ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
Campbell's Soup I (Feldman & Schellmann II.44-53)
The complete set of 10 screenprints, accompanied by the original stamp-numbered box
Printed in 1968 by Salvatore Silkscreen Co., Inc, New York
Published by Factory Additions, New York, in an edition of two hundred and fifty plus twenty-six artist's proofs

Each sheet signed 'Andy Warhol' in ball-point pen and stamp-numbered 192/250 (on the reverse)
Screenprint in colors on smooth wove paper, each the full sheet, each framed
Sheets: 35 x 23 in (88.9 x 58.4 cm)
(10)
Footnotes:
Provenance
Private collection, US (acquired from the artist).
Sale: Sotheby's, New York, October 22, 2020, lot 25.
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner.


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Andy Warhol was the greatest showman of twentieth century art. His work spun traditional notions of art and process together with the commercial world of advertising and popular culture. He collided fame and fortune with ubiquity and the everyday. He was the mastermind of Pop Art and an icon of contemporary practice who became the picture of the artist-celebrity, holding court from his Factory studio in downtown Manhattan. The Campbell's Soup can is one of the most instantly recognizable images by the artist, and arguably one of his most poignant. A long-life can of pre-made broth, the soup can itself captured the post-war spirit, a newly emergent commerce and product desirability on one side, and convenience and taste on the other. It was a working-class meal that was elevated to the level of high art through Warhol. The present work, Campbell's Soup I is a rare complete set of 10 screenprints from the 1968 series. This iconic motif remains one of the most emblematic symbols of the Pop Art movement to this day.

Warhol's approach to the Campbell's Soup cans was multifaceted, and encompassed themes of consumer-driven imagery, mass production and the perceived gulf between high and low culture. He was interested in elevating objects considered mundane and banal to the status of high art. More than this, however, he highlights the notion of 'brand name' and the social standing of, arguably, the world's most famous people and objects. He pokes fun at the self-aggrandizing nature of art and artists, priding themselves on creating individual pictures of transcendent beauty and meaning. Warhol's counterargument is the Campbell's Soup can, the true image of transcendence to his American audience. In post-war America, canned soup symbolized the booming consumer economy and the increasing influence of advertising – an industry Warhol knew well. Campbell's Soup was an iconic American brand that was widely recognized and consumed across the country; its ubiquity making it a symbol of everyday life, and to Warhol the essence of art.

Furthermore, Warhol reputedly had a personal fondness for Campbell's Soup. He grew up in a working-class immigrant family and Campbell's Soup was often a feature of their dining table. When asked about it in an interview he commented, 'I used to drink it [Campbell's Soup]. I used to have the same lunch every day, for twenty years, I guess, the same thing over and over again.' This repetition, echoed on supermarket shelves and cabinets across the nation, inspired his fascination with the object. Warhol's depiction of soup cans and their variations highlights themes of repetition, mass production, and the standardization of goods in modern society, each can being subtly different yet part of a larger, uniform collection, mirroring the industrialized nature of consumer goods.

Andy Warhol's advertising career began in the 1950s, when he found success as a commercial illustrator for prominent magazines including Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. His unique style, characterized by bold lines, playful compositions, and whimsical imagery, quickly earned him recognition in the advertising world. During this time he not only honed his skills in visual communication but also laid the groundwork for his later exploration of consumer culture and mass media in his fine art. The vibrant colors and graphic design of the Cambell's soup cans appealed to Warhol's aesthetic sensibilities. He saw beauty and artistic potential in commercial imagery and embraced it as a central element of his artistic expression. The design of Campbell's Soup cans, with their bold contrasting colors and distinctive typography, caught Warhol's attention; he appreciated the elements of their design and saw them as visually appealing, making them the perfect subject for his quintessential style.