Andy Warhol

Arthur L. Feldman Fine Arts, Santa Fe
Acquired by the present owner from the above in May 1974

New York, Leo Castelli Gallery, Mao Tse-Tsung by Andy Warhol, 1972 (another example exhibited)
University of Denver, Myhren Gallery, Andy Warhol in Colorado, January - March 2011 (another example exhibited)

Frayda Feldman and Jörg Schellmann, Andy Warhol Prints: A Catalogue Raisonné 1962-1987, Fourth Ed., New York, 2003, cat. no. II.90-99, pp. 82-83, illustrated in color

The prints are in good condition overall. The sheet edges of all ten prints are curled inwards, particularly at the top, and the hinges are pressing through slightly. The pink of the subject's coat in F&S 97 has turned a brownish shade and the pink background of F&S 94 has attenuated. There is a 1 inch repaired tear at the right sheet edge of F&S 91. Minor imperfections in the individual prints are as follows, noted by their F&S catalogue raisonné number: #90: Three handling creases with associated ink cracking. #91: See above note about repaired tear, and there is a crease measuring approximately 3 inches with associated ink cracking at the center left. #92: The lower left sheet corner is soft and there are three soft handling creases. #93: There are three soft handling creases and a horizontal crease at the lower right corner measuring approximately 3 inches. #94: See above note about colors, and there are three handling creases with associated ink cracking. #95: There are five creases with minor associated ink cracks at lower right, one soft horizontal crease at lower right corner, and a soft handling crease at the upper left. #96: Like the others the sheet edges curl inwards slightly and the hinges press through #97: See above note about colors, and there is a crease at lower right measuring approximately 2 inches. #98: There is a 5 inch long vertical crease at upper left with associated ink cracking, a small nick at the center of right sheet edge and the lower right corner is soft. #99: There are 3 tiny nicks at the sheet edges.
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.

Warhol's idea for creating portraits of Mao Zedong, the Chinese Communist revolutionary, began, according to Bob Colacello's biography of Warhol, Holy Terror, with Bruno Bischofberger, Warhol's longtime dealer and supporter in Zurich. Bischofberger suggested that Warhol return to painting by making portraits of the most important figure of the 20th Century. Ever the enthusiast for celebrity adoration, Warhol mentioned that he had read in Life magazine that Mao Zedong was the most famous person in the world at that time. The enforced ubiquity of Mao's image in China and its resemblance to a silkscreen instantly attracted Warhol. As David Bourdon notes in his Warhol biography, he thought it would be great to make paintings similar to "the same poster you can buy in a poster store." 

Andy Warhol based his 10 screenprints that comprise the present work on the official portrait of the Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong (1893-1976), that was illustrated on the cover of the widely circulated 1966 publication Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong, also known as the Little Red Book. Party members were strongly encouraged to carry a copy with them as it contained the foundations of Maoist ideology.

The cult of Mao played a crucial role in the Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976. The figure of the Chairman was often the center of the politicized images that were produced in vast quantities and disseminated throughout China. By the early 1970s, Mao was established as one of the most important figures in modern history and his portrait one of the most replicated. China’s improved relations with the United States, symbolized by Richard Nixon’s visit to the communist nation, and the attention paid to it by the world’s media, further increased Mao’s already significant global political profile. Considering Warhol’s obsession with fame, it is not surprising that the Chinese leader provided an appealing image for his art. This image inspired Warhol not only to create this set of screenprints, but also five series of paintings, a series of drawings and a design for wallpaper.

Although Warhol never openly stated his political views, Mao can be said to constitute his first political portrait. While his previous works had a focus on denunciating the relentless consumerism of American capitalist society and the advertising machination surrounding it, this particular work comments on the controlled propaganda apparatus of Chinese communism. Warhol ultimately leaves the work open to interpretation. He presents Mao in an objective way, forcing the viewer to question the artist’s intentions.

Warhol’s interpretation of Chairman Mao resulted here in the creation of a portfolio containing ten brightly colored, monumental portraits, which, through their multiplicity, enable the creation of various aesthetic installations. They illustrate Warhol’s fascination with the clash of imagery between Communist propaganda and Western fashion kitsch. The creation of a glammed up iconic image of Mao outwardly translates this powerful, mysterious and somewhat intimidating image of Communist propaganda into a glamorized 1970s ready-made pop icon, embodying absolute political and cultural power, reminiscent of Warhol’s celebrity portraiture.