London, Nov 14 (ANI): An Andy Warhol painting of Elizabeth Taylor has fetched actor Hugh Grant a whopping 21 million dollars after he auctioned it at Christie's in New York.

The 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' star had picked up the painting, called 'Simply Liz' six years ago at a Sotheby's auction in New York for 3.6 million dollars.

Though the new price is a little low than the expected 25 million dollars, it still sets a record for the Liz series, reports Times Online.

The most any of Warhol's Liz series have gone for at auction is 12.6 million dollars, a price that jeweller Laurence Graff paid for a portrait with a deep-red background at Sotheby's in May 2005.

'Simply Liz' is a from a group of 13 colourful portraits produced by Warhol in tribute to Taylor at the height of her silver-screen fame.

It is a 40sq in (258sq cm) image that depicts Taylor against a turquoise background that sets off her scarlet lips and violet eyes. Although using the mass-media technique of screenprinting, Warhol embellished her eyes, skin and make-up with paint applied by hand.

Though the art market faltered when Sotheby's had a disappointing sale of Impressionist and Modern works, Christie's was reported to have given Grant a price guarantee in the range of 20 million dollars if bidding failed to materialise. (ANI)