Name: Beethoven (F. & S. II.393)
Brand: Andy Warhol
Rating: 5 (236 reviews)

Track auction value trend

The value of Andy Warhol's Beethoven (F. & S. II.393) (unsigned) is estimated to be worth between £100,000 to £160,000. This screenprint, created in 1987, has shown consistent value growth, with an average annual growth rate of 19%. This work has an auction history of 11 total sales since its entry to the market on 14th December 1999. In the past 12 months, the hammer price has ranged from £54,277 in October 2020 to £77,683 in June 2023. The average return to the seller over the last five years has been £52,786. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 60.

Meaning & Analysis

Printed in 1985, Beethoven (F. & S. II.393) is a screen print by Andy Warhol that captures his keen interest in celebrities and icons of popular culture. The print features an image of the famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven rendered in an uncharacteristic blend of dark, cold colours. Beethoven’s white collar stands out against his dark grey face, which accentuates his stern and serious gaze. Warhol uses a layering technique to superimpose the sheet music of Beethoven’s renowned composition, Moonlight Sonata, over the portrait, highlighting the composer's musical talents and worldwide notoriety.

Beethoven(F. & S. II.393) is one of four screen prints in Warhol’s Beethoven series, produced by the artist shortly before his death in 1987. This print has a more sombre tone than the prints in the series, privileging cold colours over bright and vibrant ones.

Taking a classical composer as the subject matter of this series departs from Warhol’s frequent depiction of movie stars, such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. Beethoven was, however, an incredibly popular and well-known composer and in rendering him in this screen print, Warhol plays with the boundaries between high and low culture and turns the classical composer into a stylish 1980s pop icon.