Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup series redefined Pop Art, turning everyday consumer goods into cultural symbols that still shape art history today.
By Anna Lacombe
When you visit Andy Warhol’s grave in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania today, you won’t see piles of flowers. Instead, you’ll find stacks of Campbell’s Soup cans. This unconventional homage is just one of many that speaks volumes about Andy Warhol’s pioneering impact on art and culture. The cans serve as a testament to the artist’s vision and a nod to his utmost belief that art can be found everywhere around us. Even in today’s world, Warhol’s legacy continues to teach society the truth about our obsession with branding and celebrity culture.
Andy Warhol had the unique ability to see the beauty and art in everyday objects and experiences, which often appeared in his handcrafted pieces and his photographs. His Campbell’s Soup Cans series perhaps best represents this idea. In last month’s newsletter, which featured Warhol’s most famous paintings, these works topped the list, underscoring their iconic status and near-universal recognizability in the art world.
How did Warhol manage to elevate an everyday item found on grocery store shelves into a timeless symbol of the Pop art movement? His visual commentary on the post-war American society, which was deeply entrenched in consumer culture, changed the boundaries of art by turning the familiar into the extraordinary. Warhol transformed the humble soup can into a timeless work that continues to influence generations of artists. To better understand this transformation, it’s important to consider the history of the Campbell’s Soup brand and Warhol’s personal connection to it.
The Origins of an American Icon: Campbell’s Soup
The Campbell’s Soup brand has a storied history that dates back to 1869 when Joseph A. Campbell, a fruit and vegetable merchant from Bridgeton, New Jersey, and Abraham Anderson, an icebox manufacturer from South Jersey founded the Anderson and Campbell firm. Their company initially focused on canning tomatoes, vegetables, preserves, and other products. In 1876 Anderson left the partnership, leading Campbell to join forces with Arthur Dorrance. This new partnership eventually evolved into the Jos. Campbell Preserve Company in 1891. Although Campbell retired in 1894, and Dorrance succeeded him as president, the company retained the Campbell name, even as its original founders had moved on.
In 1885, the company released its first jar of ready-to-eat soup to the public, marking the beginning of a product line that would become a household name. Their signature flavor, Campbell’s Beefsteak Tomato Soup, was the first to be released and remained a prominent feature on the company’s label for over twenty years. Over the decades, Campbell’s expanded its offerings and became a staple product across American households.
A pivotal moment came in 1897 when Dr. John T. Dorrance, a chemist and the nephew of the company’s president, invented the process of condensing soups. This innovation allowed Campbell’s to sell its soup in smaller, more affordable cans, which revolutionized the industry by making their products widely accessible. Following the shift to condensed soups, the price of Campbell’s products decreased by nearly seventy percent, greatly increasing their popularity with households across the United States. In 1905, the company adopted the name Joseph Campbell Company, which they later changed to Campbell’s Soup Company in 1922.
The Red and White: An Iconic Design is Born
A significant part of Campbell’s enduring legacy lies in the iconic design of its soup can. One of the distinctive features is the cursive writing of the brand name encircling the can. According to Campbell’s archivist, this feature was introduced to match the signature of Joseph Campbell himself.
The can’s classic red and white label, which remains instantly recognizable today, was first introduced in 1898. The design was inspired by a company executive who was struck by the bold new red and white uniforms of the Cornell University football team. In 1900, the brand added another defining element to the label: a gold medallion, symbolizing the brand’s award for excellence at the Paris Exposition. These design elements have become staples of Campbell’s brand, ensuring that the can remains an enduring symbol of American consumer culture.
As Campbell’s Soup emerged as a symbol of American identity and shifting consumer trends, Andy Warhol immortalized it in the 1960s Pop art movement. His 1962 Campbell’s Soup Cans paintings marked a new chapter in the brand’s history. They tied its already iconic status with the emerging world of contemporary art. By then, Campbell’s was already a household name. Its condensed products and red and white label had become fixtures in American kitchens—and soon, in modern art.
How Campbell’s Soup Became Warhol’s Muse
At the start of the 1960s, Andy Warhol was an up-and-coming artist in New York City. He sought inspiration from the cultural landscape around him and drew from other successful artistic personalities. Consumerism, mass production, and celebrity culture surrounded him, shaping his search for new ways to mirror American society. Warhol highlighted not just its achievements but also its superficial aspects. His proximity to other artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, another leading figure in Pop art, served as both an inspiration and a challenge, pushing Andy to carve out his own path.
Before he earned the title of “Prince of Pop,” Warhol had already built a career in commercial art. In the 1950s, he worked with high-end brands such as Tiffany & Co. and Dior. Early on, he developed his idea of “cartoon” paintings. Drawing on his background as a commercial illustrator, he displayed them in the windows of Bonwit Teller, a prestigious department store. This exploration of turning common subject matter into art was not unique to Warhol. Many artists of the time also wanted to move beyond Abstract Expressionism.
1961: A Daily Ritual Turns into Artistic Revolution
In April of 1961, however, Warhol faced a setback when his dear friend Ted Carey broke the news to him that Roy Lichenstein had already capitalized on the idea of painting cartoon strips, with his work featured at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York City. This news left Warhol searching for new ideas or subject matter that would make him stand out in the burgeoning Pop art scene.
By the fall of 1961, Warhol was still in desperate need of some inspiration. For nearly twenty years, he had a daily ritual of eating Campbell’s Soup for lunch. After his mother, Julia Warhola moved to New York to live with the artist, she contributed to this pattern by preparing it for him. The artist was quoted as saying “Many an afternoon at lunchtime Mom would open a can of Campbell’s for me, because that’s all we could afford, I love it to this day.”
While sharing a meal at his residence with Muriel Latow, a close friend and aspiring art dealer, Andy Warhol sought advice on how to break new ground artistically. Latow suggested that he focus on something universally recognizable, prompting Warhol to consider the everyday objects around him. Allegedly, Latow singled out a Campbell’s Soup can as a case in point. Warhol, intrigued by the idea, paid Latow fifty dollars for the advice. That sum that would somehow prove to be worth quite a lot more in the years and decades that followed. The very next day, Warhol visited a grocery store and purchased a can of every Campbell’s soup flavor available. By December 1961, he had completed the first painting in what would become his iconic Campbell’s Soup series.
The Original 32: Warhol’s Bold Statement in Pop Art
By 1962, the Pop art movement was beginning to make waves in the art world and challenged traditional notions of what could be considered art. With his Campbell’s Soup Cans paintings, Warhol was poised to become a leading figure in this new artistic scene. He envisioned his work as a groundbreaking statement in this phase of artistic transition. It wasn’t until Los Angeles gallerists Irving Blum and Walter Hopps saw the incomplete series that they embraced this vision as well. At a time when Pop Art blurred the line between high art and mass production, Warhol pushed the idea further. His meticulous replication of an everyday object—down to the smallest detail—captured the spirit of the movement. In doing so, he erased the traces of handwork in art. Instead, he embraced mechanical, almost industrial processes. This shift helped redefine what counted as high art.
The Process Behind the Campbell’s Soup Paintings
Warhol’s original 32 Campbell’s Soup Cans reflect this assembly-like approach to artistic creation. He used a projector to shine an image of each can onto an empty canvas. This method allowed him to maintain consistency among the flavors. From there, he carefully outlined each can and painted the shadows and highlights of the tin with oil and water mixtures.
He also used stamping tools to mechanically apply certain elements of Campbell’s design. These included the golden rows of fleur-de-lis encircling the bottom of each can. His approach was meticulous and labor-intensive. It required careful layering of colors and textures to replicate the look of a commercial product while still adding artistic depth.
The resulting series not only captured the essence of consumer culture. It also showcased Warhol’s skill in blending traditional painting techniques with innovative mechanical processes. In some cases, he simplified these mechanical processes. For Campbell’s gold coin of excellence, Warhol substituted a simple golden circle. This avoided the more time-consuming layering of gold pigment required to achieve the emblem’s shining dimensions.
Display and Reception at Ferus Gallery
In 1961, Irving Blum and Walter Hopps traveled to New York searching for new artists. After several visits to Warhol’s Upper Lexington Avenue studio, Blum became fascinated by an incomplete series of soup can paintings leaning against the walls. Nearly a year later, on July 9, 1962, Warhol opened his first solo exhibition at Ferus Gallery in West Hollywood.
Instead of hanging the canvases on the wall, the gallerists placed all 32 frames on a narrow shelf. The display mimicked a grocery store aisle, reinforcing Warhol’s aim of merging fine art with everyday consumer products. Blum and Hopps hoped for a breakthrough, but the response was mixed.
The exhibition shocked audiences and divided critics. Some dismissed the subject matter as shallow appropriation of a common commodity. Others recognized it as a bold commentary on consumer culture. Abstract Expressionism still dominated the art world, and Pop Art had not yet earned critical respect. Warhol’s show provoked questions about what could be considered art, forcing the conversation about commerce and aesthetics into the gallery.
Sales were modest. Only one canvas sold during the exhibition, with four others placed on reserve. Blum, trusting his instincts, decided to buy the entire set. He believed the 32 canvases worked best as a unified whole, and Warhol agreed. The decision proved prescient. In 1996, Blum sold the complete series to the Museum of Modern Art for $15 million, cementing its status as a landmark of modern art.
The Evolution of Warhol’s Soup Cans: From Hand-Painted to Silkscreen
Campbell’s Soup Cans I (1968)
Nearly six years after releasing his 32 hand-painted Campbell’s Soup Cans, Warhol unveiled another controversial series. This time, he merged the iconic brand label with his developing silkscreen printing technique. The portfolio, titled Campbell’s Soup Cans I, consists of ten screenprints. It features some of the flavors from the original series including Pepper Pot, Black Bean, Cream of Mushroom, Tomato, and Green Pea.
Campbell’s Soup Cans I was among Warhol’s first complete portfolios produced with silkscreen. His own print company, Factory Additions, published and distributed the portfolio. Screenprinting allowed Warhol to refine his mechanical art process, producing images quickly and efficiently. As critics began to appreciate the significance of Campbell’s Soup Cans in the evolving art world, screenprinting became another key aspect of his work. Later it became a popular subject of discussion, further solidifying Warhol’s place in the Pop art movement.
The portfolio showcases Warhol’s evolution as an artist. His reliance on silkscreen printing produced more vibrant, high-contrast images. The method also underscored his fascination with industrial processes and mechanical reproduction. The portfolio’s ten prints, though fewer in number than the original series, offer a more refined and polished exploration of the Campbell’s Soup theme.
Warhol’s belief in the accessibility of art also shines through. He often compared his art to mass-market goods like Coca-Cola, arguing that everyone should enjoy the same cultural products. This egalitarian idea is evident in The Philosophy of Andy Warhol, where he writes,
“What’s great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest. You can be watching TV and see Coca-Cola, and you know that the President drinks Coca-Cola, Liz Taylor drinks Coca-Cola, and just think, you can drink Coca-Cola, too. A coke is a coke and no amount of money can get you a better coke than the one the bum on the corner is drinking. All the cokes are the same and all the cokes are good.”
And so it was with his prints–or at least, that was the goal. At his second Ferus show and his New York exhibition, they flew off the shelves, so to speak, selling briskly at about $1,500 each. Warhol’s vision of democratized art was resonating with collectors. This moment marked a significant milestone in his career, highlighting the growing demand for his work.
Campbell’s Soup Cans II (1969)
A year later in 1969, Warhol continued his soup can motif with the release of the third part of the Campbell’s series, titled Campbell’s Soup Cans II. This portfolio showcases Warhol’s evolving mastery of the silkscreen printing technique. Warhol used this method–which consists of transferring ink through a mesh screen to create precise and repeatable patterns–to produce vibrant and contrasting images that maintain the uniformity of commercial packaging while highlighting subtle artistic variations.
In Campbell’s Soup II, Warhol further developed his previous series by introducing vibrant colors and making modifications to the designs of flavors like New England Clam Chowder and Oyster Stew. Notable modifications include a bright yellow banner with the message “Important! Add whole milk,” while flavors like Hot Dog Bean and Chicken ‘n Dumplings are accompanied by a peach-toned banner ensuring the flavors are a “stout-hearted soup.” These design deviations demonstrate Warhol’s profound understanding of visual advertising and just how effective bold block coloring and lettering can capture an audience’s attention.
Warhol had an innate talent for keeping fame alive, whether through a celebrity persona or a commercial product. Just as he had done with the Coca-Cola brand, Warhol always found inventive ways to offer new illustrative perspectives on familiar subjects. This talent is especially evident in his later Campbell’s Soup Box paintings, which allowed the artist to continue his experimenting with the intersection of art and commerce over a decade later.
Beyond the Soup Can: Warhol’s 1985 Soup Box Paintings
While Warhol was known for thinking outside of the box, in 1985, he found himself focused squarely on one. At the start of the 1980s, Andy Warhol began taking commissions for a variety of advertising projects. It was only fitting that Campbell’s Soup company would commission Andy in 1985 for a project. Blending his Pop art sensibility with commercial branding, Warhol’s new works would highlight their dry mix soups. Some critics argued that making this artwork upon request sent Warhol back to his roots as a commercial artist. Warhol embraced the idea, suggesting that he had been doing commercial work all along. This project let Andy extend his Campbell’s Soup series and bring his vision to commercial branding. He expanded art’s boundaries once again, redefining what counted as art.
For the Soup Box series, Warhol experimented with different packaging sizes and colors. He gave a fresh new look to soup flavors such as Chicken Noodle, Chicken Rice, and Onion Mushroom soups. The artist continued his signature approach by combining photographic prints with hand-drawn outlines, further blurring the lines between commercial art and fine art.
Although Andy’s Campbell’s Soup Box paintings may not be the most recognized pieces within the Campbell’s series, they undoubtedly illustrate his relentless drive for innovation. Warhol never shied away from challenging conventional art forms, and this series was no exception. It allowed him to offer yet another fresh perspective on mass production and commercial imagery, underscoring his enduring influence as a boundary-pushing artist.
From Canned Goods to Cultural Symbol: The Legacy of Warhol’s Soup Cans
When Andy Warhol opened his first art exhibition at Ferus Gallery, gallerists and business owners responded with shock. The work on display was unlike anything seen before in a fine art gallery. Debates erupted over the ethics of elevating such mundane subject matter, keeping Warhol’s Pop art contributions at the center of discussion to this day.
One memorable response came from a nearby gallery, Primus Stuart. They stacked soup cans in a pyramid and posted a sign that read: “Do Not Be Misled. Get the original, Our low price – $0.33.” The display mocked Warhol but also confirmed his point. By elevating Campbell’s Soup, Coca-Cola, Brillo pads, Mickey Mouse, and dollar bills, Warhol proved the cultural weight of consumer goods. He showed how brands shape American life and opened new possibilities for what art could represent.
This philosophy has influenced generations of artists worldwide. Many have recreated his work in digital media or borrowed his methods to challenge perceptions. Jeff Koons, with his stainless steel balloon animal sculptures, clearly drew inspiration from Warhol’s approach to mundane subjects. Damien Hirst, with his animal-in-formaldehyde works, continued Warhol’s legacy by challenging and transforming expectations of contemporary art.
Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup series remains one of the most groundbreaking contributions to modern art. He elevated everyday objects into fine art and inspired generations of artists to follow. More than that, the soup cans embody a philosophy that blurs the boundaries between high art and the everyday—between the elite and the common. By painting what he ate for lunch every day, he redefined art itself. The series sparked a lasting dialogue on the nature of art, commerce, and culture that continues today. From supermarket shelves to gallery walls, Warhol’s vision reminds us to look again at what counts as art—and where we might find it.