Andy Warhol (1928-1987)

Warhol's images of Jacqueline Kennedy need no introduction. What sets this work apart is where it has traveled. The present work was given to Marie Menken, an experimental filmmaker, actress, painter, and New York socialite who also formed part of Warhol's infamous entourage, appearing in his film Chelsea Girls (1966) as the character Mother. She and her eccentric, academic husband were widely known for their crazy parties and intellectual debauchery. Warhol reportedly awarded the couple the title of "the Last of the Great Bohemians". As the Jackie series functioned as a satirical commentary on the age of the media, this work was appropriately entrusted to a woman deeply involved in the industry, who could similarly appreciate its impact, and edge.