Andy Warhol (1928-1987) is arguably the most important American artist of the 20th century. He not only defined Pop Art, but has had an unrivalled and lasting influence on artists and image-making.
In recent years there has been new scholarship and increasing commercial interest in Andy Warhol's early material created prior to the Pop Art that he is known for.
During the 1950's Warhol became established in New York City as a trendy illustrator, contributing to a wide number of fashion publications and retailers. His simple line drawings are modern and gentle. The images he created during this era, independent from his fashion commissions, were romantic, hopeful, and unabashedly gay. In a short period of time he created an aesthetic that was both versatile but distinctively his.
Caviar20 specializes in Andy Warhol's drawings from the 1950's. This unusually large work is clearly from the earlier part of the decade as it was realized with a traditional ink fountain pen (which explains the occasional smudging or extra thickness of line). Around 1955 the ball point pen became commercially available, and Warhol embraced this "new technology" with enthusiasm. Also mid-decade found Warhol at his busiest for commercial drawings.
Warhol was particularly fond of butterflies. They appear in a number of different styles, whether copied from a Natural Geographic type magazine photo or his own highly stylized version. Click here or here to see the contrast in how he realized this creature.
This intricate drawing is rendered with a gentle whimsy, the creeping vines moving across the page embellished and enlivened with butterflies of different sizes and small new blooms. This is a paradigm of Warhol's commercial work; full of delicate joy and splendor.
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Untitled "Butterflies and Flowers"
USA, circa 1954
23.6"H 17.75"W
Black ballpoint pen on manila paper
Very good condition
Andy Warhol Foundation number: ARD416.044
Provenance: The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
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Our inventory is divided between New York and Toronto.
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Most of the items on our site can be easily shipped internationally.
Occasionally we will recommend that an artwork be removed from its frame for shipping. Larger framed works are typically framed with plexiglass. We export over 80% of what we sell, so we are comfortable shipping anywhere.
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When a work is valued above $2,500 usd there is a possibility of tax of 0.35%, but this is applied sporadically. There can similarly be an additional fee for customs brokerage and this can range from $20 - $65. US Taxes, duties and customs brokerage are not included in our flat rate shipping. However most of our shipments to the US enter without any additional fees.
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