Campbell’s Soup Cans II: New England Clam Chowder 57 by Andy Warhol is a 1969 screenprint from his Campbell’s Soup Cans II portfolio. The print depicts the familiar red and white Campbell’s Condensed Soup can with bold red text reading “New England Clam Chowder.” Across the golden medallion, a yellow banner declares “Important! Add whole milk.” This small design twist distinguishes the print from earlier versions and reflects Warhol’s evolving interest in the language of commercial advertising. With its clean lines, striking contrast, and flat color fields, the work transforms a pantry staple into a timeless Pop Art icon.
Expanding the Campbell’s Soup Series
This 1969 portfolio continued Warhol’s exploration of repetition and consumer culture, building on his Campbell’s Soup Cans I series from 1968. Each of the ten new prints introduced a different and often lesser-known flavor, extending the artist’s original idea from 1962’s 32 Campbell’s Soup Cans paintings. The Campbell’s Soup Cans II series kept the recognizable design that Americans loved but incorporated subtle visual variations. In New England Clam Chowder 57, the humorous banner adds an extra layer of realism, mimicking the look of promotional packaging.
Not only did this new series contain a different lineup of flavors, but the label also has additional illustrations. This new collection of prints has the same trademark design Americans know and love, but with the bonus of new graphics. Some of the other unique illustrations from this series include Hot Dog Bean 59, Chicken N’ Dumplings 58 and Vegetarian Vegetable 56, which are all real flavors of the soup.
Soup Cans, Consumerism, and Artistic Innovation
Campbell’s Soup Cans II: New England Clam Chowder and similar prints became some of most iconic images of modern art. Warhol used the cans to express his view of consumerism and advertisement and their relationship with art. By appropriating images of household products such as Campbell’s Soup Cans and Brillo Pads, Warhol created a new, hyper-relatable kind of artwork. Moreover, Warhol’s use of repetition adds to the advertisement style, resembling the look of billboards and comic book pages.
This style became even more accessible after Warhol began to use the silkscreen printing technique. Although Andy originally hand painted the cans for his 32 Campbell’s Soup Cans (1962), the development of the silkscreen technique revolutionized his process.
This new creative development allowed Warhol to create multiple copies of a single work. At his studio, The Factory he and his assistants could mass produce images in a more convenient, reliable way. By using this new technique, Warhol was able to achieve a nearly identical and accurate outcome. Even the process in which he created the soup can prints emulated the sense of industrial production and consumerism. Warhol’s love for mass-production, advertising, and Campbell’s soup all morphed together to create these portfolios.
Campbell’s Soup Cans II: New England Clam Chowder 57 in Warhol’s Larger Body of Work
Although his soup cans are arguably his most notable works, 32 Campbell’s Soup Cans were controversial in 1962. Some just could not understand what to make of his work, therefore critics ridiculed Warhol for his series. Although many didn’t understand why one would paint something as random as a soup can, Warhol simply loved the soup. In fact, Andy once said, “Pop art is about liking things”. Warhol’s soup cans and their relevance are still debated to this day, fifty-nine years after their original debut.
Prints like Campbell’s Soup Cans II: New England Clam Chowder soon became a quintessential item of pop-art history. By creating the Campbell’s Soup can prints, Warhol ushered in the Pop Art movement and gained tremendous influence. To this day, Warhol’s soup cans rule the world of Pop Art.
Photo Credits:
- Andy Warhol tracing Campbell’s Soup silkscreen, The Factory, New York City, circa 1965. © Estate of Nat Finkelstein © 2021. The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Licensed by DACS, London.
- Andy Warhol and Gerard Malanga make a painting, 1964. Vintage gelatin silver print, 10¼ × 14¾ inches; 26 × 38 cm. Photo by Matthew Marks.
- Andy Warhol, 1964. Vintage gelatin silver print, 10¼ × 14¾ inches; 26 × 38 cm. Photo by Matthew Marks.
