Skull (F. & S. II.158)
1976
This iconic screenprint from Warhol's 1976 Skull portfolio is a striking meditation on mortality rendered through his signature Pop sensibility, transforming a memento mori subject into a bold, color-saturated graphic statement. Catalogued as Feldman & Schellmann II.158, it belongs to a suite of four prints that rank among the most sought-after works in Warhol's printed oeuvre, bridging the vanitas tradition with postmodern consumer aesthetics. The series marked a pivotal shift in Warhol's practice toward more introspective, existential themes following his near-fatal 1968 shooting. Editions from this portfolio consistently perform strongly at auction and represent essential holdings for serious collections of both Post-War American prints and Warhol's graphic work.
Artists in conversation
Damien Hirst
British · b. 1965
Hirst obsessively returns to skull imagery as a memento mori subject, most famously in his diamond encrusted skull and spot paintings, combining vanitas tradition with bold contemporary aesthetics that directly parallels Warhol's approach in this Skull screenprint.
Jean-Michel Basquiat
American · b. 1960
Basquiat repeatedly used skull and skeleton imagery rendered in high contrast, graphic, color saturated compositions that explore mortality through a raw Pop sensibility, making his work among the closest in spirit to Warhol's Skull portfolio.
Shepard Fairey
American · b. 1970
Fairey creates bold screenprint based works featuring skull imagery in high key flat colors with graphic Pop inflected aesthetics, directly echoing the visual language Warhol employed in this Skull series.
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