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Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol
The Marilyns: Capturing a Legend
From his early childhood, Andy Warhol was fascinated by the myth of stardom.
The seemingly exciting and decadent lives of the young and famous fuelled
Warhol’s imagination. His attraction to the glamorous world of Hollywood
in later years would become the inspiration for much of his artistic work,
most notably, Warhol’s trademark silkscreens. Not only would Warhol
become one of the most recognizable names in art, but his silkscreens
of celebrities would also help to solidify the legendary careers of those
he painted. The luminous Marilyn Monroe was the subject of endless fascination
for Warhol, and together they made artistic history.
Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol
Andy
Warhol was drawn to Marilyn Monroe. From the very first time Warhol watched
her light up the silver screen, he was in awe. The attraction he had to
Monroe was not simply because of her beauty though, in fact, he felt he
identified with her in a way few others could. His perception of her was
bi-fold: an object of desire and a role model. Because of his deep appreciation
for her, Warhol was able to illuminate the hidden and quite often dark
side of her personality in his work. The famous Marilyn Monroe silkscreens
by Andy Warhol quite accurately portray the legendary actress’s
beauty and sex appeal, but in a complex and unique way.
Marilyn Monroe Silkscreens
Tragically, in 1962, Andy Warhol’s celebrity muse Marilyn Monroe
committed suicide. However, her legend would not die; shortly after her
death, Warhol completed a series of artistic works called “the Marilyns”
to pay tribute to a woman he deeply admired. The initial colored pictures
he created of Monroe were remarkably beautiful, but his most famous depiction
of her came from a photograph. Using a publicity shot taken by Gene Korman
for the film Niagara made in 1953, Warhol cropped the glossy photo to
fit his canvas. He then made art history as it were when he silkscreened
the composition for several paintings. Warhol reproduced several times
over the image of Monroe’s face. In the process of reproduction,
he invented a style he would later become fond of and would render it
famous for silkscreening.
As Andy Warhol’s career skyrocketed, he would become famous for
a number of brilliant and groundbreaking works. His art was unpredictable
and shattered all preconceptions in the art world making him a legend.
But even as the name of Andy Warhol became known the world over, his famous
sikscreened images of Marilyn Monroe served as a reminder of his artistic
beginnings. The great screen beauty who died a premature and tragic death
not only inspired Warhol but also transformed his career and left an indelible
mark on his life. The profound connection that Warhol had with Monroe
was deeply felt in his work, and he was eternally grateful to have known
a woman of such significant interior and exterior beauty.
Article written by Jessica Corbett:
Jessica Corbett is an modern day artist and is the proud owner/author of the website Andy Warhol Posters 'n' Pop.
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