Aretha Franklin - Queen Of Soul - Andy Warhol - Pop Art Painting - Posters

Aretha Franklin rose to prominence in the late 1960s, at a time when Warhol was already thoroughly integrated into the famous circles of New York City. She became known as the “Queen of Soul,” solidifying her role as a leading cultural figure, and in 1986, Warhol created the album sleeve for Franklin’s vinyl record, Aretha; the present work was executed in the same year, just one year prior to Warhol’s death in 1987. The present work portrays Franklin nobly, swathed in serene tones of blue and outlined in bright pinks and yellow. There is an evident sense of Warhol’s understanding of his celebrity subjects, yet not revealing much about them; for him, the paintings were more about capturing their fame and their likeness. Providing commentary upon his attraction to the ability of celebrity to transcend time, through his paintings, “everyone was a star, not only for fifteen minutes.