On November 13, a minor painting by Andy Warhol sold for $21 million at a Christie’s auction of post-World War II and contemporary art, in New York City. My use of the word “minor” here reminds me of a remark Robert Craft made about Mozart’s early music, that because Mozart was so young when he died, all of his music could be called “early.” In Warhol’s case, young or old, I believe all his art could be called “minor."
There is a certain quick-handed technical ability in Andy Warhol’s work, but as we know from almost all art that has been forgotten, simply being able to put an image on a surface isn’t enough. It’s no surprise to learn that Warhol’s early efforts as an artist were made for advertising agencies. Every time I see his interviews, I’m reminded first of an inexpressive child and second of a hip young art director. I know plenty of both, and Warhol fits the bill for both. Like many urbane, self-accepting, youthful art directors at important agencies, he had a nascent nose for the marketplace, was dismissively flippant — even unable — in conversation and was, intentionally or not, one of the great marketing minds of the twentieth century. Personal marketing, that is.
Andy Warhol, “Simply Liz”, 1963
This particular painting is based on a headshot of Elizabeth Taylor that Warhol got somewhere, which was posterized (i.e. its photographic middle-gray values are removed so that all you get in the end is total contrast, all black or all white), that image then being applied photographically to the silkscreen process and printed on linen. Then, apparently, Warhol applied acrylic paint to the printed photo-image. . . a large red splotch to Liz’s lower lip and some pink for her face. Some green splotches to her eyelids as well as identical green highlighting to portions of her hair and the same green as an overall background.
Johannes Vermeer, “Young Woman with a Water Pitcher”, ca. 1662
Let’s talk about that background a little. My favorite blank wall in all of art is the famous one that Vermeer used in so many of his paintings, in a corner in one of the rooms of his house. In his painting of a young woman with a water jar, the woman looks out a window and soft light comes in, light that illuminates and is absorbed by the wall behind her. Putting aside for the moment the finesse of Vermeer’s painting of the woman herself and, especially, the clarity of his understanding of her inquiring personality. . . considering the strength of the painting in her headdress and, especially, in the carpet table-covering on which Vermeer expended so much obviously loving intensity. . . even forgetting for a while the precise, passionate rendering of the water jar and the plate on which it rests, painting that for me simply invests the two items with a sense of unrestrained joy. . . putting all these things aside for the moment, let’s look at the wall.
Article comments
1 - Gerda
I completely disagree with you on the artistic merit of 'Simply Liz'.
When the picture was made in 1963 Taylor would have been at the top of her career, a screen goddess in an age were celebrity came close to royalty. Warhol's stark colours and style serves to erase the glamour of stardom. The "inept smudging" around her mouth, a circular segment, looks like a, simplistically drawn, wide smile. It serves to point out how demure Liz'z own smile is, so demure that it is almost non existent.
To me the picture seems to ask: is she really happy? Is fame really that great? Aren't we all just the same in the end, starkly and simplistically drawn.