Object Details
- Exhibition Label
- Based on a publicity still from Marilyn Monroe's 1953 film Niagara, Andy Warhol's portrait of the film star conveys both her glamour and fragility. A gifted performer, Monroe became an iconic sex symbol, entertaining troops in Korea and electrifying movie audiences. Despite her success, she maintained an air of vulnerability. Warhol capitalized on these contradictions, first portraying Monroe after her 1962 death from a drug overdose. Using silkscreens, he created multiple renditions of the actress. By emphasizing the images' off-register printing, Warhol created a powerful metaphor for the dissolution of Monroe's career and the blinding impact of her overexposure. In this screenprint, part of a series of ten, Monroe's sensual features dissolve into a nearly impenetrable mask as Warhol's non-naturalistic colors and their improper alignment produce a jarring effect, at once familiar and alienating.
- Data Source
- National Portrait Gallery
- Artist
- Andy Warhol, 6 Aug 1928 - 22 Feb 1987
- Printer
- Aetna Silkscreen Products, Inc.
- Publisher
- Factory Additions
- Sitter
- Marilyn Monroe, 1 Jun 1926 - 5 Aug 1962
- Date
- 1967
- Credit Line
- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Daniel Solomon
- Medium
- Screenprint on paper
- Dimensions
- 91.5 x 91.5cm (36 x 36")
- Frame: 96.2 x 96.2 x 3.7cm (37 7/8 x 37 7/8 x 1 7/16")
- Type
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.