Sunset Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol was one of the most renowned artists of the 20th century, famed for his obsession with celebrity and consumer culture. These themes pervaded much of Warhol’s work, as he sought to comment on American capitalism whist creating some of the most iconic and enduring images in the history of Pop Art. However, the Sunset Series, which is revered as one of the most expressive portfolios of Warhol’s career, strays away from the territory of celebrity culture.
Warhol’s Sunset Series was produced in 1972, commissioned by renowned architects Johnson & Burgee to be installed in their newly renovated Hotel Marquette in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The series consisted of 472 unique colour variations for installation in the hotel, in addition to 160 prints that were assembled in to 40 unique portfolios.
- How did Andy Warhol create the Sunset Series?
- How does the Sunset Series relate to Andy Warhol’s career as a printmaker?
- Where can I see Andy Warhol’s Sunset Series?
- How much has Andy Warhol’s Sunset Prints sold for?
- How do I sell a Sunset Print?
- How do I buy a Warhol Sunset Print?
- How much does an Andy Warhol Sunset cost?
- Andy Warhol: Sunset Series Quick Facts
How did Andy Warhol create the Sunset Series?
Astonishingly, all of the Sunset prints were produced using only three screen prints: one to apply the background strips of colour, one for the sun and one with a single-colour dot pattern to provide texture. Warhol then inked the screens in a range of colour combinations and printed them with varying registration to create a total of 632 unique screen prints on smooth woven paper.
With this technique the portfolio became widely regarded as the archetypal example of colour serialisation in contemporary art. This allowed Warhol to explore the range of graphic possibilities in a single image, manipulating colour and creating contrasting effects with each repetition. Individual prints in the series therefore evoke varying sensations and emotions based on their colour spectrum. For example, Sunset (Red) depicts a harmonious mixture of red hues with the dark red sun as the focal point, becoming one of Warhol’s most desirable in the series due to its simplicity. By contrast, in Sunset 85 is perhaps a less conventional sunset with shades of light turquoise, green and beige blending together to create the horizon around the bold yellow sun.
The images for each screen print were stills from several reels of film shot by Warhol in East Hampton, San Francisco and New York. This marked the beginning of a shift in Warhol’s career toward using his own photography as the basis for his screen prints, a technique that he later utilised in his representations of Muhammad Ali and Mick Jagger.
How does the Sunset Series relate to Andy Warhol’s career as a printmaker?
The Sunset prints have since been removed from the Hotel Marquette and signed, numbered and stamped. However, they remain amongst the rarest portfolios of Warhol’s career. Warhol produced nearly 800 printed images on paper, in addition to hundreds of trial proofs and unique variants of each of his portfolios. His work contributed significantly to what has been described as the ‘print boom’ of the 1960s. Warhol went on to set up his print publishing company Factory Additions, which continued to issue portfolios of his most recognisable themes.
How do I sell an Andy Warhol Print?
To list a work by Warhol on our site is completely free of charge, and we do not charge any referral fees in the event of you finding a buyer for your work, making us the best place to offer your Warhol work. The services of your dedicated broker, the marketing of your piece for sale through our networks and our comprehensive digital marketing will begin without charge to you. In fact we do not take any charge from the seller at any point during the service we provide. We’re confident that the MyArtBroker platform will match you with a buyer and that’s why we’re happy support you from the outset. Your other option is auction, where they will charge you up to 15% plus several charges to cover the cost of putting the work through sale. You can find out more about this here.
How do I buy an Andy Warhol print?
One the easiest and most cost effective ways of buying a Warhol work is by using us to reach a seller. MyArtBroker is a curated site, meaning we feature artists that our collectors say they want. View the Warhol works we currently offer here. You’ll need to create a free account to buy or sell with us.
How much does an original Andy Warhol Sunset cost?
We employ a number of techniques and practices in order to give a realistic and achievable valuation on any art listed on myartbroker.com. We analyse the demand for the Warhol in question, take into consideration previous sales and auction valuations, we assess the current gallery valuation and monitor the current deals taking place via MyArtBroker every day. We regularly advise sellers on a price bracket for their artwork completely free of charge. Find out how much your Warhol is worth today.
Where can I see Andy Warhol’s Sunset Prints?
Top Spots
- Museum of Modern Art, New York
- SFMoMA, San Francisco
- Risd Museum, Providence, RI
Sell an Andy Warhol Sunset Print
If you have a Sunset print for sale, request a free valuation today.
Andy Warhol: Sunset Series Quick Facts
- The series was commissioned for the newly completed Hotel Marquette in Minneapolis
- Warhol only used three layers to create the screen print, allowing him to reproduce the series in mass
- The images are stills from films Warhol shot in East Hampton, San Francisco and New York
- Warhol’s Sunset sold for $175k USD in 2018
