Campbell’s Soup Cans II: Scotch Broth 55

Catalog Title: Campbells Soup Cans II: Scotch Broth (FS II.55)

Year: 1969

Size: 35" x 23" | 88.9 x 58.4 cm.

Medium: Screenprint on paper.

Edition: Edition of 250. Signed and numbered in ball-point pen and numbered with a rubber stamp on verso. There are 26 AP signed and lettered A - Z in ball point pen on verso.

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Campbell’s Soup Cans II: Scotch Broth 55 by Andy Warhol is one of ten prints from the 1969 Campbell’s Soup Cans II portfolio. The work features the classic red and white Campbell’s label, accented with a yellow banner reading “One of the Manhandlers.” Below, the words “Scotch Broth (A Hearty Soup)” appear in bold type. As with the rest of the series, Warhol’s design transforms a familiar product into a bold cultural symbol. His Campbell’s Soup prints embody the essence of Pop Art, merging consumer culture with high art, and remain among his most valuable and recognizable works.

From the First Portfolio to New Flavors

The Campbell’s Soup Cans II portfolio expands upon Warhol’s earlier Campbell’s Soup Cans I series from 1968, itself inspired by the 1962 32 Campbell’s Soup Cans paintings. This follow-up introduced ten additional soup flavors, maintaining the familiar layout while incorporating subtle graphic updates. In Scotch Broth 55, Warhol replaced the traditional golden seal with the humorous “Manhandlers” slogan, linking the artwork to advertising trends of the 1960s. This addition captures both the literal and playful side of consumer branding that fascinated Warhol.

Other prints from this series include New England Clam Chowder 57, Hot Dog Bean 59, and Chicken N’ Dumplings 58. Each can is a real Campbell’s flavor, yet each label carries its own visual personality. Together, they reflect Warhol’s fascination with subtle variation and serial repetition—key aspects of his art-making process.

Reception and Meaning

Prints like Campbell’s Soup Cans II: Scotch Broth 55 became icons of modern art, symbolizing consumer culture and the power of branding. By appropriating an everyday grocery item, Warhol questioned what could be considered art and who decided its value. His mechanical precision and detachment from painterly expression challenged prevailing artistic norms. Still, his work was not cynical—it celebrated the beauty of mass production and the shared experience of modern life.

Although Warhol’s soup cans are now celebrated, his first series, 32 Campbell’s Soup Cans, sparked controversy when it debuted in 1962. Many critics dismissed the work as commercial mimicry, accusing Warhol of reducing art to advertising. Yet over time, this supposed flaw became the very reason for its significance. The soup cans blurred the line between high and low culture, pushing art into the everyday and reshaping its meaning in a media-driven world.

Warhol’s fascination with the company was also deeply personal. He famously said, “I used to drink it [Campbell’s Soup]. I used to have the same lunch every day, for twenty years, I guess, the same thing over and over again.” His genuine affection for the brand’s consistency and design reflected his belief that beauty could be found in ordinary repetition. What others saw as mundane, Warhol saw as profound.