Andy Warhol Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.132) For Sale

Ladies and Gentlemen is a portfolio created by Andy Warhol in 1975. The series was commissioned by the Italian art dealer Lucian Anselmino, who asked Warhol to create a collection of ‘impersonal’ and ‘anonymous’ photographs of ‘transvestites’. Although Warhol identified as a gay man, he was an outsider to the Black and Latinx drag and transgender communities, and sent his assistant to scout the sitters for the portfolio, where he would invite them back to the Factory and take polaroids of them. Warhol finished with over 500 photographs of 14 models. However, Warhol’s fascinated to the community can be summarised in his following pondering, “I wonder whether it’s harder for 1) a man to be a man, 2) a man to be a woman, 3) a woman to be a woman, or 4) a woman to be a man. I don’t really know the answer, but from watching all the different types, I know that people who think they’re working the hardest are the men who are trying to be a woman. They do double-time. They do all the things: they think about shaving and not shaving, of primping and not primping, of buying men’s clothes and women’s clothes. I guess it’s interesting to try to be another sex."

Despite, Anselmino’s request to keep the sitters anonymous, in 2014 the Warhol foundation managed to identify 13/14 of the sitters, as some had signed their name on the back of their polaroid. However, this sitter has unfortunately remained unnamed. The print depicts this anonymous sitter in an ultra-feminine poses. She holds a hand up to her voluminous hair, as she stares seductively at the viewer. As with most of the screenprints within this series, Warhol uses transposed blocks of colour to highlight feminine features of the sitters, in this case her lips are surrounded with a lavender wash, whilst a bold blue is placed above her eyelids.

When placed alongside the celebrity stars, such as Mick Jagger or Marilyn Monroe, that feature across Warhol’s oeuvre, the anonymous trans woman within this screenprint is elevated to a status akin to that of a Hollywood star. To Warhol, the shared traits of glamour and exhibitionism, as well as a certain fascination with the subject matter, place the different muses on an equal playing field. Warhol transformed marginalised figures into Pop Art icons, bringing much deserved recognition and admiration to the LGBTQ community.

Buy Andy Warhol Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.132)

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.132) 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.132) by Andy Warhol

With a global network of active buyers, Andipa Editions are the place to sell your Ladies and Gentlemen (F & S II.132) 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.132) print, contact us via sales@andipa.com or on +44 (0) 20 7589 2371. Explore our collection of Andy Warhol original prints for sale.