Andy Warhol: Seven Illustrated Books 1952–1959
Taschen, 2023
€60,00
In 1950s New York, before he became one of the most famous names of the 20th century, Andy Warhol was already a skilled and successful commercial artist. During this time, as part of his strategy to woo clients and forge friendships, he created seven handmade artist’s books, reserved to his most valued contacts. These featured personal, unique drawings and quirky texts revealing his fondness for—among other subjects—cats, food, myths, shoes, beautiful boys, and gorgeous girls.
Decades later, with originals now changing hands for thousands of dollars at auction, TASCHEN presents an XL-sized volume containing meticulous reprints of these seven books. With titles such as Love Is a Pink Cake, 25 Cats Named Sam, and À la Recherche du Shoe Perdu, the series reveals the artist’s off-the-wall character as well as his accomplished draftsmanship, boundless creativity, and innuendo-laced humor.
This book makes delightful play with styles and genres, including A Is for Alphabet, which devotes a page to each letter of the alphabet, with illustrations complemented by stumbling three-line verses that tell of strange encounters between man and animal. In the Bottom of My Garden is at once a Warhol twist on a children’s book and a covert celebration of gay love. Wild Raspberries, meanwhile, is a spoof cookbook with a cornucopia of adventurous recipes and illustrations.
This volume also includes introductions for each of Warhol’s illustrations. Complete with rarely seen photographs of the artist, inspirational ephemera, and commercial assignments, they contextualize Warhol’s 1950s art, offering a glimpse into his early creative process as well as his endearing, playful character.
ISBN: 9783836592581
