Andy Warhol‘s 1982 Dollar Sign (Quadrant) Complete Portfolio is one of the artist’s most famous series. Warhol’s interest in wealth and money is evident in his literal emphasis on currency and the value that society puts on a simple symbol. These two prints are characterized by canvases cut into four vibrant colors and abstract dollar signs. While Dollar Sign 283 represents a more traditional symbol of the currency, Dollar Sign 284 uses more contrasting colors and a sketched quality that adds another layer of abstraction to the image.Â
The Dollar Sign portfolio is the ultimate manifestation of Andy Warhol’s love affair with money. Warhol once said, “I like money on the wall,” and the Dollar Sign Complete Portfolio was his way of using his iconic imagery to achieve just that. These prints contain a source image that was created by Warhol himself, which was an uncommon practice for him, setting this series apart from the rest of his body of work. The Dollar Sign portfolio is one of the most recognizable examples of the artist seizing an internationally recognizable symbol and altering it into something that was purely Warholian. The Dollar Sign (Quadrant)Â complete portfolio includes FS II.283 and FS II.284.
Dollar Sign (Quadrant) as Part of Andy Warhol’s Larger Body of Work
The Dollar Sign paintings contain a source image that was created by Warhol himself which was an uncommon practice for Warhol, setting it apart from the rest of his body of work. The Dollar Sign series is a superb example of Warhol seizing an internationally recognizable symbol and altering it into something that was purely Warholian.
Photo credit: Andy Warhol with Dollar Sign painting, New York, 1982. © Santi Visalli. © 2022 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
