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Andy Warhol, Bald Eagle on Canvas

Bald Eagle on Canvas
Artist: Andy Warhol 
Title: Bald Eagle on Canvas
Medium: Painting
Size: 60 x 60
Year: 1983
See Also: Screenprint 

The American Bald Eagle is instantly recognizable as the symbol of America. Pictured on the national currency, the Presidential Seal and military insignia, the Bald Eagle is a potent totemic icon that cannot be disassociated from its commercial and propagandistic uses. Adopted as the national emblem in 1782, it is one of the more powerful cultural icons, equal to Coca-Cola, Campbell’s Soup and Marilyn Monroe. Bald Eagle was painted in 1983 as part of Warhol’s series titled the Endangered Species. The series included representations of ten animals currently on the endangered species list: the African Elephant, Giant Panda, Siberian Tiger, Pine Barrens Tree Frog, Black Rhino, San Francisco Silverspot, Big Horn Ram, Orangutan, Grevy’s Zebra and Bald Eagle. A portfolio of ten serigraphs was originally commissioned by Ronald Feldman and his wife, long time environmental activists. An extension and conflation of celebrity portraits and Campbell’s Soup Can paintings, Bald Eagle was painted a year after Warhol completed his Myths series. Not unrelated, the Bald Eagle is deeply imbedded in the mythology of the United States: as much a symbol of our country as a highly commercial figure used by people everyday, but largely unnoticed as we flick quarters into machines or walk past the post office. Warhol celebrates the imagery of the Bald Eagle as he celebrated other quintessential icons of America. As an appropriation of a widely available image, this image is innocuous enough on a one-inch quarter, but harder to ignore when enlarged to a 60 x 60 inch canvas. Bald Eagle demands attention, not just as a symbol of the country but also, and more importantly, calling attention to the fact that this bird, supposedly revered by America, is included on the endangered species list. Bald Eagle draws attention to the hypocritical stance of America – at the same time elevating a bird to a national treasure, yet also allowing this bird to hover on the brink of extinction – our throw-away materialism spotlighted. Bald Eagle is a bright and boldly beautiful canvas. Painted near the end of Warhol’s life, it combines many of the ideas and ideals with which Warhol worked from his early days as an ad-man to his moments of fame with Campbell’s and Marilyn.
Datesort icon Price Source
11/09/05 $1,360,000.00 liveauctioneers

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