Queen Ntombi Twala of Swaziland 346 (Trial Proof) by Andy Warhol presents the queen frontally, her face rendered in dense cobalt blue against a vivid pink ground intersected by sharp planes of green and yellow that cut diagonally across the composition. Thin, electric outlines trace her features and headdress, while the flat fields of color heighten contrast and visual intensity. The trial proof reveals subtle variations in ink saturation and line clarity. This gives the portrait a slightly more experimental, tactile quality than the standard edition.
Queen Ntombi Twala and the Reigning Queens Series
This work is one of approximately 30 trial proofs produced during the editioning process for Andy Warhol’s Reigning Queens (Royal Edition). Trial proofs were printed as the artist and printer refined color relationships, registration, and surface effects. This process often resulted in subtle or significant differences from the final edition. In this case, the trial proof’s heightened contrast and layered color accents emphasize Warhol’s hands-on decision-making at the press. Other queens in the series include Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, and Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. In each case, Warhol depicted women who ruled in their own right, reinforcing the series’ focus on autonomous female power.
The Queen of Swaziland in Historical Context
Queen Ntombi Twala served as Queen Regent of Swaziland (now Eswatini) from 1982 to 1986, governing on behalf of her son, King Mswati III. Her role placed her at the center of political authority during a transitional moment in the nation’s history. Warhol’s decision to include her alongside European monarchs underscores his global understanding of power and celebrity. IN this instance, he extended his portrait practice beyond Western political and cultural centers.
Queen Ntombi Twala (Trial Proof) by Andy Warhol as Part of His Larger Body of Work
Warhol created the Reigning Queens series during the mid-1980s, a period marked by renewed critical and commercial success. At the same time, he collaborated with younger artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Julian Schnabel, and David Salle, while continuing to expand his exploration of authority, repetition, and image circulation. Like his portraits of Alexander the Great, Vladimir Lenin, and John F. Kennedy, this trial proof situates political power within Warhol’s broader meditation on fame, visibility, and the construction of modern icons.
Photo credit: Queen Ntombi Twala in 2016. Unknown photographer.
