Muhammad Ali (F. & S. II.180)
Muhammad Ali (F. & S. II.180)
Signed Print
Andy Warhol
£27,000-£40,000Value Indicator
$60,000-$80,000 Value Indicator
$50,000-$70,000 Value Indicator
¥250,000-¥380,000 Value Indicator
€30,000-€45,000 Value Indicator
$270,000-$400,000 Value Indicator
¥5,190,000-¥7,690,000 Value Indicator
$35,000-$50,000 Value Indicator
AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
There aren't enough data points on this work for a comprehensive result. Please speak to a specialist by making an enquiry.
Medium: Screenprint
Edition size: 150
Year: 1978
Size: H 102cm x W 76cm
Signed: Yes
Format: Signed Print
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Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Location | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2022 | Christie's New York | United States | |||
| October 2021 | Phillips New York | United States | |||
| July 2018 | Smith & Singer, Woollahra | Australia | |||
| April 2016 | Phillips New York | United States | |||
| January 2015 | Phillips London | United Kingdom | |||
| November 2007 | Christie's London | United Kingdom |
Meaning & Analysis
Andy Warhol’s Muhammad Ali (F. & S. II.180) depicts the famous boxer dipping his head to the left. A splash of cobalt blue frames his head and chest. Ali’s downward gaze makes his features nearly invisible, and yet he remains recognizable even today. At the time this portrait was taken, Muhammad Ali had been crowed world heavyweight boxing champion for the third time. However, while his fame originated with his athletic prowess, Ali was known worldwide as an orator and activist.
Warhol created this portrait as a part of the larger series Muhammad Ali. In 1977 Richard Weisman commissioned the artist to create a series of portraits of athletes including Ali, Pelé, and Dorothy Hamill. Warhol was initially disinterested in sports, but came to see athletes as surpassing movie stars as the most recognizable celebrities in America. Despite his obscured face, the recognizability of Ali plays into Warhol’s obsession with fame. This interest in celebrity remains a common throughout Warhol’s work from his early portraits of Marilyn Monroe to this Muhammad Ali series in the late 70s.
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.
