Sarah Bernhardt 234 (Trial Proof) by Andy Warhol is a screenprint that layers two portraits of the legendary actress. One half of the composition appears in cool blue tones, with Bernhardt’s face modeled in soft shadows. For instance, the other half glows in warm reds and oranges, creating a sharp diagonal division across the image. Additionally, Warhol outlines her features with thin, wavering lines that echo charcoal drawing. As the colors overlap, the two profiles merge into a single figure, suggesting both movement and theatrical transformation—two qualities central to Bernhardt’s stage identity. As a Sarah Bernhardt Trial Proof, this impression is part of a rare group of twenty-five prints, each distinguished by its own unique color combination.
Reimagining “The Divine Sarah”
Sarah Bernhardt is one of three women included in Warhol’s Ten Portraits of Jews of the Twentieth Century Complete Portfolio, alongside Golda Meir and Gertrude Stein.
Bernhardt was a French stage and early film actress often described as “the most famous actress the world has ever known.” She built her reputation on Parisian stages during the 1870s at the dawn of the Belle Époque. Soon after, audiences across Europe and the Americas sought her performances. Furthermore, because of her emotional intensity and dramatic skill, she earned the nickname “The Divine Sarah.” Her career spanned both theater and the emerging medium of film, making her one of the first truly global celebrities. Her influence extended beyond acting, shaping fashion, performance, and the very concept of modern fame.
Sarah Bernhardt 234 Trial Proof by Andy Warhol as Part of His Larger Body of Work
Warhol became fascinated with a group of influential Jewish figures—a constellation of thinkers, performers, politicians, musicians, and writers whose legacies shaped modern culture. As a result, this Sarah Bernhardt Trial Proof appears alongside Martin Buber, Louis Brandeis, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, George Gershwin, Franz Kafka, the Marx Brothers, Golda Meir, and Gertrude Stein. Together, their achievements reshaped the twentieth century and influenced nearly every field of human experience.
Photo credits:
- Napoleon Sarony, Sarah Bernhardt, 1880. Sepia albumen print. Author’s collection.
- Andy Warhol at the Jewish Museum, 1980. Photo by Bernard Gotfryd.
