About this Item
Original illustration, composed in ink on paper, measuring 35cm x 28.5cm (ca.14" x 11.25"); figures hand-colored in pink, and titled by the artist in pencil "be my valen | time." Light toning and foxing, with tape remnants to four edges; archivally hinged, placed into gallery mat. Large, charming drawing by Warhol (1928-1987) depicting a pair of cherubs at play, similar to those found in his mid-1950's series In the Bottom of My Garden. "To make a blotted line drawing, Warhol would draw an image (or, often, trace from a photograph) onto a sheet of blank paper. This sheet of paper would either be folded in half or have another sheet of paper attached to it by a piece of tape that functioned as a hinge. Working slowly, Warhol would ink his drawing in small sections on the first sheet of paper and, while the ink was still wet, fold over the second sheet and blot the drawing. Line by line, Warhol would ink and blot the drawing until the entire image was transferred to the second sheet. The smudges and specs of ink produced by this rudimentary printing process gave the resulting image a spontaneous feel. Warhol would then discard the working ink drawing, and the print would serve as his final "drawing".The blotted line became famous as Warhol's line, and, despite its simplicity, it was difficult to imitate" (Mulroney, Lucy. Andy Warhol: Publisher, pp.15-16). While cherubs were a recurring theme in Warhol's early work, Gary Comenas makes note of this particular kind of drawing on the WarholStars website, as relayed by author and illustrator Robert Galster: "I had admired Andy's book jacket design for Ronald Firbank's Three More Novels, and Gilbert [Ireland] called up the publisher and said, 'Who did that book jacket?' because he wanted to see if he could get a Valentine's Day drawing with these little cupids, and it turned out that the artist was Andy Warhol. Andy lived, it turned out, nearby, and we both met him. Andy charged about 20 dollars for the drawing.I turned up on the top floor of this brownstone, above a restaurant. As I recall, it was funny. It was like a bat cave: funny room just filled with things like boxes and things, and not a stick of furniture. And for a desk, he used a door: a door taken off a wall and on two saw horses. He was also working while we were there, and he was sitting on a typewriter case, which was funny. He was sitting on this typewriter case, which is so high off the ground, and working.And I said something about that I liked the little cupid drawing, and he started drawing me more cupids. Just drawing away, and he gave me three or four drawings then.".
Seller Inventory # 4530
Contact seller
Report this item
