Andy Warhol: Vanitas

Andy Warhol was known for his preoccupation with temporality, spirituality, and astrology. A devoted Byzantine Catholic, the artist regularly attended church, especially after his mother’s death in 1972 and following a near-fatal assassination attempt. This book therefore highlights a lesser-known part of his oeuvre: paintings and drawings of skulls and self-portraits, reminiscent of the 17th-century ‘vanitas’ genre. Spiritual subjects such as impermanence and time are explored through multimedia art and archival material. As an elaboration on the subject, the book also includes several original engravings and mezzotints by Dutch engravers and artists from the 1600s.