Name: Antonia
Brand: Julian Opie
Rating: 5 (238 reviews)

Track auction value trend

The value of Julian Opie's Antonia (signed) is estimated to be worth between £7,000 and £10,500. This digital print, created in 2011, has shown consistent value growth, with an average annual growth rate of 8%. This work has an auction history of three total sales since its entry to the market on 19th April 2022. The hammer price over the past five years has ranged from £6,500 in September 2023 to £12,299 in April 2022. The most recent sale was in September 2023 and the average return to the seller over the past five years has been £8,159. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 40.

Meaning & Analysis

Antonia is a print by Julian Opie from 2011 that shows a three-quarter length portrait of a woman leaning against a pillar and wearing a black formal dress. The woman is rendered anonymous by her featureless face that consists of a blank circle floating above her shoulders, but through Opie’s attention to detail in clothing, accessories, and hairstyle, the figure is unique.

Opie produces this print with simplified form, bright block colours and thick, bold outlines creating a portrait in its most basic mode. However, Opie makes the point that there is more to this print than first assumed: ‘Some people often talk about my portraiture being pared-down but I don’t quite see it that way. I see it as starting from a point of view saying, ‘I’d like to make something, I’d like to mark my presence, I’d like to communicate what it feels like to look at things.’

The figure’s featureless face that Opie depicts works as a blank reflection whereby when the viewer looks at this representation of the human form they think of themselves and how they relate to it. Opie’s depersonalised style creates an ambiguous sense of subjectivity in the sitter that is extremely effective.

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.