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Artworks
Reigning Queens (Queen Margrethe II of Denmark) (F & S II.344) by Andy Warhol
Reigning Queens (Queen Margrethe II of Denmark) (F & S II.344) by Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, from Reigning Queens (1985) (F & S II.345), 1985Screenprint on Lenox Museum Board100 x 80 cm.
39 3/8 x 31 1/2 in.Signed and numberedSigned and numberedEdition of 40, 10 AP (artist proofs), 5 PP (printers proofs), 3 HC, (hors commerce), 30 TP (trial proofs). There is also a Royal Edition of 30, 5 AP, 2PP,...Edition of 40, 10 AP (artist proofs), 5 PP (printers proofs), 3 HC, (hors commerce), 30 TP (trial proofs).
There is also a Royal Edition of 30, 5 AP, 2PP, and 2 HC, sprinkled with diamond dust, notated as FS II.346A-349A).
Published in 1985, Andy Warhol’s print showcases the distinguished monarch: Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.
This screenprint in the series features Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who reigned from 1972 until her abdication in 2024, exactly 52 years after ascending the throne, making her Denmark's second-longest reigning monarch. At the time of her birth, Danish succession laws allowed only males to inherit the throne, but a constitutional amendment in 1953 permitted female succession if there were no male heirs. In 2009, the law was further revised to establish absolute primogeniture. This complex history of female succession in Denmark adds a profound layer of significance to Warhol’s portrayal of Margrethe.
Warhol’s screenprint of Margrethe exudes female authority and power. Depicted in profile, her image evokes the familiar likeness seen on coins and stamps, echoing Warhol’s fascination with mass production. The soft hues of pink, beige, and red give the print a more feminine quality compared to Warhol’s portrayals of male leaders like Chairman Mao. Hand-drawn blue lines accentuate her hair and jewels, drawing attention to her wealth and glamour, and reinforcing her status as a royal icon.
Publications
Frayda Feldman, and Jörg Schellmann. "Andy Warhol Prints: a Catalogue Raisonne 1962-1987." (2003)
Printed by Rupert Jasen Smith, New York and published by George C. P. Mulder, Amsterdam
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