Andy Warhol Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom (F & S. II.334) For Sale

Andy Warhol once proclaimed, ‘I want to be as famous as the Queen of England.’ Thus, the Reigning Queens portfolio was born. The series was completed in 1985, a mere two years before Warhol’s death. The Queen Elizabeth portfolio is part of the wider Reigning Queens series. The series is one of Warhol’s largest, featuring sixteen prints in total, including three other Ruling Queens, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands and Queen Ntombi Twala of Swaziland. Each collection is made up of four prints of each queen, with the repetition echoing that of a stamp. The ‘Royal Edition’ of Reigning Queens features diamond dust imbedded within each print, adding to the luxury and glamour of the queens depicted.

In the Reigning Queens portfolio, Andy Warhol treated the Queen of England, not as a ruling monarch, but as a Pop Art icon, akin to his other celebrity portfolios, such as Mick Jagger or Marilyn Monroe. This approach to portraiture reinvigorated the previous traditional representations of the queen, exemplified by the fact that these portraits of Queen Elizabeth are the only portraits she owned that she had not posed for, after the Royal Collection purchased this portfolio in 2012. The Reining Queens portfolio was originally created to be shown in the United Kingdom, and Warhol complained about the showing in America, “I had my opening at Leo Castelli’s to go to, of the Reigning Queens portfolio that I just hate George Mulder for showing here in America. [It was] supposed to be only for Europe—nobody here cares about royalty and it’ll be another bad review.”

Warhol utilised his innovative screen-printing technique, allowing him to replicate the portraits of each queen in exquisite detail. For this portfolio, Warhol used Queen Eliabeth’s official Silver Jubilee portfolio from 1977, taken by Peter Grugen in 1975. As an official portrait like this would often repeat across currency, echoing Andy Warhol’s fascination with mass production. The screenprint depicts Queen Elizabeth smiling regally at the viewer. Warhol has transformed the photograph into a pop art piece, placing her against a bright red background, with a yellow dress and blue sache. Blocks of colour scatter across the print, echoing his previous portfolios such as Ladies and Gentlemen. As her hair fades into the background, the viewer is drawn to the bright pale face. This screenprint is one of female power, a large-scale portrait that demands a recognition of female authority.  

Buy Andy Warhol Reigning Queens (F & S II.334)

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

Sell Andy Warhol Reigning Queens (F & S II.334) by Andy Warhol

With a global network of active buyers, Andipa Editions are the place to sell your Reigning Queens (F & S II.334) 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 Reigning Queens (F & S II.334) print, contact us via sales@andipa.com or on +44 (0) 20 7589 2371. Explore our collection of Andy Warhol original prints for sale.