Andy Warhol Shot Marilyns remain some of the most mythic works in his career, and this article revisits how they came to be.
By Emma Ghighi
In 1964, four of Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe screen prints were shot by an acquaintance in his studio. Since then, the so-called Andy Warhol Shot Marilyns have become some of the most coveted works in his career. One of these canvases, the Sage Blue Shot Marilyn, has recently re-entered public view, making headlines as it is expected to sell at auction this month for an estimated $200,000,000. These Marilyn canvases hold a unique place in Warhol’s story and represent an early turning point in his Pop Art practice.
Silkscreening and Early Inspiration
During the spring of 1962, Andy Warhol turned toward his now-revolutionary method of silkscreen. His first screen print works included repetitive images of dollar bills, Marilyn Monroe, Liz Taylor, and an obscure RCA record cover featuring a saturated headshot of jazz musician Paul Desmond. This period became the launchpad for the silkscreen portraits that would define his career. Beginning in the early 1960s, the “assembly line” approach captured his fascination with commercial production. Warhol worked with assistants to enlarge an image, transfer it to a silkscreen, and print it over a pre-painted canvas. To preserve the background, he applied a thin layer of glue before pulling the ink across the mesh.
One day before Warhol’s birthday in 1962, nationwide broadcasts reported Marilyn Monroe’s tragic death. Her sudden passing shocked the country, and Warhol felt compelled to respond immediately. Within weeks, he created his first Marilyn silkscreen. His approach echoed the directness of the Campbell’s Soup Cans; he believed a simple, manipulated image of her face conveyed everything he needed to say.
Trailblazing Pop Art
Warhol’s first depiction of Monroe, created in 1962, became the Marilyn Diptych. Fifty identical images filled the canvas, sourced from a 1953 publicity still for Niagara. On the left, her face appears vivid and full of glamour, reflecting the image adored by the public. On the right, her features fade into darkness and dissolution, echoing the public’s fixation and eventual loss. Warhol continued returning to Monroe throughout his life, each time capturing a different angle of her cultural memory.
As Warhol’s reputation grew, he pursued new exhibition opportunities. After the success of his soup cans at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles, he was eager to advance his name. Director Emile de Antonio introduced Warhol to Eleanor Ward, owner of the Stable Gallery. During a night of drinks, Warhol asked Ward for a show. She held up a two-dollar bill and said, “Andy, if you paint me this, I’ll give you a show.” Warhol delivered an 11 × 15-inch silkscreen of the bill, and in November 1962 he presented his largest show to date at Stable Gallery.
The night was a breakthrough. Pop artists such as James Rosenquist and Claes Oldenburg attended, along with supporters like Henry Geldzahler and Ivan Karp. A Time magazine photographer later recalled how eight Marilyn “flavors” lined the walls. Architect Philip Johnson purchased the golden Marilyn for $800, and Ward sold nearly everything, marking Warhol’s arrival as a major Pop artist.
Four Bullet Holes: The Making of the Andy Warhol Shot Marilyns
In 1964, Warhol was living in the Factory at 231 East 47th Street in Manhattan. He continued producing Marilyn silkscreens when two visitors arrived: Billy Name and photographer Dorothy Podber. Podber asked if she could “shoot” the Marilyns. Warhol assumed she meant photograph them. Instead, she removed her gloves, pulled a revolver from her purse, and fired at the canvases. Four of the five works were struck, giving rise to the famed Andy Warhol Shot Marilyns. Warhol told Billy Name to “please not do that again,” and Podber was banned from the Factory. The four injured canvases later dispersed into private collections and became some of the most valuable works Warhol ever produced.
The contrast between glamour and violence gives each Shot Marilyn a charged tension. Warhol’s vivid colors and radiant backgrounds amplify Monroe’s celebrity aura, while the bullet holes introduce an unsettling rupture. Despite Podber’s actions, the Shot Marilyns became some of Warhol’s most sought-after artworks. In 1989, the Shot Red Marilyn sold for $4 million—then a record for Warhol. Today, the Shot Sage Blue Marilyn is expected to reach $200 million at Christie’s, potentially becoming the most expensive 20th-century artwork ever sold.
Gunshots, ironically, continued to follow Warhol. In 1968, Valerie Solanas entered the Factory and shot him twice, forcing him to wear a surgical corset for the rest of his life. Years later, actor Dennis Hopper fired at a Warhol Mao silkscreen after becoming “spooked” by it. Warhol humorously titled the repaired work Mao 99, adding notes reading “warning shot” and “bullet hole.”
The Marilyn Legacy at Revolver Gallery
Figures like Liz Taylor and Monroe embodied the Hollywood mood Warhol wanted to capture. Moreover, his interest in death surfaces in both subjects: he painted Liz amid news of her illness and Marilyn soon after her death. Monroe’s suicide, coupled with her ubiquitous image, pushed Warhol to explore repetition in ways that would become central to his practice. Even so, every print retains its own emotional charge, shaped by color, line, and subtle shifts in tone. At the same time, the repetition across the portfolio highlights Warhol’s appetite for bold experimentation. As a result, collectors often view the Marilyn portfolio as essential to understanding his broader legacy.
At Revolver Gallery, we’re proud to continue displaying authentic Warhol prints. The Marilyn Monroe Complete Portfolio, completed in 1967, includes ten 36 × 36-inch screen prints that capture both the glamour and tragedy surrounding Monroe. Other Marilyn works also appear in our collection, including a Marilyn Invitation from 1981.
