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. This vision is perhaps most famously represented in his Campbell’s Soup Cans series. As we highlighted in last month’s newsletter, which featured Warhol’s most famous paintings, these were listed as the first, 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 1985, 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 was later changed to Campbell’s Soup Company in 1922.
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, another defining element was added to the can’s 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, it found itself immortalized in the 1960s Pop art movement by none other than Andy Warhol. Warhol’s 1962 Campbell’s Soup Cans paintings marked a new chapter in the brand’s history, intertwining its already iconic status with the emerging world of contemporary art. By then, Campbell’s was already a well-established brand, known for its innovative condensed products and the iconic red and white label that would become forever linked to Warhol’s vision and the future of advertising and 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, seeking inspiration from the cultural landscape around him and drawing from other successful artistic personalities. Surrounded by the defining factors of his era–consumerism, mass production, and celebrity culture–Warhol was constantly searching for new ways to hold up a mirror to American society, including its more superficial aspects. His proximity to other fresh and innovative artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, a leading figure in the Pop art movement, 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 made a name for himself as a commercial artist, working with high-end designer brands such as Tiffany & Co and Dior. He initially sought to advance his idea of “cartoon” paintings, which he displayed in the windows of Bonwit Teller, a prestigious department store. This exploration of turning common subject matter into art was not unique to Warhol, as many artists were similarly interested in moving beyond the dominant Abstract Expressionism of the time.
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, and Warhol, intrigued by the idea, paid Latow fifty dollars for the advice–a sum that would somehow prove to be worth quite a lot more in the years and decades that followed. The very next day, an inspired 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, challenging 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 sought to blur the lines between high art and mass production, Warhol’s meticulous approach to replicating this everyday object–down to the smallest details–embodied the movement’s goal of erasing the traces of handwork in art, and embracing the mechanical, almost industrial processes that would redefine high art.
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 to maintain consistency among his canned flavors. From there, carefully outlined each can to enhance the shadows and highlights of the tin with painted oil and water mixtures.
Warhol also used stamping tools to mechanically apply certain elements of Campbell’s design, such as the golden rows of fleur-de-lis encircling the bottom of each can. His approach was meticulous and labor-intensive, requiring careful layering of colors and textures to replicate the look of a commercial product while still infusing it with artistic depth.
The resulting series not only captured the essence of consumer culture but also showcased Warhol’s skill in blending traditional painting techniques with innovative mechanical processes. In some cases, he simplified these mechanical processes, as was the case with Campbell’s gold coin of excellence. Warhol substituted a simple golden circle for the more time-consuming layerings of gold pigment required to achieve the emblem’s shining dimensions.
Blum and Hopps offered Andy his first gallery show in 1961 after traveling to New York in search of fresh and up-and-coming artists. After several visits to Warhol’s residence in Upper Lexington, Blum found himself attached to the incomplete collection of Campbell’s Soup Can frames leaning against the walls. Nearly a year later, on July 9th, 1962, Andy opened his first exhibition of paintings at the Ferus Gallery located in West Hollywood.
The gallerists conceived the idea of showcasing the 32 frames on a narrow shelf instead of hanging them on the wall, reinforcing the theme of incorporating fine art elements with everyday items found in a grocery store. The gallery owners and the emerging artist were confident that this exhibition would be a great success, but their optimism proved to be premature.
Andy Warhol’s first solo exhibit shocked audiences at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles. The presentation perplexed artists and critics alike. Displayed to resemble a grocery store aisle, the paintings sparked heated debate. Some artists dismissed the commercial subject matter as mere appropriation of a mundane commodity, while others saw deeper significance in Warhol’s choice. Abstract expressionism still dominated the art scene at the time, and Pop Art had yet to gain critical acclaim.
Warhol’s work was unlike anything previously seen, prompting questions about its artistic value. The exhibit not only challenged traditional notions of art but also sparked a merging of commercial imagery and fine art. Despite the success of the series later in the decade, only one canvas was sold during the first show, with collectors reserving an additional four.
Blum, perhaps recognizing the potential of this collection in the future, relied on his instincts as a gallerist and boldly purchased all 32 canvases. He believed that the soup cans worked best as a complete set, and Warhol, pleased with this purchase, agreed to host a second exhibition at Ferus Gallery. By 1963, however, his artistic approach had begun to evolve, with screenprinting emerging as his new medium of choice–a shift that did not go unnoticed in the art world.
The Evolution of Warhol’s Soup Cans: Print Series I & II
Nearly six years after the initial release of his 32 hand-painted Campbell’s Soup Cans, Warhol unveiled another controversial series that merged the brand label with his signature silkscreen printing technique. This portfolio, titled Campbell’s Soup Cans I, consists of ten screenprints featuring 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 one of Warhol’s first complete series using the screenprinting process, which his print company, Factory Additions also successfully distributed.
Silkscreen printing enabled Warhol to explore his mechanical art process further, allowing him to produce canvases more quickly and efficiently. As art critics began to recognize the significance of Campbell’s Soup Cans in the evolving art world, screenprinting became another key aspect of Warhol’s work and a popular subject of discussion, further solidifying his place in the Pop art movement.
Campbell’s Soup Cans I showcases Warhol’s evolution as an artist and his increasing reliance on the silkscreen printing technique. This method allowed for more vibrant, high-contrast images and placed greater emphasis on mechanical reproduction, aligning with Warhol’s fascination with industrial processes. 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 believed that everyone should be able to have a Warhol, just as they could own the everyday objects found in homes across the United States. This egalitarian idea is evident in “The Philosophy of Andy Warhol,” where the artist reflects upon his appreciation for Coca-Cola, another brand he explored through his art:
“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. Liz Taylor knows it, the President knows it, the bum knows it, and you know it.”
And just as Warhol envisioned, his art became as accessible as that iconic bottle of Coke–or at least, that was the goal. When his silkscreen prints hit the walls of his second Ferus show and his New York exhibition, they flew off the shelves, so to speak. Each soup can print fetched an average of about $1,500, proving that 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. Finally, in 1996, Irving Blum sold the original soup can collection to the Museum of Modern Art for $15 million, underscoring the gradual recognition of Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans as a seminal contribution to the realm of fine art.
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, blending his Pop art sensibility with commercial branding. It was only fitting that Campbell’s Soup company would commission Andy in 1985 for a project that would highlight their dry mix soups. Although some critics argued that this transition to making art 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 not only allowed Andy to extend his Campbell’s Soup series but also to bring his unique vision to commercial branding, which, once again, was achieved by expanding the boundaries of what could be considered art.
For the Soup Box series, Warhol experimented with different packaging sizes and colors, giving a fresh 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 up his first art exhibition at Ferus Gallery, the widespread response from gallerists and business owners was shock. The work on display was unlike anything previously seen inside the walls of a fine art gallery, sparking heated debates about the ethics of elevating such mundane subject matter. This discourse has kept Warhol’s contributions to the Pop art movement at the center of artistic conversations to this day.
In a memorable reaction to Warhol’s work, a nearby gallery, Primus Stuart, stacked soup cans in a pyramid behind a display window with a sign that read: “Do Not Be Misled. Get the original, Our low price – $0.33.” By gradually elevating mundane, commercial objects associated with brands such as Campbell’s, Coca-Cola, Brillo, Mickey Mouse, dollar bills, and Heinz, Warhol successfully proved the pervasive influence of consumer culture on American life for generations. In doing so, he opened up countless possibilities for what art could be.
This philosophy has had a lasting influence on many creators beyond Warhol’s time, inspiring not only recreations of his work using evolving digital art media but also new, pioneering methods of utilizing art to transform perceptions across cultures. Jeff Koons, the American artist known for his stainless steel balloon animal sculptures, draws clear inspiration from Warhol’s approach to integrating mundane subject matter into popular art culture. Damien Hirst, known for his provocative artworks in the U.K. such as The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, has followed in the King of Pop’s footsteps by challenging and transforming the expectations of contemporary art.
Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup series is widely recognized as a groundbreaking and influential contribution to the art world. His innovative approach to elevating everyday objects to the status of fine art was unprecedented and continues to inspire artists and creators across generations. Warhol’s ability to challenge conventional artistic norms has left an enduring impression on the history of art.
But beyond this, Warhol’s work with the Campbell’s Soup cans embodies a deeper philosophy–one that blurs the lines between high art and the everyday—between the elite and the common. Warhol didn’t just make art; he redefined it. By painting something as ordinary as what he ate for lunch every day, he sparked a lasting dialogue on the nature of art, commerce, and culture that resonates into the present day. From the supermarket shelves to the gallery walls, Warhol’s vision challenges us to reconsider what can be considered art and where it can be found.
