Andy Warhol (1928–1987) was one of the most important figures in American Pop Art. He became famous for taking images from popular culture — celebrities, advertisements and everyday products — and transforming them into art.
His Marilyn Monroe images are among his most recognisable works.
Warhol began using Marilyn's image shortly after her death in August 1962. Rather than photographing her himself, he used a publicity photograph of Marilyn from the 1953 filmNiagara. He cropped the photograph tightly around her face and transformed it using silkscreen printing.
Why Marilyn?
Marilyn Monroe was already an enormous celebrity and represented Hollywood, beauty, glamour and fame. Warhol was fascinated by celebrity culture and the way photographs of famous people were repeatedly reproduced in magazines, newspapers and advertising.
By repeatedly printing the same face in different colours, Warhol made Marilyn appear almost like a commercial product. This became an important part of his exploration of fame and mass production.
The bright colours, repetition and imperfections of the printing process make the image feel both glamorous and artificial.
The 1967 Marilyn Portfolio
One of the best-known versions comes from Warhol's 1967 Marilyn portfolio. It consisted of ten screenprints, each using Marilyn's face but with different colour combinations.
The colours included pink, yellow, green, blue, black and orange. They were not intended to represent Marilyn's actual appearance. Instead, Warhol transformed her photograph into an iconic Pop Art image.
The London Connection
The Andy Warhol Museum itself is not in London. The museum is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and houses the largest collection of Warhol's art and archives in the world.