Andy Warhol

Kimiko and John Powers, New York (acquired directly from the artist)
Private Collection, New York (gift of the above in 1974)

Corpus Christi, Art Museum of South Texas, Johns, Stella, Warhol: Works in Series, October - November 1972, cat. no. 4, p. 34, illustrated in color
New York, Whitney Museum of American Art, Andy Warhol: Portraits of the 70s, November 1979 - January 1980, p. 111, illustrated in color

David Bourdon, Warhol, New York, 1989, no. 254, p. 329, illustrated in color

This work is in very good condition overall. The colors are vibrant and the canvas is generally clean. There are several scattered and unobtrusive abrasions, the largest measuring only approximately 1 inch and is located 11 inches from the right edge and 12 ¾ inches from the top edge. There are soft undulations to the canvas as well as two light impressions along the left edge. Under ultra violet light inspection, there is no apparent restoration. Framed.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Spurred by the dynamism of the 1970's, Andy Warhol turned to a more fluid and painterly style. During this time, he left behind the faded newsprint portraits of the 1960's, and his palette exploded across the canvas, as evinced in the extraordinary yellow and green hue of the present Portrait of Kimiko Powers. Warhol's new work proved to be an exploration into the theatricality of life, and each subject more magnetic and imaginative than the next. He was exhibited at the acclaimed and highly critiqued 1979 Whitney exposition, Andy Warhol: Portraits of the 70's, a show which exhibited not only a new aesthetic but a glittering social circle the king of pop appearing to be trying on. Warhol had discovered the allure of high society, of back rooms and the rooms behind those and glory in seeing for himself the faces most mortals only see in two-dimension.

As Robert Rosenblum notes in his essay Andy Warhol: Court Painter to the 70's, Warhol had moved beyond the old masters, the quasi- religious icons of Brando and Marilyn to resurrect the grand tradition 19th century society portraiture. Like Giovanni Boldini and John Singer Sargent, Warhol painted "the beautiful people" of his time; those statesmen, actors or wealthy patrons he felt were important enough to leave their traces on the history of painting. Indeed, celebrities among celebrities, both Andy Warhol and John Singer Sargent walked in the same stardust as their elite clientele. As such, Kimiko Powers is a heroine not unlike Sargent's Madame X. Both women purse their lips, tilt their heads and throw one shoulder back seductively. Cast beneath a veil of chilled aristocracy, both sitters seem to hold a secret. It could be the flair of Madame's nostrils, the strain in her neck or mysterious look in Kimiko's eyes but somehow we are lead to believe these women know things we don't, have keys to doors that we don't even know exist. Like Madame X and the famed Whitney Show, Kimiko Powers speaks for her decade, for a distinct moment in both our artistic and national consciousness.

Importantly, at the time this portrait was rendered, Kimiko and her husband John, had already amassed one of the most impressive collections of pop art. Living in New York City, they frequented the galleries and began collecting in the early 1960's and became close friends of many of the artists they collected. A dear friend of Warhol, this portrait is not merely an attempt to infuse one's image with an aura of celebrity, as many of Warhol's society portraits were, rather she is conveyed as a woman with grace, elegance and flair but there is a mystery in her eyes that the viewer can not penetrate. Though we are given the illusion of intimacy, it is merely a lesson in the art of performance, seduction and high society.