One of Andy Warhol’s greatest skills was his ability to capture the essence of an individual through his portraiture. His work, Marcia Weisman 122, exemplifies his skill with a conglomeration of bright colorful shapes that seamlessly fill into the spaces of the portrait, while still allowing the features of Marcia to remain elegant and prominent. Marcia Weisman, sister of Norton Simon and ex-wife of Frederick Weisman, was an avid art collector and billionaire. The vibrant color of the work doesn’t overshadow Marcia’s image, but instead enhances it, which is symbolic of the impact that art had on her life.
Marcia Weisman 122 as Part of Andy Warhol’s Larger Body of Work
This piece is a part of a set of two works that included this portrait and one of her ex-husband, Frederick Weisman. The collage element of this work is common of Warhol’s style, especially in portraiture. Though Marcia Weisman’s name has been overshadowed by Frederick Weisman, the Weisman legacy continues on throughout America, through the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, the Weisman Art Museum and the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art. The Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation in a non-profit organization in Los Angeles, which displays modern and contemporary art in a “house museum style.” Weisman’s name is also carried on at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, where the Weisman Art Museum, designed by Frank Gehry, is located. However, the University of Minnesota is not the only college campus with the Weisman name. Pepperdine University in Malibu, California is home of the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art.
Photo credit: Marcia Simon Weisman sits with pop artist Andy Warhol at his 1977 book signing at Cedars-Sinai. Courtesy of Cedar-Sinai.
