Andy Warhol was the most successful and highly paid commercial illustrator in New York even before he began to make art destined for galleries. Nevertheless, his screen printed images of Marilyn Monroe, soup cans, and sensational …show more content…
In Andy Warhol’s Skull the skull itself is repeated six times (only three of the paintings are on display at the Baltimore Museum of Art), with the impenetrable darkness of the hollow eye sockets echoed in each image. The shadow cast by the skull resembles a baby’s profile, although whether this was intentional is unknown. It seems unlikely, however, that this effective combination of both life and death would escape Andy Warhol’s sharp gaze. In contrast to the sinister subject, the colors are vibrant. Vividly pure reds, oranges, yellows, greens, and blues, blaze out of the work, balanced by the purity of the more severe monochrome canvases that interrupt the rhythm of the work. Or perhaps Andy Warhol is attempting to acknowledge that death is not something to be feared but instead, should be accepted as part of life. Similarly, by coloring the skull canvases with vibrant hues, this motif at once represents both everybody and nobody: void of the vital coordinates of facial individuality. The skull possesses an uncompromising