Name: Gems (F. & S. II.87)
Brand: Andy Warhol
Rating: 4.9 (183 reviews)

Meaning & Analysis

Printed in 1978, Gems (F. & S. II.87) is a signed screen print in colour on Strathmore Bristol paper by Andy Warhol. The print depicts two rubies lying next to each other. The rubies are rendered in red against a yellow backdrop with white shading and black gestural lines, adding texture and dimensions to the gemstones. Unlike the other prints in this series, which focus on one gem, two stones occupy the focus of this composition. The hand-drawn lines and shading in this print reflects the expressive style Warhol adopted later on in his artistic career. Warhol moved away from the mechanical aesthetic that characterised his earlier works in favour of a more expressive approach that enabled him to experiment more with form and colour.

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Gems (F. & S. II.87) is part of the Gems series, composed of four prints, each depicting gemstones. This series was produced towards the end of Warhol’s career and marks the experimental turn that characterised his late works. Warhol was one of the most famous artists of the 20th century, renowned for his obsession with popular culture, consumerism and celebrities. The Gems series encapsulates Warhol’s fascination with wealth and glamour which led him to depict famous stars and icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor.

The print captures Warhol’s experimental use of lines and his playful approach to traditional still life drawing, marking a transition from the commercial illustrations that marked his early career as a freelance illustrator for fashion magazines like Glamour, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. This looser style is seen in Warhol’s other later portfolios such as the Skull and Mick Jagger series.