Cats Named Sam IV 58
Cats Named Sam IV 58
Unsigned Print
Andy Warhol
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23 x 15cm, Edition of 190, Lithograph
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Meaning & Analysis
Printed in 1954, Cats Named Sam IV 58 is an offset lithograph by Andy Warhol that depicts a close-up portrait of a cat rendered in a vibrant yellow against a plain backdrop. While most of the prints in this series feature the cats in full, this print stands out from the others by focusing on the cat’s face. The cat stares earnestly at the viewer with its big, bright, blue eyes and black gestural lines are used to add detail to the cat’s face. The cat’s name, Sam, is written in elegant calligraphy below the portrait. This print is arguably the most famous of the entire series.
Cats Named Sam IV 58 is part of the Cats Named Sam series, produced by Warhol in 1954 while he was living in an apartment on East 57th Street in Manhattan with his mother, Julia, and her 25 cats. The print is one of 16 lithograph prints that Warhol produced to accompany a children's book he published, 25 Cats Name (sic) Sam and One Blue Pussy. The original book itself is very rare, however the prints have survived and are some of the earliest works by Warhol on the market today.
This print captures the start of Warhol’s career as a Pop artist, produced while he was still working as a freelance commercial and children’s book illustrator in New York. Cats Named Sam IV 58 reflects Warhol's experimentation with drawing and printing as he combines simple lines with bright blocks of hand painted colour that was added after the printing process.
Andy Warhol was a leading figure of the Pop Art movement and is often considered the father of Pop Art. Born in 1928, Warhol allowed cultural references of the 20th century to drive his work. From the depiction of glamorous public figures, such as Marilyn Monroe, to the everyday Campbell’s Soup Can, the artist challenged what was considered art by blurring the boundaries between high art and mass consumerism. Warhol's preferred screen printing technique further reiterated his obsession with mass culture, enabling art to be seen as somewhat of a commodity through the reproduced images in multiple colour ways.
