Van Heusen 356 by Andy Warhol is a screenprint from the Ads Complete Portfolio, published in 1985. The work features Ronald Reagan in his pre-presidential years, when he worked as a Hollywood actor and corporate spokesman. The image is drawn from a mid-century Van Heusen shirt advertisement, rendered with a flattened, graphic palette. The pale tones outlined with crisp red and blue linework, give the portrait a slightly embossed, comic-book effect.
In Van Heusen 356, Ronald Reagan is a sharply cropped, waist-up figure, smiling directly at the viewer with practiced ease. His neatly combed hair and collared shirt appear pristine, almost artificial, while the surrounding background shifts into darker, saturated hues that heighten contrast. The composition feels polished yet rigid, emphasizing surface charm over depth and turning Reagan’s expression into a controlled, repeatable image rather than a personal likeness. As a result, the artwork emphasizes the seamless overlap between celebrity, commerce, and political image-making.
Ronald Reagan in Warhol’s Ads Portfolio
Throughout the Ads series, Warhol revisits familiar commercial imagery and reframes it as fine art. In Van Heusen 356, he isolates Ronald Reagan’s cheerful expression and places it against a stylized, almost comic-strip background. As a result, the image feels simultaneously inviting and unsettling. Reagan appears approachable, yet his likeness functions more as a brand than as a person. This tension mirrors Warhol’s broader interest in how advertising reshapes identity.
Moreover, Warhol pairs Van Heusen 356 with other celebrity-driven advertisements in the portfolio, including Blackglama featuring Judy Garland and Rebel Without a Cause starring James Dean. Together, these works show how commercial campaigns create enduring public myths. In Reagan’s case, the ad anticipates the polished optimism that would later define his political image.
Van Heusen 356 by Andy Warhol as Part of His Larger Body of Work
Warhol’s engagement with Ronald Reagan extended beyond advertising imagery. Although he initially declined commissions to paint Reagan during the election period, his attitude evolved over time. According to Warhol’s assistant Bob Colacello, Warhol later attended Reagan’s inauguration and developed a personal relationship with the family. This shift reflects Warhol’s pragmatic understanding of power, fame, and access.
At the same time, Van Heusen 356 subtly critiques Reagan’s role as a lifelong spokesman. The crisp shirt, perfect smile, and confident posture suggest that Reagan had always performed for the camera. Consequently, the work blurs the boundary between political authority and corporate messaging. Like Warhol’s portraits of Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter, this print treats politics as another form of mass media.
The Van Heusen print is not the only artwork by Warhol that depicts Reagan; he also integrated Reagan’s likeness into other works, such as the painting Reagan Budget Deficit, which offers a critical portrayal of the president’s economic policies.
Ultimately, Van Heusen 356 captures Warhol’s belief that image precedes meaning. By presenting Ronald Reagan first as a salesman, the artist reveals how easily celebrity slides into leadership. The print remains one of the most incisive works in the Ads portfolio, precisely because it feels both playful and uncomfortably accurate.
Photo credit: Van Heusen magazine advertisement, 1953. Courtesy of Retro AdArchives.
