Britpop Oasis Portrait at Auction

Britpop's Turbulent Heart: Iconic Gallagher Portrait Could Fetch £2m

A striking painting that captures the Gallagher siblings could command up to £2 million at auction. This piece, showing Noel and Liam Gallagher during their peak popularity, presents a unique opportunity for collectors. It echoes a musical question posed in their song All Around the World about what one does with newly discovered wealth. The artwork, a potent symbol of a specific cultural era, is set to go under the hammer at a time when the band itself is experiencing a massive resurgence. This convergence of art, nostalgia, and commerce highlights the enduring legacy of one of Britain's most iconic and volatile bands.

Elizabeth Peyton created the artwork in 1996, and it will feature in a contemporary art event in London this June. Titled Liam + Noel (Gallagher), the painting is regarded as a key work by the artist to ever reach the market. Its sale is perfectly timed, coinciding with the run-up to Oasis's highly anticipated reunion tour, their first in 16 years. The public can view the painting at Sotheby's London galleries from June 18th until the day of the sale, offering a rare glimpse at a piece that encapsulates a pivotal moment in music history.

The Artist and Her Gaze

Elizabeth Peyton, born in Connecticut in 1965, rose to prominence during the nineties with a style that ran counter to many trends of the era. While conceptual art dominated, Peyton focused on figurative painting, creating intimate and psychologically charged portraits. She attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City and initially struggled to find her footing in a world with little appetite for figurative work. However, her distinctive approach, characterised by fluid brushwork and a jewel-toned palette, soon garnered attention, helping to spearhead a return to painting.

Peyton often finds her subjects in the realms of pop culture, history, and her own social circle. She has painted a diverse array of figures, from historical personages like Napoleon to fellow artists and, most notably, musicians. Her portfolio includes portraits of Kurt Cobain, David Bowie, and John Lennon, figures she admires for expressing their emotions through their art. Her work is often compared to that of Andy Warhol for its engagement with celebrity, yet her approach is more personal and romantic, seeking to reveal an inner vulnerability rather than simply reproducing an image.

An American in Cool Britannia

During the mid-1990s, the United Kingdom was in the midst of "Cool Britannia," a cultural movement marked by a resurgence of pride in British arts, fashion, and music. At the heart of this phenomenon was Britpop, a genre that rejected the somber tones of American grunge in favour of catchy, distinctly British alternative rock. Bands like Blur, Suede, Pulp, and, above all, Oasis, became the soundtracks to a new era of national optimism, coinciding with Tony Blair's rise to power. It was a period that celebrated a uniquely British identity, echoing the "Swinging Sixties."

Peyton, an artist from America, offered a unique, outside-in perspective on this cultural moment. The United Kingdom’s art landscape was defined by the Young British Artists movement, but Peyton observed the explosion of Britpop from across the Atlantic. Her decision to paint the Gallagher brothers was not just about capturing celebrity; it was about documenting a landmark period in history. The resulting portraits fuse her intimate style with the larger-than-life personas of the Oasis frontmen, creating a compelling dialogue between the observer and the observed, and between American and British culture.

Image Credit - Inkl

The Source of the Spark

The artist took inspiration from a picture captured in 1995 by the late Belgian photographer Stefan De Batselier. The promotional image shows the two brothers in oversized tracksuits, with Liam's chin resting on Noel's shoulder in a pose that suggests both physical closeness and emotional complexity. It is an image of unity, but one that barely conceals the simmering rivalry that would come to define their relationship and, ultimately, the band itself. This specific photograph provided the perfect raw material for Peyton's exploration of celebrity and personal connection.

The year the source photograph was taken, 1995, was a tumultuous one for the Gallaghers. It was the year their second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, was released, catapulting them to global superstardom. It was also the year their fraternal friction became legendary. During a fraught recording session for the album, Noel reportedly used a cricket bat against Liam after the younger brother disrupted the session with a group of friends. This incident, now a part of rock folklore, exemplifies the volatile dynamic that Peyton's painting so expertly captures.

Capturing the "Quiet Tension"

A palpable "quiet tension" emanates from Peyton's portrait. The painting goes beyond the public image of swaggering rock stars to reveal something far more intimate and layered. The artwork feels incredibly prescient, almost foreseeing the eventual, acrimonious split of the band. In the painting, the brothers are locked in an embrace, yet their expressions betray the underlying friction that characterised their relationship. This dynamic of both tenderness and tension fascinated the public for years.

Peyton is known for her tendency to soften or "feminise" her male subjects. In this portrait, the Gallagher siblings are shown with features like vivid crimson lips and delicate pink-hued cheeks, along with aquiline noses. The artist consistently makes the people she paints appear exceptionally beautiful. This treatment contrasts sharply with the hard-edged, macho public personas of the brothers. By destabilising their familiar image, the painting invites the viewer to look past the rock-and-roll caricature and see the fragile, complex individuals beneath.

A Monumental Year for Oasis

The year 1996, when Peyton created the portrait, marked the absolute zenith of Oasis's fame. Buoyed by the colossal success of Morning Glory, the band played what, at that point, were considered the largest outdoor concerts in UK history. Over two nights in August, they performed at the Knebworth Park venue to a combined audience of 250,000 people. The demand for tickets was staggering; an incredible two and a half million individuals sought tickets, with a total of 500,000 fans ultimately attending the pair of historic shows.

These Knebworth concerts were more than just gigs; they were a cultural phenomenon. Noel Gallagher famously declared from the stage that this was history happening right there. The events represented a landmark event for the Britpop generation, a mass communion that solidified the band's status as the biggest in the world. The concert documentary Oasis Knebworth 1996 later captured the scale and energy of the event, showcasing the band and its fans at the peak of their shared cultural power. Peyton’s painting was created in the direct aftermath of these historic shows.

A Legacy of Conflict

The tension captured in the painting was no artistic invention; it was the reality of the Gallaghers' relationship. Their rivalry is legendary in music history, beginning even before they achieved global fame. In a 1994 interview, they traded insults so freely that the recording was released as a single titled "Wibbling Rivalry." That same year, during a US tour, Liam altered lyrics to mock his brother and hit him on the head with a tambourine, causing Noel to temporarily quit the band.

The conflict continued to escalate over the years. In 2000, a fight erupted in Barcelona after Liam reportedly questioned the paternity of Noel's daughter, leading Noel to abandon the European tour. The final break came in 2009, just moments before a festival performance in Paris. A backstage altercation, allegedly involving Noel's guitar being smashed by Liam, was the final straw. Noel quit the band for good, citing "verbal and violent intimidation." For years, the brothers communicated largely through insults in the press and on social media.

The Painter's Enduring Appeal

Elizabeth Peyton remains a major figure in contemporary art, with her work highly sought after by collectors. The intimate scale and emotional depth of her portraits continue to resonate. Peyton created four portraits of the siblings; one of these now belongs to the permanent holdings of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, a testament to its cultural significance. Her ability to capture subjects with a sense of admiration and fascination has built a dedicated following. Collectors have praised the "love, tenderness and genuine gentility" with which she depicts her subjects.

The market for Peyton's art is exceptionally strong. Her auction record was set in November of the previous year when a solo portrait of Liam, Blue Liam (1995), sold for $4.1 million. Several of her pieces have fetched more than $800,000 over the past decade. This consistent high performance at auction demonstrates her established position in the art world. The upcoming sale of Liam + Noel (Gallagher), with a valuation between £1.5 million and £2 million, is therefore expected to attract significant attention from major collectors worldwide.

A Full Circle Moment

The auction of this iconic painting arrives at a perfect moment. Sixteen years after their dramatic split, Oasis has set aside a long-standing feud to come together again for a massive tour in 2025. The announcement ignited a frenzy among fans, demonstrating the band's enduring importance. The timing creates a powerful sense of the story having "come full circle," connecting the band's historic peak with their celebrated return. The painting now acts as a bridge between these two distinct eras.

Demand for the reunion tour has been nothing short of phenomenal. Reports indicated that fourteen million supporters were unable to secure one of the 1.4 million available tickets. This overwhelming interest mirrors the Knebworth-era mania of the nineties, proving that the band's appeal has not waned over time. This resurgence in Oasis fandom creates an ideal climate for the auction, with cultural nostalgia and current excitement feeding into the artwork's desirability. The painting is not just a relic of the past; it is deeply relevant to the present moment.

Image Credit - Inkl

The Modern Ticket Tussle

While the passion of the fan base remains, the economics of live music have changed dramatically. The cost of a ticket at Knebworth, which was £22.50, stands in stark contrast to the prices for the 2025 tour. The recent ticket sales were tangled in controversy over the use of "dynamic pricing," a system where prices fluctuate based on demand. This led to some fans paying over £350 for tickets that were initially priced around £150, causing widespread outrage. The band later indicated they were unaware this model would be implemented.

The situation was further complicated by ticket touts and automated "bots" buying up tickets for resale at grossly inflated prices. In response, promoters cancelled over 50,000 tickets identified as being sold on unauthorised secondary platforms. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority even launched an investigation into the handling of the sales. This modern-day ticketing chaos adds another layer to the Oasis story, highlighting the vast commercial machine that now surrounds major music events. It also underscores the immense value placed on the fan experience, a value that extends to cultural artefacts like Peyton’s portrait.

An Enduring Cultural Artefact

Portraits of musicians hold a special place within the arts community, offering a visual connection to auditory experiences. They can immortalise an artist's persona, capturing the emotion and spirit of their music on canvas. Throughout history, from classical composers to modern pop stars, portraits have served as a bridge between the creator and the audience, providing a tangible link to iconic figures. They function as biographical documents and windows into a particular cultural epoch, reflecting the styles, attitudes, and energy of their time.

Elizabeth Peyton's portrayal of the siblings is a prime example of such a cultural artefact. It does more than just depict two famous faces; it captures the essence of Britpop, the complexities of sibling rivalry, and the zeitgeist of a specific moment in British history. The artwork's value lies not only in its artistic merit but also in its power as a historical document. As fans prepare to spend an estimated £1 billion on the reunion tour for tickets, merchandise, and travel, this painting represents the pinnacle of that cultural devotion, frozen in time and oil paint.

The Confluence of Art and Commerce

The London-based auction on 24 June is a major event in the Modern & Contemporary Art season. It represents a fascinating intersection of culture, celebrity, and high-end commerce. The artwork showing Noel and Liam Gallagher is not merely a painting; it is a piece of history that embodies the turbulent and brilliant energy of one of rock's most important bands. Its sale, at a time when Oasis is once again at the forefront of the cultural conversation, underscores the powerful and often lucrative relationship between music, memory, and the world of art commerce.

As bidders prepare, the painting stands as a silent testament to a complex legacy. It is a depiction of brotherhood and rivalry, of creative genius and personal strife. It captures the moment when two brothers from Manchester stood at the center of the music world, their fraught relationship fueling a sound that defined a generation. Decades later, as they prepare to take the stage once more, Peyton's intimate, emotionally charged depiction reminds us of where it all began, offering a quiet glimpse into the beautiful, chaotic heart of Oasis.