Jane Fonda 268 (Trial Proof) by Andy Warhol is a vibrant screenprint portrait of the iconic American actress. The image captures Fonda’s face in striking hues of pink and crimson, her deep red lips gleaming against the flat red background. Dark navy contour lines define her hair, eyes, and features, while subtle highlights around her cheeks and lips evoke the soft glamour of 1980s celebrity photography. In contrast, the play between shadow and color turns realism into artifice, transforming a familiar face into a symbol of fame itself.
Jane Fonda 268 (Trial Proof) was created as an homage to the great actress Jane Fonda. Fonda was the celebrity sex symbol of her time and remains part of American pop culture to this day. During the 1960s, she rose to fame for her roles in Cat Ballou (1965) and Barbarella (1968). Later in her career, she devoted much of her time to political activism and humanitarian causes. In 1982, Warhol offered this print as part of a fundraiser for Fonda’s then-husband, Tom Hayden. As a result, the image recalls Warhol’s earlier movie-star portraits of Liz Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. This Trial Proof print originally belonged to Martin Lawrence Galleries in New York.
Jane Fonda 268 Trial Proof in Andy Warhol’s Larger Body of Work
This rare version is signed not only by Andy Warhol but also by Jane Fonda herself. Jane Fonda 268 (Trial Proof) portrays the actress whose breakout performance in Barbarella (1968) cemented her as a cultural icon. Furthermore, Warhol’s fascination with stardom and media allure shines through. The deep red background frames Fonda’s face and voluminous dark hair, emphasizing her vivid red lips. The black contouring lines lend an almost comic-book quality—a stylistic hallmark among Pop artists of the period. Finally, Fonda’s handwritten inscription, “Peace, Jane Fonda,” transforms the portrait into a statement of conviction, merging the worlds of celebrity and activism in one image.
- Andy Warhol, Jane Fonda, 1982 © 2018 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. Licensed by DACS, London. Courtesy BASTIAN, London.
- Andy Warhol and Jane Fonda, 1982, gelatin silver print. Courtesy of Mutual Art.
