Dollar Sign $ (1) (F. & S. II.274-279)
19 3/4 x 15 5/8 inchesDollar Sign $ (1)
(F&S II. 274-279), 1982
paper: 19 3/4 x 15 5/8 inches
frame: 20 x 16 inches
edition of 60 unique screenprints, each in a unique color combination
signed "Andy Warhol" in pencil recto
numbered in pencil recto
with the artist's copyright inkstamp on the reverse
printed by Rupert Jasen Smith, New York with his blindstamp
published by Andy Warhol, New York
Literature
Frayda Feldman and Jorg Schellmann, Andy Warhol Prints: A Catalogue Raisonne: 1962-1987, Fourth Edition, D.A.P., New York, 2003, Catalogue Reference F&S II. .274-279, other unique impressions reproduced in full color, page 126 and 175.
Additional Photos
Full Sheet
Signature & Edition number lower right
Copyright stamp verso
In the iconic Dollar Sign series, Andy Warhol boldly explores the symbol of wealth and power: the United States Dollar. Warhol's exploration of money as both an art form and cultural commentary began in the 1960s and reached its pinnacle in the 1980s with his Dollar Sign series. Known for his groundbreaking use of screenprint techniques, Warhol captures the intersection of art and consumerism.
ANDY WARHOL DOLLAR SIGNS
In Warhol's Dollar Sign series, he reimagines the most iconic image of American wealth: the Dollar Sign. This series is a striking commentary on the role of money in shaping culture and art in the 1980s.
Beginning in the 1950s, Warhol integrated images of money into his work, including pencil drawings of dollar bills and 1962's famous dollar bill paintings. By the early 1980s, the connection between currency and art had evolved into a central theme for Warhol, who often exchanged his own artwork for cash.
Warhol’s revolutionary use of the screenprint process became his signature technique, as he meticulously reproduced images of the Dollar Sign, blending artistry with commerciality. These screenprints, full of color and contrast, challenged traditional boundaries and emphasized the commodification of art.
Warhol famously remarked, "I like money on the wall," underscoring his belief that money was a form of art in its own right, and that the two were inseparable in the consumer-driven society he was a part of. (A. Warhol, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again, New York, 1975, p.134).
The Dollar Sign series first appeared in Warhol’s January 1982 exhibition at the renowned Castelli Gallery in New York. This exhibition marked a pivotal moment in Warhol’s career, as the Dollar Sign works captured the zeitgeist of the 1980s, an era defined by economic excess and the rise of the art market.
In Warhol’s Dollar Sign works, the image of money becomes a symbol of both artistic expression and societal critique. These works, characterized by their bold, graphic compositions, are as much about the commodity of art as they are about the power of currency. As David Bourdon stated, "When they were shown at Castelli in 1982, they appeared as prophetic emblems of the huge amounts of money that would pour into the art world." (D. Bourdon, Warhol, New York, 1989, p. 384).
Warhol’s self-created dollar signs reflect his personal stamp on the series, marking them as rarities in his later work. These original drawings, painstakingly crafted by hand, were transformed into vibrant screenprints, fusing Warhol’s early artistry with his mature Pop sensibility.
Warhol’s artistic evolution in the 1980s can be seen as a culmination of his earlier works. His experiments with scale, technique, and subject matter reflect an extraordinary transformation of his style, making the Dollar Sign works some of the most innovative pieces of his final decade.
The Dollar Sign works are a quintessential reflection of Warhol's exploration of consumerism and the power of money in contemporary culture. His embrace of the economic climate of the 1980s, and his use of the Dollar Sign as an emblem of that era’s materialism, makes these works not only a pivotal moment in his career, but also a landmark in the history of modern art.
