Andy Warhol Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.130) For Sale

  • Andy Warhol Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.130), Facts | History | Meaning

    Andy Warhol Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.130)

    Facts | History | Meaning
    Catalogue Title Ladies and Gentlemen (FS II.130)
    Year 1975
    Size 43 1/2" x 28 1/2"
    Medium Screenprint on Arches Paper.
    Edition Edition of 250, 25 AP, 1PP signed, numbered, and dated ‘75 in pencil on verso.
  • Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.130)

    As Warhol himself said, “Drag queens are living testimony to the way women used to be, the way some people still want them to be, and the way some women will actually want to be. Drags are ambulatory archives of ideal movie star womanhood. They perform a documentary service, usually consecrating their lives to keeping the glittering alternative alive and available for (not-too-close) inspection.”

    Ladies and Gentlemen is a quietly trailblazing portfolio created by Andy Warhol in 1975. Commissioned by Italian art dealer Luciano Anselmino, Warhol presented his audience with a new muse. Trans women and drag queens seem to be the perfect muse for Warhol, due to their unabashed glamour and exhibitionist nature. As Warhol himself said, “Drag queens are living testimony to the way women used to be, the way some people still want them to be, and the way some women will actually want to be. Drags are ambulatory archives of ideal movie star womanhood. They perform a documentary service, usually consecrating their lives to keeping the glittering alternative alive and available for (not-too-close) inspection.”

    In search of his new muses, Warhol sent his assistant to The Gilded Grape, a bar in Manhattan close to Warhol’s Factory, that was known to be frequented by the Black and Latinx trans women and drag queens of New York. At The Factory, Warhol would take several polaroid images of them, and eventually pick one to be transformed into a screenprint. This resulted in ethical dilemma, as very few of the sitters’ identities were recorded, meaning they remained anonymous to those not involved on the gay scene. However, in 2014, the Warhol Foundation identified 13/14 of the sitters, restoring a personal recognition they so very much deserved.

    The sitter stares arrestingly and unflinchingly at the viewer beneath a hat, asserting their self-assuredness. She has been identified as Wilhelmenia Ross, who was a main feature at Jimmy Camicia’s drag theatre company. Her name was inspired by the modelling agency Wilhelmina and Diana Ross, who was also a close friend of Warhol. In 1974 Ross relocated to Puerto Rico, only returning to America for the last two years of her life after she was diagnosed with AIDS.

    Through Warhol’s gaze, these drag queens are as regal and equally treated as subjects as the real royalty in his Reigning Queens portfolio. Warhol handled his sitters with decorum, transforming these glamourous queens into Pop Art icons.

  • Buy or sell Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.130) by Andy Warhol at Andipa Editions

    Buy Andy Warhol Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.130)

    Andipa Editions, as part of Andipa, have been at the forefront of the Warhol market for over 20 years. To enquire about buying Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.130) by Andy Warhol, contact us via sales@andipa.com or on +44 (0) 20 7589 2371.

     

     

     

    Sell Andy Warhol Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.130) by Andy Warhol

    With a global network of active buyers, Andipa Editions are the place to sell your Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.130) print. Straight-forward and stress-free, we manage the process on your behalf and help to maximise your return. For a complimentary valuation of your Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.130) print, contact us via sales@andipa.com or on +44 (0) 20 7589 2371. Explore our collection of Andy Warhol original prints for sale.