Shoe And Leg
Shoe And Leg
Print
Andy Warhol
Lithograph, 1955
Print Edition of 100
H 63cm x W 48cm
Critical Review
This larger image from Andy Warhol’s series La Recherche du Shoe Perdu, depicts a golden leg and foot clad in a yellow high-heeled shoe. From an edition of 100, this lithograph was hand colored by Warhol and his friends, making each reproduction unique. The use of a sunny yellow and an orange-gold tint allude to Warhol’s future experimentation with contrasting primary and secondary colors. A bold black-and-white paisley pattern adorns the shoe, while a complimentary black paisley extends up the leg. Warhol’s signature in cursive can be seen just below the heel.
In the early days of Warhol’s career, he worked as an illustrator for I. Miller shoe manufacturer, making weekly ads for the New York Times. Shoe And Leg is unique in the series as it depicts a leg wearing a shoe, rather than a shoe alone. Warhol and his friends hand-coloured the prints.The cursive hand across the series belongs to his mother, Julia Warhola, who transcribed many of the captions. The series title, La Recherche du Shoe Perdu, references Marcel Proust’s In Search Of Lost Time. This witty lithograph from early in Warhol’s career provides insight into his career to come.
