The Virgin Mary That Set Chris Ofili's Auction Record

3 min read · 12 Aug 2026

The Holy Virgin Mary. Image courtesy of Christie's

Chris Ofili's, The Holy Virgin Mary (1996) sold for $4.52m at Christie's in London on June 30, 2015. The acrylic, oil, polyester resin, paper collage, glitter, map pins and elephant dung on linen work had been traded twice in the past.

The sale beat the artist’s previous auction record by $1.7m, a 60% rise.

The painting was a highlight of Sensation: Young British Artists From the Saatchi Collection organized by Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1997, which traveling to the Brooklyn Museum where it upset New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. He reportedly called it “sick stuff” and “anti-Catholic”.

In 2018, billionaire collector Steve Cohen donated Ofili's Black Virgin Mary to MoMA New York.

Orgena (1998). Sold for $2.82m in 2010. Image courtesy of Christie's

Through The Grapevine (1998). Sold for $1.26m in 2010. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Afro Apparition (2002). Sold for $943,800 in 2009. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Afrodizzia (1996). Sold for $880,000 in 2005. Image courtesy of Phillips de Pury & Company

X plus Y equals O (2000). Sold for $210,000 in 2001. Image courtesy of Christie's

Foxy Roxy (1997). Sold for $190,000 in 2001. Image courtesy of Phillips

Untitled (1998). Sold for $121,900 in 1999. Image courtesy of Christie's

Them bones (1995). Sold for $31,400 in 1998. Image courtesy of Christie's

Orgena (1998). Sold for $2.82m in 2010. Image courtesy of Christie's

The previous record was set by Orgena (1998), which sold for $2.82m at Christie's on June 30, 2010. The work had not been traded before.

Sale Date	Title	Price	Record Increase	Venue	City
June 30, 2015	The Holy Virgin Mary	$4.52m	60 %	Christie's	London
June 30, 2010	Orgena	$2.82m	125 %	Christie's	London
February 10, 2010	Through The Grapevine	$1.26m	33 %	Sotheby's	London
October 16, 2009	Afro Apparition	$943,800	7 %	Sotheby's	London
May 12, 2005	Afrodizzia	$880,000	319 %	Phillips de Pury & Company	New York
May 17, 2001	X plus Y equals O	$210,000	11 %	Christie's	New York
May 14, 2001	Foxy Roxy	$190,000	56 %	Phillips	New York
December 08, 1999	Untitled	$121,900	288 %	Christie's	London
December 08, 1998	Them bones	$31,400	-	Christie's	London

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Chris Ofili

Charles Saatchi

Steve Cohen

London

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