Andy Warhol Purple Cows (F & S II.17A) For Sale

Purple Cows, produced by the artist in 1967, belongs to a portfolio of 15 prints titled Stamped Indelibly. Aptly named, the book of prints contains Warhol’s experimentation in hand-made rubber stamps, the precursor to his famous silk-screening method. Striking in its seriality – the work features a row of twenty purple cows – the print is an outstanding example of Warhol’s devotion to breaking convention.  

One of the most distinctive characteristics of the artist’s work is that of repetition and duplication. In the present work Warhol’s purple cows, placed in close proximity, exude playfulness and even absurdity.  

Cows at this stage had already become a familiar motif, with Warhol having created a series of large-scale, neon portfolio of four screenprints between 1966-1977. The portfolio is regarded as a seminal work in the artist’s Pop Art pantheon, elevating the farmyard animal to the status of icon.  

Purple Cows demonstrates Warhol’s uncanny ability to find beauty in the mundane. Repeated and reused, the motifs become more than the sum of their part. This style would be echoed in later works including S&H Green Steps, The Cover of Flash and Magazine and History where Warhol would tightly pack repeated images in close succession. Explore Andy Warhol prints for sale.