The Marilyn Diptych is a famous painting by Andy Warhol in 1962. The piece consists of two equal parts separated by a vertical line. Each of them features 25 images of a movie star. The left side is replete with bright colors.
Painting Diptych Marilyn by Andy Warhol – 50 images of the film star, separated by a line
True to her image, the actress looks seductively at the viewer from under her heavy eyelids. Her mouth is parted, sensual lips are painted red. Bright yellow hair stands out clearly against an equally bright orange background. Images breathe life, youth and beauty.
But numerous repetitions and the absence of smooth shadows inherent in three-dimensional volume, turn the face of the film star into an eerie, inanimate mask. The impression is enhanced by the right side of the painting, made in black and white. Pale, barely distinguishable images of a star seem to be blurred and blurred. Gloomy impressions prompt reflections on the price of fame, in which the personality, with its originality and uniqueness, is lost.
Author: Andy Warhol (1928-1987).
Year of writing: 1962
Dimensions: 205.4 x 289.5 cm.
Style: Pop Art.
Genre: Portrait.
Technique: Silk-screen printing, Acrylic.
Material: Canvas.
Location: Tate British Gallery, London.
Andy Warhol is one of the most sought-after and iconic American artists of the 20th century
He is the founder of the pop art movement and a modern art genius who has managed to break the boundaries of traditional aesthetics. His work, reflecting the ideas of mass production and consumer culture, was simultaneously glorified and criticized. And he, in his quest for fame, continued to portray a daily routine filled with advertising, commerce and brands. One of these brands is Marilyn Monroe.
The artist began work on the work a week after the tragic death of the actress. The idea for the creation of the “Marilyn Diptych” was served by Byzantine icons, consisting of two parts, united by one theme. Through the religious context, the master wanted to show that fans raise the stars to the rank of saints, worship them, consider them sinless and immortal. But behind the glamorous images of celebrities, the mask of happiness and charm, there are always ordinary people who also feel sad, suffer and die.
The painting “Marilyn’s Diptych” by Andy Warhol has become a kind of commentary on the mass consumption society. As in his other works, the artist ridiculed people’s obsession with fame, material goods and images of brands, to which he himself belonged.
