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Lot Essay
'I like money on the wall... say you were going to buy a.... painting. I think you should take that money, tie it up, and hang it on the wall. Then when someone visited you, the first thing they would see is the money on the wall' (A. Warhol, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again, New York 1975, p. 134).
Andy Warhol's love affair with money is well documented, and this vibrant depiction of the Dollar continues his fascination with a subject that began early in his career with works such as his early icon, 200 Dollar Bills. Fascinated by the lifestyles of the rich and famous, including the Hollywood stars Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe and mass-market consumables like Campbell's Soup cans and Coke bottles, with Dollar Sign Warhol turned one of the most ubiquitous symbols in modern society into a visually arresting work which captures both the sentiment of the age and the character of the artist.
Upon a vibrant blue background, Warhol conjures up a luxurious palette of deep rich red, warm orange and fresh green. Almost psychedelic in its configuration, the distinctive combination of colours in Dollar Sign is an excellent example of Warhol's unique visual style. Ironically, considering the endemic nature of the dollar, Warhol found that he was unable to find a pre-existing image of a dollar sign that had quite the visual impact he needed. He resorted to the skill that supported him during the early years of his career, his draughtsmanship, and drew dollar after dollar, some straight upright, some slanting, some thick, some thin, some more Pop, some more staid. The fact that the source image was one that Warhol created himself marks his Dollar Sign paintings out as a rarity within his body of work. It is the subject rather than the actual image of money that concerns Warhol, a clever and revolutionary return to his earlier works of dollar bills in which he essentially printed his own money.
Warhol's earliest use of money-orientated imagery, exposing art as a commodity, began as early as the 1950s when he created a drawing of money growing on a tree. A decade later he continued exploring this theme with a small series of drawings of depicting dollar bills. Warhol was intrigued by the growing connection between money and art, in that they both had a universal power to stimulate the imagination and evoke desire. He was also fascinated by the notion that his artistic ideas could be exchanged for cash and by putting the dollar sign on a canvas, the work of art becomes a Warholian currency in its own right. Money, as purchasing power, is what enables consumption, but in a delicious twist, Warhol also recognized the intrinsic value of money and art. 'I like money on the wall', he once wrote, 'Say you were going to buy a... painting. I think you should take that money, tie it up, and hang it on the wall. Then when someone visited you, the first thing they would see is the money on the wall' (A. Warhol, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again, New York 1975, p. 134).
Dollar Sign is detailed, superbly executed, aesthetically pleasing, and given the symbol's strong associations, an international icon of America's dominance in the world. The dollar sign has been a symbol of the United States' independence and prosperity since 1784 when it first appeared in a memorandum by Thomas Jefferson. Ironically, Warhol produced Dollar Sign during a period of intense economic uncertainty in the United States. The Iranian Revolution had sharply increased the price of oil around the world, causing the 1979 energy crisis. In addition, tighter monetary policy in the United States used to control inflation led to recession which began in July 1981 and lasted for over a year and a half. During these troubled times the dollar sign was a combination of the promise of the American dream but also a reminder of its inherent dangers.
Andy Warhol's love affair with money is well documented, and this vibrant depiction of the Dollar continues his fascination with a subject that began early in his career with works such as his early icon, 200 Dollar Bills. Fascinated by the lifestyles of the rich and famous, including the Hollywood stars Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe and mass-market consumables like Campbell's Soup cans and Coke bottles, with Dollar Sign Warhol turned one of the most ubiquitous symbols in modern society into a visually arresting work which captures both the sentiment of the age and the character of the artist.
Upon a vibrant blue background, Warhol conjures up a luxurious palette of deep rich red, warm orange and fresh green. Almost psychedelic in its configuration, the distinctive combination of colours in Dollar Sign is an excellent example of Warhol's unique visual style. Ironically, considering the endemic nature of the dollar, Warhol found that he was unable to find a pre-existing image of a dollar sign that had quite the visual impact he needed. He resorted to the skill that supported him during the early years of his career, his draughtsmanship, and drew dollar after dollar, some straight upright, some slanting, some thick, some thin, some more Pop, some more staid. The fact that the source image was one that Warhol created himself marks his Dollar Sign paintings out as a rarity within his body of work. It is the subject rather than the actual image of money that concerns Warhol, a clever and revolutionary return to his earlier works of dollar bills in which he essentially printed his own money.
Warhol's earliest use of money-orientated imagery, exposing art as a commodity, began as early as the 1950s when he created a drawing of money growing on a tree. A decade later he continued exploring this theme with a small series of drawings of depicting dollar bills. Warhol was intrigued by the growing connection between money and art, in that they both had a universal power to stimulate the imagination and evoke desire. He was also fascinated by the notion that his artistic ideas could be exchanged for cash and by putting the dollar sign on a canvas, the work of art becomes a Warholian currency in its own right. Money, as purchasing power, is what enables consumption, but in a delicious twist, Warhol also recognized the intrinsic value of money and art. 'I like money on the wall', he once wrote, 'Say you were going to buy a... painting. I think you should take that money, tie it up, and hang it on the wall. Then when someone visited you, the first thing they would see is the money on the wall' (A. Warhol, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again, New York 1975, p. 134).
Dollar Sign is detailed, superbly executed, aesthetically pleasing, and given the symbol's strong associations, an international icon of America's dominance in the world. The dollar sign has been a symbol of the United States' independence and prosperity since 1784 when it first appeared in a memorandum by Thomas Jefferson. Ironically, Warhol produced Dollar Sign during a period of intense economic uncertainty in the United States. The Iranian Revolution had sharply increased the price of oil around the world, causing the 1979 energy crisis. In addition, tighter monetary policy in the United States used to control inflation led to recession which began in July 1981 and lasted for over a year and a half. During these troubled times the dollar sign was a combination of the promise of the American dream but also a reminder of its inherent dangers.