Andy Warhol

Private Collection
Butterfield's, 26 October 1995, Lot 2530
Private Collection, Los Angeles
Private Collection, California
Private Collection, Tokyo
Mainichi Art Auction, Tokyo, 8 November 2014, Lot 231 
Acquired from the above sale by the present owner 

This work is in very good condition overall. There is light evidence of wear and handling along the edges including a soft indentation to the canvas at the lower left corner and some rubbing to the canvas at the upper left corner, a small spot of loss at the upper right corner and some rubbing to the canvas at the lower right corner. There are pinpoint white media accretions scattered throughout the red on the right side of the canvas, a black media accretion and a 2-inch dark irregularity in the red at the lower right quadrant all appear to be inherent to the artist’s working method and from the time of execution. Under very close inspection, a faint 4-inch vertical abrasion extending from the top edge just right of center is visible and there is a horizontal 2-inch scratch to the white in the lower left corner. Under Ultraviolet light inspection, there is no evidence of restoration. Framed under Plexiglas.
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.

"To paraphrase Andy Warhol's portraits, the mythology of America is celebrity, the gods and demigods are those who can sell through their mass-produced images, and the course of action we, as a culture, are called to is to consume. These portraits record an American culture transformed from hero- to celebrity-worship and the role of cultural icon as celebrity, a commodity, and a piece of commercial art that sells. Through these portraits, Warhol both documented and encouraged the collapse of separation between individual, logo and myth. The celebrity is no longer an individual, but a brand name, a logo.''

Greg Metcalf, "Heroes, Myth, and Cultural Icons,'' in Exh. Cat., College Park, The Art Gallery of the University of Maryland, Reframing Andy Warhol: Constructing American Myths, Heroes and Cultural Icons, 1998, p. 6