Leo Castelli Gallery, New York (LC# 1034)
M. Knoedler & Co. Inc., New York
Albert White Gallery, Toronto
Christie's, New York, 20 February 1988, Lot 81
Galerie Rive Gauche, Paris
Private Collection, London
Private Collection, New York (acquired from the above)
Sotheby's, London, 2 July 2008, Lot 401 (consigned by the above)
Private Collection, Seoul (acquired from the above sale)
Private Collection, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2012

Paris, Musée Galliera, Andy Warhol: Mao, February - March 1974
New York, L&M Arts, Andy Warhol: Mao, September - October 2006, cat. no. 16, illustrated in color

Carter Ratcliff, Andy Warhol: Modern Masters Series, New York 1983, p. 66, illustrated in color 
Sally King-Nero and Neil Printz, Eds., The Andy Warhol Catalogue Raisonné: Paintings and Sculpture 1970-1974, Vol. 03, New York 2010, cat. no. 2392, p. 237, illustrated in color

This work is in very good condition overall. There is evidence of wear and handling along the edges with some associated paint loss, most notably in all 4 corners. The colors are bright, fresh and clean. There is a pinpoint spot of loss below the figure's neck to the right and some minor and unobtrusive light abrasions in the lower right corner. Under very close inspection and under raking light, drip accretions are visible in the upper right corner and along the right and left side edge. Under Ultraviolet inspection, the aforementioned drip accretions fluoresce lightly but do not appear to be the result of restoration. Framed under Plexiglas.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In 1950, Zhang Zhenshi painted what would soon become one of the most famous portraits on the planet. It is an image that is famous not because of its quality, or its depth of character, but because of its ubiquity. His portrait of Mao Zedong dressed in a simple gray tunic would soon be copied repeatedly and disseminated to classrooms, government offices and public spaces throughout China. Few 20th Century leaders placed as much stock in their image as Chairman Mao, and few curated their public persona to the same degree. In the eyes of many, he was ageless. In Tiananmen Square, a gigantic copy of Zhenshi’s portrait hung throughout his reign, and still hangs today. Even in death, Mao Zedong retains power over his representation.

Given its ubiquity, it is unsurprising that Andy Warhol, an artist fascinated by reproduction and the effects thereof, and indeed by China itself, was drawn so strongly to Zhenshi’s portrait. In his words, “I’ve been reading so much about China...the only picture they have is of Mao Zedong. It’s great. It looks like a silkscreen” (David Bourdon, Warhol, New York 1989, p. 317). The image had become a placeholder for power, with its omnipresence a nod to 👍constant surveillance. By coopting the image, and more importantly by altering it, Warhol places himself in a position of ultimate authority over Mao’s 🐬depiction, and subverts the latter’s careful curation of his pictorial representation.

Mao invokes a painterly and loose style that this entirely at odds with the firm dictatorial presence that the portrait was intended to convey. The bright, swirling purple and yellow hues stand in opposition to t꧒he sober grays of Zhenshi’s portrait, and the Mao hea𒈔d is suspended in space, deprived of the gravitas lent by his body in the original portrait.

However, Warhol’s portrait should not solely be read as an indictment of Mao and Communist China. Warhol was keenly aware that for many Americans, “Mao’s face represented an alien and threatening form of government” (ibid.), and as a stridently left-wing thinker, as evidenced by the very ubiquity of his images which effectively eliminated any barrier to entry and comprehension, Warhol relished the fear that his work might instill. With his Mao series, he toed the line of complicity and criticism, lampoon👍ing tജhe function of the image in China whilst exposing its power as a symbol of fear in America.