White Marilyn, a painting of Marilyn Monroe completed shortly before her death in 1962, raised USD 41 million at Christie's auction house in New York City, while 1964's Race Riot sold for USD 62.9 million.
The pieces were part of a record-breaking auction when a selection of contemporary art brought in a massive USD 744 million, the highest ever total for a single sale.
Brett Gorvy, Christie's head of post-war art, said, "Well we've actually made history tonight. It was a momentous evening.