ANDY WARHOL | Self Portrait

Vrej Baghoomian Gallery, New York
Private Collection, Japan
Sotheby's, London, 22 October 1998, Lot 70
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Colour: The colour in the catalogue illustration is fairly accurate although the overall tonality of the papertone is slightly warmer in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. The sheet is float mounted and undulates slightly, with some light associated creasing in places throughout. Extremely close inspection reveals some light handling marks with some associated light creasing and a tiny spot of discoloration to the upper right hand corner tip and a minute media accretion towards the lower right hand corner tip. No restoration is apparent when examined under ultraviolet light.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

"If you want to know about Andy Warhol, then just look at the surface of my pictures, my movies and me and there I am; there's nothing in between". (Andy Warhol cited in: Gretchen Berg, ‘Andy: My True Story,’ in: Los Angeles Free, March 1967, p. 3). The collection of Idamae B. and James H. Rich is imbued with an adventurous spirit and intuitive discernment befitting of its collectors. The Riches always pursued an independent course of collecting that did not follow fashions or trends but rather remained true to their instincts, with  some thoughtful research and trusted advice along the way. Confident bidders in New York and London auction rooms, the Riches were equally as generous in sharing their love of art and their collection with their community. Their interest in Contemporary art dated from their attendance at the first Carnegie International in the post-war years, and the Riches were devoted and enduring supporters of the Carnegie Museum and other philanthropic interests in the arts and education. Idamae earned her B.A. in Art History at the University of Pittsburgh and was a member of the Women’s Committee at the Carnegie. James was an Honorary Member of the Carnegie Museum of Art Board, and they both welcomed tours of their collection organized by the Museum. Together they donated acquisition funds, as well as the brilliant Delaware Crossing by Frank Stella, to the Museum. The Riches demonstrated a wonderful receptivity and openness to artists who were not conformists and who embodied the boldness of late twentieth-century art. Each artist in the collection defied traditional norms – whether in genres or the materials and processes used – and the Riches matched the artists’ adventurous spirit with their choice of acquisitions. Sotheby’s is delighted to be presenting highlights from this distinguished collection across our June Evening and Day Sales, with a further selection in New York in September.

The greatest sculptural highlight of the Riches’ collection is by the American pioneer of the 1960s Donald Judd, who introduced industrial metals and pigment processes into a minimalist oeuvre that nonetheless evinced a magical sense of colour. This will be offered in our Evening Sale alongside a vibrant 2005 painting by Albert Oehlen that exhibits the influence of Sigmar Polke and other German painters who all focus on the process and material of art, while also maintaining a porous boundary between figuration and abstraction. 

The Riches shared a devotion to Pittsburgh's native son, Andy Warhol, who elevated silkscreening to the highest realms of fine art. Warhol’s avant-garde influence was felt worldwide, not least among the German painters in the Rich Collection, and his Self Portrait is amongst the notable selection of works to be offered in the London Day sale. In addition are two hallmark works by Wilhelm Sasnal, a dazzling painting by Peter Halley, a chromatically diverse gouache by Sol LeWitt, and a painting by the ultimate iconoclast Sigmar Polke, whose liberal use of diverse and experimental pigments and printing methods earnt him the sobriquet of “the alchemist” as he created his own unique and eccentric style.

Luscious colour is a spectacular aspect of this collection. The Riches’ eye seemed to gravitate to bright, vibrant palettes, none more so than the painting by Oehlen with its glorious hues and Neo-Expressionist aesthetic. In summary, the dynamism of the collection is a profound reflection of a marvellous and intrepid couple who have enjoyed assembling and living with art. It is an honour to present this collection to the art collecting community as a tribute to them.



This work is stamped by The Estate of Andy Warhol and numbered WP890.12 on the reverse.