BEIJING, Nov. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Oscar-winner Elizabeth Taylor should be proud; an Andy Warhol portrait of the famous actress sold for 23.7 million U.S. dollars Tuesday at Christie's auction house in New York, a spokeswoman announced.

Andy Warhol's 1963 portrait Liz (Colored Liz) is seen in this photograph released by Christie's which will be part of their post war and contemporary art sale in New York, Nov. 13, 2007. The portrait of actress Elizabeth Taylor, one of three legendary muses who inspired Warhol in the 1960's along with Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy, is expected to fetch more than $25 million at the auction.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    An anonymous bidder bought the portrait, "Liz (Colored Liz)," from a private collector. The sale price, which included the auction house's commission, fell below pre-sale estimates of 25 million dollars to 35 million dollars.

    The 40-by-40-inch portrait is part of a series Warhol created in the 1960s of his muses including Taylor, Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy.

    Warhol completed "Liz (Colored Liz)" in 1963 about the same time Taylor suffered from a life-threatening illness. The painting is one of a series of a dozen and features a turquoise background and colorful eye shadow, violet eyes and red lipstick.

    Also as part of Christie's art sale, "Diamond (Blue)," a sculpture from Jeff Koons' 1994-2005 "Celebration" series, was sold to the Gagosian Gallery for 11.8 million dollars, Christie's spokeswoman Milena Sales said. Its pre-sale estimate was 12 million dollars.

    The top seller at the auction was Mark Rothko's 1995 "Untitled (Red, Blue, Orange)," which was sold to an anonymous bidder for 34.2 million dollars, slightly higher than its pre-auction estimate.

    (Agencies)