Bidspirit auction | ANDY WARHOL (Pittsburgh, 1928 -

ANDY WARHOL (Pittsburgh, 1928 - New York, 1987) - The Witch (”Myths”) (1972) - Silkscreen on paper, hand-signed with black marker. Dimensions: 17.5 × 17.5 cm. Signed on the right side. Invitation printed on paper by Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, Inc., New York. This image is part of the celebrated series Myths, in which Warhol selected iconic characters from American popular culture, particularly those associated with childhood and fantasy. In the case of The Witch, Warhol invited Margaret Hamilton, the actress who played the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939), to recreate her classic, terrifying pose in his studio. The green skin and violet background enhance the character's theatricality and intimidation. The work is one of ten images that comprise Myths, a series that reflects Warhol's keen instinct for capturing the most potent symbols of the American collective imagination. Many of these characters—such as Mickey Mouse, Howdy Doody, Santa Claus, Dracula, and Uncle Sam—embodied aspects of Warhol's own personality, as he himself recognized. Despite their visual power, all these icons are detached from reality and embedded in an almost mythological narrative of pop culture. Includes a gallery certificate of provenance. Located in international storage.