Andy Warhol Portrait of Marlene, 1979

A pioneer and central figure of Pop Art, Andy Warhol (1928–87) used everyday commodities and celebrity portraits from mass media as his subject matter, creating enduring images that have come to define his era. From 1968 to 1987, Warhol received numerous portrait commissions from prominent figures, including royalty, celebrities, socialites, collectors, fashion designers, models and businessmen, revitalising the tradition of portraiture in contemporary art. In the present work from 1979, Warhol depicts Marlene Hauert, a German art collector. The artist first took Polaroid photographs of Hauert before using the resulting images for the silkscreen. Portrait of Marlene crystallises a specific type of femininity of the late 1970s and early 1980s, notably evoking Debbie Harry whom Warhol extensively portrayed. The work’s vibrant fuchsia hues heighten the turquoise tones of Hauert’s eyes, as she gazes up at the viewer.