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ULTIMATE
Polaroids from the Piero Bisazza Collection
Each image: 9.4 x 7.2 cm (3 3/4 x 2 7/8 in.)
Each sheet: 10.7 x 8.5 cm (4 1/4 x 3 3/8 in.)
From the Catalogue:
‘My idea of a good picture is one that’s in focus and of a famous person.’
Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol and the Polaroid
During the 1970s up until his untimely death in 1987, Andy Warhol’s camera of choice for his silkscreen portraits was the Polaroid Big Shot. A close-up camera with a fixed focal lens and built-in flash, the Big Shot was perfect for taking portraits and made it easy for Warhol to quickly take multiple shots of his subject. To prepare for the shoot, women’s faces were often painted with white makeup to achieve a smooth appearance and men were posed to conceal any flaws. For most sittings Warhol was known to go through a few packs of film, and at the end of a shoot, he would select a small number of Polaroids to be sent off and re-photographed in 35mm, printed as 8 x 10 acetates and then re-printed in 40 x 40 to be finally transformed into the silkscreens.
Most of these portraits were done on commission or trade. Both Roy Lichtenstein and Gilbert & George (lot 5) traded their paintings with Warhol for his silkscreen portraits. The Polaroid was the foundation for his 1970s and 80s silkscreen portraits and the Big Shot with its speed and disposability suited the purpose. These 11 Polaroids (lots 2-6) offer a unique record of the famous faces that populated the world of Andy Warhol, 20th century’s preeminent visual artist.
Please refer to lots 152 – 172 for Polaroids from the Piero Bisazza Collection in the Photographs Day Sale.
—Courtesy of Phillips
- Materials
- Four unique Polaroid Polacolor Type 108 prints
- Size
- 4 1/5 × 3 3/10 in | 10.7 × 8.5 cm
- Medium
- Signature
- One with copyright credit blindstamp in the margin; each initialled 'T.J.H.' by Timothy J. Hunt of the Andy Warhol Foundation, numbered 'FA04.05119', 'FA04.03380', 'FA04.08337' and 'FA04.03245' respectively, in another hand, all in pencil and Estate of Andy Warhol stamps on each verso. Each work is unique.
Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall, Grace Jones, Diane von Fürstenberg, 1974-1984
ULTIMATE
Polaroids from the Piero Bisazza Collection
Each image: 9.4 x 7.2 cm (3 3/4 x 2 7/8 in.)
Each sheet: 10.7 x 8.5 cm (4 1/4 x 3 3/8 in.)
From the Catalogue:
‘My idea of a good picture is one that’s in focus and of a famous person.’
Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol and the Polaroid
During the 1970s up until his untimely death in 1987, Andy Warhol’s camera of choice for his silkscreen portraits was the Polaroid Big Shot. A close-up camera with a fixed focal lens and built-in flash, the Big Shot was perfect for taking portraits and made it easy for Warhol to quickly take multiple shots of his subject. To prepare for the shoot, women’s faces were often painted with white makeup to achieve a smooth appearance and men were posed to conceal any flaws. For most sittings Warhol was known to go through a few packs of film, and at the end of a shoot, he would select a small number of Polaroids to be sent off and re-photographed in 35mm, printed as 8 x 10 acetates and then re-printed in 40 x 40 to be finally transformed into the silkscreens.
Most of these portraits were done on commission or trade. Both Roy Lichtenstein and Gilbert & George (lot 5) traded their paintings with Warhol for his silkscreen portraits. The Polaroid was the foundation for his 1970s and 80s silkscreen portraits and the Big Shot with its speed and disposability suited the purpose. These 11 Polaroids (lots 2-6) offer a unique record of the famous faces that populated the world of Andy Warhol, 20th century’s preeminent visual artist.
Please refer to lots 152 – 172 for Polaroids from the Piero Bisazza Collection in the Photographs Day Sale.
—Courtesy of Phillips
- Materials
- Four unique Polaroid Polacolor Type 108 prints
- Size
- 4 1/5 × 3 3/10 in | 10.7 × 8.5 cm
- Medium
- Signature
- One with copyright credit blindstamp in the margin; each initialled 'T.J.H.' by Timothy J. Hunt of the Andy Warhol Foundation, numbered 'FA04.05119', 'FA04.03380', 'FA04.08337' and 'FA04.03245' respectively, in another hand, all in pencil and Estate of Andy Warhol stamps on each verso. Each work is unique.
