Flower 65 (Flowers Portfolio)
Screen print on paper
91 x 91 cm
Not For Sale
Andy Warhol’s Flowers 65 (1970) is part of Andy Warhol’s Flowers portfolio. This version of Warhol’s Flowers depicts the flowers’ petals in blood red, dark pink, and golden yellow. These flowers protrude out of a relatively muted backdrop of deep periwinkle and evergreen, resulting in a mesmerizing effect. Warhol’s Flowers 65 is a fantastic work of art, and a beloved image from Andy Warhol’s Flowers portfolio. Andy Warhol’s Flowers is based on a photo by Patricia Caulfield that appeared in the June 1965 issue of the magazine Popular Photography. The original image was cropped and the colors inverted before Warhol added washes of vibrant dyes to the flower petals by hand. The flowers depicted are hibiscus flowers, specifically the mandrinette. Flowers is often viewed as a departure from Warhol’s typical work, which is known for centering around celebrities and well-known brands. The original image was not particularly famous before his appropriation of it, and the floral subject matter is not particularly related to pop culture or commercialism. However, flowers are a subject that Warhol continually revisits in his ouevre. His work with advertisements are made powerful due to their contexts, but flowers are timeless. This is undoubtedly a reason why the Flowers series remains one of Warhol’s most popular portfolios.