Queen Ntombi Twala of Swaziland 349 was created by Andy Warhol is part of his Reigning Queens series. Other queens in the series include Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, and Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. This particular print of the queen employs high-contrast reds and purples to draw attention to the queen’s facial features, such as her lips. In the Reigning Queens portfolio, Warhol depicts these four female monarchs in their own right, rather than as women who were married to a king. Warhol was vastly interested in fame of any kind, including that of presidents, dictators and monarchs. In addition to the Reigning Queens portfolio, Warhol also created prints of political leaders such as Alexander the Great, Vladimir Lenin and John F. Kennedy.
Queen Ntombi Twala of Swaziland 349 as Part of Andy Warhol’s Larger Body of Work
Warhol created the Reigning Queens series during the mid-1980s, which was arguably his most prolific period. During this time, Warhol was forming bonds with a number of younger artists in the New York art scene including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Julian Schnabel and David Salle. Warhol saw a re-emergence of critical and financial success during this period of his life.
