Andy Warhol Hammer and Sickle (Special Edition), 1977 FS II.165 is part of a portfolio of seven screenprints that illustrate the five separate colors of the printing progression of the print Hammer and Sickle, 1977 FS II.164. This first print shows the first color of the printing process, a warm hazel brown. Just a single rectangle of color, this print is very simple in its composition, merely illustrating the beginning of the printing progression. Warhol was inspired to create screenprints of the communist symbol of the hammer and sickle after visiting Italy in 1976, where he witnessed the symbol as popular graffiti all over the country at the time. Warhol was not as interested in what the symbol represented, a wave of communist ideologies sweeping the nation in the late 70s, but was more intrigued by the repeated nature of the symbol and its place in pop culture, if it had one. Cutrone created his own photographs for Warhol to work from, as he was unable to find suitable references for Warhol. The assistant went out and bought a real hammer and sickle which he photographed himself. Warhol was able to deconstruct the iconic symbol of the hammer and sickle in unique ways in each of the prints. This special edition portfolio deconstructs the symbol even further, by breaking the print down to its creation process.

Created in 1977, this work is a screenprint on Strathmore Bristol paper, hand signed by Andy Warhol in pencil in the lower left.  Numbered from an edition of 10.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
Andy Warhol Hammer and Sickle (Special Edition), 1977 FS II.165 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonné and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the sale of the work).

1. Feldman, Frayda and Jörg Schellmann, A Catalogue Raisonne, 4th ed. Listed as catalogue raisonné no. II.165 on page 98.
2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.

About the Framing:
Framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, Andy Warhol Hammer and Sickle, 1977 FS II.165 is presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.