This Trial Proof of Karen Kain, created by Andy Warhol in 1980, offers a subtly distinct variation on the artist’s celebrated screenprint of the Canadian ballet icon. Based on a Polaroid taken at Warhol’s studio, The Factory, the portrait captures Kain with a poised, sculptural elegance. With her hands framing her face, her eyes are fixed with quiet intensity.

While the overall composition remains consistent with the regular edition, this Trial Proof features unique selection of colors in the geometric overlays that hover around and behind the figure. Slight shifts in hue—most notably in the positioning and tone of the yellow, blue, and violet shapes—introduce a different rhythm to the visual field. These color variations, though restrained, subtly influence the way Kain’s face emerges from the composition, underscoring Warhol’s sensitivity to balance and color harmony in even his most serialized works.