Andy Warhol

Shortly after Marilyn Monroe’s tragic death, Warhol purchased a publicity still of the actress from the 1953 film, Niagara. Warhol cropped the image, bringing Marilyn’s face into greater focus and transforming a formerly banal stock photograph into one of the most recognizable and enduring motifs of twentieth-century art. Or, as Isabella Geist puts it: “The irony of Andy Warhol's ‘Marilyn’ is that it is an icon of an icon created by an icon.” (Isabella Geist, "Warhol's 'Marilyn'," Forbes Magazine, 24 April 2002 (online)).

With the image of Marilyn, Warhol found the perfect confluence of celebrity and disaster – two themes that fascinated the artist throughout his career. Marilyn Monroe personified the cult of celebrity, beauty and Hollywood glamor – but after her untimely demise, she epitomized loneliness, tragedy and the unfulfilled promise of the American dream. The present image stands out amongst its compatriots in the portfolio, boasting a stark contrast of black and silver, a marked shift from the brilliant neons that characterize the remainder of the series. This Marilyn, muted and somber, offers the viewer a rare and confronting glimpse into her humanity over her celebrity.