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Lot 3420* - A187 PostWar & Contemporary - Saturday, 08. December 2018, 02.00 PM

ANDY WARHOL

(Pittsburgh 1928–1987 New York)
Mickey Mouse. 1981.
Colour screenprint with diamond dust. 63/200. Signed in penil lower left: Andy Warhol. With the stamps on the reverse: THIS INTERPRETATION CREATED AND COPYRIGHTED BY ANDY WARHOL IS DERIVED FROM AN ORIGINAL VERSION OF MICKEY MOUSE COPYRIGHTED BY WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS, also with the copyright stamp: ©ANDY WARHOL 1981 PUBLISHER RONALD FELDMAN FINE ARTS INC. NEW YORK.. Sheet size 96.5 x 96.5 cm. Published by Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, New York. Printed by Rupert Jasen Smith, New York (with the blindstamp).
From the 10-part series "Myths".

Provenance:
- Barrington Gallery of Art, London.
- Purchased from the above in 2016 by the present owner, sinc then private collection Germany.

Catalogue raisonné: Feldman/Schellmann, no. II.265.

With his series “Myths” from 1981, Andy Warhol demonstrated his profound knowledge of the society of his generation. He chose the “gods” of this time, the symbols and icons of a society in which mass consumption was becoming increasingly important and which was itself increasingly influenced by mass media and Hollywood. He thus compiled a list, not of impeccable, exemplary qualities, but one which showed a representative cross-section of the dubious, rakish, cunning, humorous and good characters, who were known and loved throughout the world from the films and series of the 1950s. These included internationally known heroes such as Mata Hari, Dracula, Superman and Santa Claus, as well as typical American characters such as Howdy Doody, Mammy, Uncle Sam, The Wicked Witch of the West - and of course Mickey Mouse could not be omitted from this list.

Mickey Mouse is probably the world’s most famous figure in art. On 18 November 1928 the comic book figure created by Walt Disney made his first appearance in the film “Steamboat Willie”; two years later there appeared the first comic strip and there followed a world-wide triumph which was unequalled anywhere. Numerous comic strips, films, articles of merchandise and amusement parks made Mickey Mouse into a world-famous brand. Even today, in the year of his 90th birthday, his fame is undiminished and so it is hardly surprising that he also aroused the interest of Andy Warhol.

In the second half of the 20th century, the founder of Pop Art revolutionised art by examining this changed society, in a way unlike any other artist. He sought out everyday objects, events, stars and starlets which appeared in everyone’s life and which had some kind of meaning for everyone. Whether it was articles of mass consumption, such as the famous Campbell´s Soup tins, which were never absent from American and English store cupboards in the 1950s and 60s, or prominent figures such as Jackie Kennedy and Marylin Monroe, in whose destiny an entire generation had participated. With consummate skill, Warhol used photos and pictures of these stars, as well as events or objects, and by employing them in his artworks and the simultaneous series, he elevated them to the status of icons, not only of his, but of our time.

The incredible success story of the comic book character Mickey Mouse from 1928, to the worldwide Mickey Mouse brand, reflects in an impressive way Andy Warhol’s own perception and ideas of society.


CHF 70 000 / 90 000 | (€ 72 160 / 92 780)

Sold for CHF 168 500 (including buyer’s premium)
All information is subject to change.