Artist Spotlight: Andy Warhol

  • Artist Spotlight
  • Modern + Contemporary

Andy Warhol’s Cowboys and Indians series was one of his last major works before his death in 1987.


Left: General Custer; Right: Geronimo
Andy Warhol (American, 1928–1987), Cowboys and Indians (the complete set of ten screenprints), 1986, screenprints in colors, 36″ x 36″ each. Left: General Custer. Right: Geronimo.
Sold: $503,750

In 1986, Andy Warhol created the Cowboys and Indians series. In this portfolio, Warhol portrays a range of images that represent both the history and constructed lore of the American West, pulled from reality and fiction. Warhol interspersed portraits of world-famous Americans with those of anonymous Native Americans in his ironic commentary on America’s collective mythology of the historic West.


Left: Mother and Child; Right: Teddy Roosevelt
Andy Warhol (American, 1928–1987), Cowboys and Indians (the complete set of ten screenprints), 1986, screenprints in colors, 36″ x 36″ each. Left: Mother and Child. Right: Teddy Roosevelt.
Sold: $503,750

Rather than portraying Native Americans within their historical landscape, or cowboys in their veritable forms, Warhol went with a stylized and romanticized version of the American West — already a favored lens in novels, films, and various television series popular during the 20th century.


Cowboys and Indians
Andy Warhol (American, 1928–1987), Cowboys and Indians (the complete set of ten screenprints), 1986, screenprints in colors, 36″ x 36″ each. Left: Plains Indian Shield. Right: Northwest Coast Mask.
Sold: $503,750

Included in the composition are Native Americans and their authentic emblems — a mask, Kachina dolls, and a shield — alongside John Wayne, Annie Oakley, Teddy Roosevelt and General George Custer, the latter group exemplifying Warhol’s preoccupation with stardom.


Andy Warhol (American, 1928–1987), Cowboys and Indians.
Andy Warhol (American, 1928–1987), Cowboys and Indians (the complete set of ten screenprints), 1986, screenprints in colors, 36″ x 36″ each. Left: John Wayne. Right: Annie Oakley.
Sold: $503,750

At this point in his life, Warhol was forming bonds with a number of younger artists in the New York art scene including Jean-Michel Basquiat, David Salle, Keith Haring and Julian Schnabel.


Andy Warhol (American, 1928–1987), Cowboys and Indians.
Andy Warhol (American, 1928–1987), Cowboys and Indians (the complete set of ten screenprints), 1986, screenprints in colors, 36″ x 36″ each. Left: Indian Head Nickel. Right: Kachina Dolls.
Sold: $503,750

Read More

Artist Spotlight: Andy Warhol

Published in 1979, Andy Warhol’s bizarre take on the classic traditional subject of fruit still lifes, titled Space Fruit: Still Life Series, underscores his evolving interest in abstract art in the late 1970s.

  • Artist Spotlight
  • Modern + Contemporary

Artist Spotlight: Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell was a prolific painter and illustrator, best known for depicting everyday American life.

  • Artist Spotlight
  • Modern + Contemporary

Spring Design Auction

Clars is starting Spring with our Design Auction, to be held on March 16, 2023 at 10 AM PST.

  • Auction
  • Modern + Contemporary

Designer Spotlight: Toshiko Takaezu

Toshiko Takaezu, a Hawaiian ceramicist of Japanese descent, is most well known for her ‘Closed forms.’

  • Designer Spotlight
  • Modern + Contemporary

Artist Spotlight: Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama is well known for her sculptures and installations, paintings, performances and fashion.

  • Artist Spotlight
  • Modern + Contemporary

Artist Spotlight: Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso, known globally as one of the most important artists of the 20th century, created in a multitude of mediums.

  • Artist Spotlight
  • Modern + Contemporary