In 1967, Andy Warhol created Portraits of the Artists 17, a striking work celebrating ten artists represented by influential New York art dealer Leo Castelli. He reproduced each artist’s portrait ten times in ten different colors on 3-D polystyrene boxes, each measuring about 2 x 2 inches. When held to the light, the translucent boxes glow, magnifying the portraits in a kaleidoscopic display.
Stacked together, the 100 boxes form a grid roughly 20 x 20 inches. The featured artists include Robert Morris, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Larry Poons, James Rosenquist, Frank Stella, Lee Bontecou, Donald Judd, Robert Rauschenberg, and Warhol himself. Contrary to popular belief, Leo Castelli did not commission the work for an exhibition marking his gallery’s tenth anniversary. According to the late art publisher Rosa Esman, there was no such event. Rumors that Warhol produced extra boxes featuring other artists are also unfounded.
Portraits of the Artists 17 by Andy Warhol as Part of his Larger Body of Work
Portraits of the Artists 17 demonstrates Andy Warhol’s fascination with fame, his talent for elevating peers to iconic status, and his playful approach to form and color. By using colored polystyrene boxes instead of traditional canvas, Warhol transformed the concept of the portrait into a sculptural, light-responsive object. The repetition and vivid color variations not only reference his pop art roots, but also highlight the individuality of each artist within the collective.
This work fits seamlessly into Warhol’s broader practice of reimagining portraiture. It echoes his portraits of celebrities and public figures, but instead of movie stars or politicians, he focuses on the creative forces shaping the art world of the 1960s. Portraits of the Artists 17 stands as both a celebration of Leo Castelli’s groundbreaking roster and a self-referential nod to Warhol’s own place within that influential network.
