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Artworks
Andy Warhol
Liz (F & S II.7), 1964Offset lithograph on paper58.7 x 58.7 cm.
23 1/8 x 23 1/8 in.Edition of 300.Signed and dated in ball-point pen£40,000 - £55,000 GBPLiz is a lithograph created by Andy Warhol in 1964, featuring a portrait of one of the most iconic faces of the 20th century, Elizabeth Taylor. Warhol’s fascination with celebrity...Liz is a lithograph created by Andy Warhol in 1964, featuring a portrait of one of the most iconic faces of the 20th century, Elizabeth Taylor. Warhol’s fascination with celebrity and popular culture is vividly expressed in this work, where he reimagines a publicity still from Taylor’s film Butterfield 8 using a vibrant Pop Art palette.
In the same year the lithograph was made, Warhol was asked if he wanted to meet Elizabeth Taylor. He responded with excitement, saying, "Ohhhh, Elizabeth Taylor, Ohhhhh. She’s so glamorous” This admiration for Taylor's beauty and glamour is brilliantly conveyed through Warhol’s use of colour. Treating the silkscreen process like a makeup palette, he accentuates Taylor’s features—her bold eyeshadow, extending to her eyebrows, and her ruby red lips contrasting with her ivory complexion. The flat, fuchsia background and dramatic rendering give Taylor an almost larger-than-life presence. Warhol’s informal title, Liz, underscores the intimate, yet distant relationship between fans and their celebrity idols, reflecting his deep interest in the cult of celebrity.
The appeal of this print is far-reaching; since the passing of icons like Elizabeth Taylor, Warhol’s images have become some of the first that come to mind when we think of these stars. This speaks to Warhol’s unique ability to create portraits that not only capture but also immortalize his subjects.