Title: Cow 11
Medium: Screenprint on wallpaper
Year: 1966
Size: 45 1/2″ x 29 3/4″
Details: Edition unlimited with 100 signed with a rubber stamp and numbered on verso; some dated on recto.

Andy Warhol was inspired to by art dealer Ivan Karp to create his Cows in the 1960s. Karp suggested to Warhol, “Why don’t you paint some cows, they’re so wonderfully pastoral and such a durable image in the history of the arts.” Warhol’s printer Gerard Malanga chose the photograph of the cow, however it was Warhol’s unique pop art style that made the final product so interested. He chose a bold color scheme of bright pink on yellow, which turned the pastoral animal into an amusing and oddly exciting subject matter. Warhol then printed the electrifying Cow image on wallpaper, introducing this process to his creative production. This particular Cow was created for an exhibition in 1966 at Leo Castelli Gallery. In Warhol’s classic mode of repetition, every inch of the walls were covered with hot pink and yellow Cows. Castelli was so moved by the show, that he had professionals install the wallpaper so that the guests could experience Andy Warhol’s vision.