'Unknown' by Andy Warhol (1928-1987)
From Sotheby's '21 Days of Warhol' - New York, 2013.
2 x 1.5 x 0.85 Inches
5 x 3.8 x 2.2 Centimeters
Small, original etched copper printing block with paint residue.
Image on the plate features the portrait of an unknown bespectacled man in coat + tie.
Copper plate mounted to wooden block, painted black.
Affixed with Sotheby's New York - Andy Warhol Collection label.
*Note: Original artist-used tool shows expected age and wear (see photos).

ABOUT THE ART

'21 Days of Andy Warhol' is Sotheby’s three-week celebration of the essential 20th century artist with one-a-day stories and videos about Andy Warhol’s origins, influences, inspirations, all leading up to the sale of important Warhol pieces in our Contemporary Art Evening auction 13 November.

Andy Warhol famously told Art News interviewer Gene Swenson, "The reason I'm painting this way is that I want to be a machine, and I feel that whatever I do and do machine-like is what I want to do." Warhol was referring to his newfound process of silk-screen printing images repeatedly onto a single canvas.

This act of undermining any translation or evidence of the artist's hand in favor of a mass-produced, machine-like look appealed to Warhol. Once he discovered the process and implications of working with silk screens, the content of Warhol's output as a painter became inextricably linked to the process by which he created his art.

Warhol's grid-like paintings of dollar bills from 1962 are his earliest attempts at silk-screen printing, when the artist was still getting to know the process. At that time he used his own drawings as the basis to create the silk-screened print. He reportedly was not entirely happy with the result, calling '129 Die in Jet!', another painting based on a drawing, "smeary." But Warhol soon learned that it was possible to use photographs as the basis for a silk-screen print, and the resulting image proved much sharper – though not too sharp – and thus to Warhol's liking.
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Original artist-used tool shows expected age and wear.



All Signari Gallery prints/originals are carefully stored flat and safe in archival binders (unless framed) immediately after receipt/photography unless otherwise noted. All images for Signari Gallery lots are produced by Signari Gallery and represent the actual item(s) offered for auction. Please be aware that minor handling marks may be present upon receipt of item as is expected of most art mediums due to age and/or inspection. Note that this type of wear does not impact the value of the item whatsoever. Otherwise, any auction lots with any issues are described and photos are included. Please see the variety of clear, original Signari Gallery images supplied with each auction lot.

1.5 x 2 x 0.85 in