Andy Warhol (1928-1987) Muhammad Ali (complete portfolio, four works), 1978 Screenprints in colors on Stathmore Bristol paper 40 x 30 inches (101.6 x 76.2 cm) (each sheet) A.P. 1/10 (aside from an edition of 150 and 1 printer's proof) Each signed and editioned in ink, along lower edge Published by Andy Warhol Enterprises, Inc., New York Printed by Rupert Jasen Smith, New York Estate of Frederick "Freddie" Stephano Merrill, Dallas, Texas LITERATURE: Feldman & Schellmann, II.179-II.182. Andy Warhol's Muhammad Ali portfolio is part of his Athletes series, created in 1977. These portraits of famous athletes highlight Warhol's fascination with fame, celebrity culture, and the blending of art with mass media. As an iconic sports figure and cultural symbol, Muhammad Ali perfectly embodied these themes, making him an ideal subject for Warhol's work. Muhammad Ali consists of vibrant, high-contrast images, characteristic of Warhol's screenprinting technique. Using bold colors and simplified forms, Warhol captured Ali's imposing presence and charisma. In these prints, Ali is shown with clenched fists, ready to fight, underscoring his identity as a world champion boxer but also alluding to his strength and resilience beyond the ring. Ali was not just an athlete but a global symbol of black power, civil rights, and political defiance—qualities that Warhol subtly alludes to in his treatment of the subject. Warhol's approach to celebrity portraits often involved repeating images to emphasize the ubiquity of his subjects in popular culture. With Ali, however, the repetition is less pronounced, focusing instead on capturing the essence of the athlete's physicality and personality with details of his face and fist. By elevating Ali into the realm of high art, Warhol blurred the lines between sports and artistic expression, suggesting that athletes, much like pop stars, are significant cultural icons. HID12401132022 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice
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