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Artworks
Andy Warhol
Details of Renaissance paintings (Sandro Botticelli, Birth of Venus, 1482) (F & S II.317), 1984Screenprint on Arches Aquarelle (Cold pressed) paper81.3 x 111.8 cm.
32 x 44 in.Edition of 70, 18 AP, 5 PP, 5 HCSigned and numbered in pencil lower left.Warhol's Details of Renaissance Paintings print revisits iconic works from the Renaissance, an era that emphasised idealised beauty, humanism, and the mastery of technique. By reimagining Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Warhol bridges a dialogue between the high art of the Renaissance and the mass culture of the 20th century. This juxtaposition highlights the cultural continuity and the changing perceptions of beauty and art over time. Warhol’s focus on Venus, a symbol of idealised beauty, parallels contemporary society’s obsession with physical appearance and celebrity culture. Warhol both celebrates this beauty and critiques the superficiality of how beauty is consumed and reproduced in modern culture. Warhol returned to the theme of beauty and muses throughout his oeuvre, in series such as Marilyn Monroe and Liz Taylor. Therefore, this series returns to civilisations original revered beauty, the goddess of love.