Cowboys and Indians by Andy Warhol

Cowboys and Indians by Andy Warhol 

In Cowboys and Indians by Andy Warhol, Warhol’s work creates a commentary on mass media and the way in which contrived imagery can affect how we understand our history. Images of Geronimo, Annie Oakley and Mother and Child are based on characters in the Hollywood adaptation of our history and do not truly represent the roles that these real individuals historically played.

Warhol interspersed recognizable portraits of well-known American “heroes”–John Wayne, Annie Oakley, Teddy Roosevelt, and General George Custer–with less familiar Native American images and motifs in his ironic commentary on Americans’ collective mythologizing of the historic West. Rather than portraying Native Americans within their historical landscape or Cowboys in their veritable forms, Warhol chose to portray a popular, romanticized version of the American West. The West that he chose to represent is familiar to everyone and can be seen in novels, films, TV series. Warhol’s Cowboys and Indians Suite is an ahistorical representation that mirrors a popular interpretation of the American West.

Andy Warhol created the Cowboys and Indians series during the mid-1980s, 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.

Artwork

WARHOL, ANDYWARHO, POP
Geronimo FS II.384 by Andy Warhol
Geronimo FS II.384 by Andy Warhol
WARHOL, ANDYWARHOL, POP
General Custer by Andy Warhol
General Custer by Andy Warhol
Mother and Child F.S. II 383 TP by Andy Warhol
Mother and Child F.S. II 383 TP by Andy Warhol
Sitting Bull by Andy Warhol
Sitting Bull by Andy Warhol
ANDYWARHOL,POP, WARHOL
Annie Oakley by Andy Warhol
Annie Oakley by Andy Warhol
ANDYWARHOL, WARHOL, POP,Mask Cowboys and Indians by Andy Warhol
Northwest Coast Mask by Andy Warhol
Northwest Coast Mask by Andy Warhol
ANDYWARHOL, WARHOL, POP
Teddy Roosevelt by Andy Warhol
Teddy Roosevelt by Andy Warhol
warhol, pop, andywahrol
Plains Indian Shield by Andy Warhol
Plains Indian Shield by Andy Warhol
ANDYWARHOL, WARHOL, POP
Bonnet Indian by Andy Warhol
Bonnet Indian by Andy Warhol
WARHOL, POP, ANDYWARHOL
Buffalo Nickel by Andy Warhol
Buffalo Nickel by Andy Warhol
warhol, pop, andywahrol
Mother and Child by Andy Warhol
Mother and Child by Andy Warhol
POP, ANDYWARHOL, POPART
Indian Head Nickel by Andy Warhol
Indian Head Nickel by Andy Warhol
ANDYWARHOL, POP, WARHOL
Kachina Dolls by Andy Warhol
Kachina Dolls by Andy Warhol
WARHOL, POP, ANDYWARHOL
Action Picture by Andy Warhol
Action Picture by Andy Warhol
ANDYWARHOL, POP, WARHOL, John Wayne by Andy Warhol
John Wayne by Andy Warhol
John Wayne by Andy Warhol