“How does one transform the traditional still life of grapes into a modern masterpiece? Andy Warhol’s ‘Grapes’ portfolio from 1979 provides a captivating answer, showcasing his unique approach to this classic genre.”
Andy Warhol created his Grapes Complete Portfolio in 1979, presenting repeated studies of bunches of grapes, branches, and leaves, each representing a different grape variety. The series is a significant body of work that showcases his exploration of still life portraits in the 1970s. Departing from traditional still life conventions, Warhol employs color-blocking techniques and abstract elements, transforming the subject matter into visually captivating compositions.
In this print portfolio, Warhol treats the surface area with planes of realism, suggestion through hand-drawn outlines, and abstraction, all in one. The vibrant screenprints, with their hand-applied colors and contrast of bright hues with dark blues and purples, transform grapes into something unfamiliar, offering a modern perspective on this classical theme. The fragmentation and dynamic compositions, featuring grapes hanging on vines, inject a sense of movement and vitality into the still life genre.
One of the significant highlights of the Grapes portfolio is the special edition with diamond dust. Experimenting with crushed glass particles, Warhol’s master printer Rupert Jasen Smith developed a process of layering the substance on top of screen prints, resulting in a unique texture and shimmer. This technique would become a recurring element in many of his subsequent print runs, such as Shoes and Myths.
The Grapes Portfolio as Part of Andy Warhol’s Larger Body of Work
Warhol’s Grapes portfolio didn’t exist in isolation. It is a piece of his exploration of the still life genre in the 1970s and ‘80s. Warhol depicted other fruits in the same year—Space Fruits—but the Grapes portfolio came from a different source of inspiration. Inspired by his earlier collaboration with French winery Chateau Mouton Rothschild in 1975, where he designed iconic labels, Warhol expanded on themes of wine and grapes as common elements in traditional still life compositions. The color palette used for the Mouton Rothschild label also finds its way into the Grapes series, creating an artistic connection between the two projects.
In the broader context of Warhol’s oeuvre, the Grapes portfolio exemplifies his ability to reimagine traditional subjects with his unique artistic vision. By merging the conventions of the genre with the aesthetics and techniques of Pop Art, Warhol challenges viewers to see the familiar in new ways. Warhol’s Grapes stand as a captivating testament to his ingenuity and artistic evolution, offering a glimpse into the mind of a visionary artist who continually pushed the boundaries of art.
The traditional Grapes Complete Portfolio includes FS II.190-195, and the diamond-dusted Grapes Special Edition collection includes FS II.196A-195A.
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Photo credit: Andy Warhol, Grapes, 1981. Unique polaroid print, 4 × 3 in, © 2012 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / Copyright of Christie’s Images.
