy Warhol painting of a car crash reminiscent of the death of Princess Diana has sold for $71.7m at Christie's in New York.
The 1963 painting, Princeess Car Crash (Green Burning Car I), depicts an overturned car on the Pont d'Alma as a frantic butler spins a tale of conspiracy.
The bidding out-hyped previous auction records for work by the artist whose Chairman Mao sold for $17.4m in November 2006.
The mystery buyer is said to be a reclusive UK billionaire who also bought a second Warhol painting, Lemon Marilyn, for $28m, which broke its estimate of $10 million.
A Christies' spokesman said:
"The market isn't just hungry, it's ravenous."
