Andy Warhol San Francisco Silverspot Butterfly screenprint from the Endangered Species Series, 1983 is an intimate portrait of one California’s endangered insect residents, the Callippe silverspot butterfly. Found in only two grassland spots in the San Francisco Bay Area, this subspecies of Nymphalidae has found that the primary danger is the loss of habitat due to developing, off road-vehicles, and invasive plants, making the issue of the conservation of this species still extremely relevant and important today.

Andy Warhol San Francisco Silverspot Butterfly is deeply hued plum colored background with images of tall grass superimposed in lavender do not distract the eye, instead allowing the delicate linework and vibrant colors to stand boldly. Using contrasting colors ranging from burnt reds, to oranges, to blues and greens, Warhol screenprint creates a striking representation of the Silverspot Butterfly. Warhol’s creative eye and attention to detail can be seen in his decision to outline the insect in white, allowing the line to act as a both a boundary that limits the butterfly into a substantive concept, while also allowing the white to remove the subject from the canvas, as if attaining an ethereal form that is really the flutter off the page.

Created in 1983, Warhol's San Francisco Silverspot Butterfly, from the Endangered Species Series, 1983 is a color screenprint on Lenox Museum Board hand-signed by Andy Warhol (Pennsylvania, 1928 - New York, 1987) in pencil in the lower right and numbered from the edition of 150 in pencil in the lower right.

Andy Warhol Endangered Species Screenprints Series:

In 1983, Warhol was commissioned by Ron Feldman, his publisher, and his wife Freyda, to create the Endangered Species Series. The goal was to highlight animals that were endangered and increase awareness around environmental consciousness and conservation. Warhol used bright and saturated colors to create these animal portraits, and he referred to this portfolio as his “animals in make-up” because of this.

The Andy Warhol Endangered Species series is a collection of 10 silk-screened prints created by the famous American artist Andy Warhol in 1983. The series was commissioned by Ronald and Frayda Feldman, who were art collectors and environmental activists. The prints were intended to raise awareness about the plight of endangered animals and to highlight the importance of conservation efforts.

Each of the 10 prints in the series features a different endangered animal. The subjects include the Siberian Tiger, Black Rhinocerous, Bighorn Ram, Grevy's Zebra, Orangutan, Silverspot Butterfly, Pine Barrens Tree Frog, African Elephant, and Giant Panda.

Warhol created the Endangered Species series at a time when the world was becoming increasingly aware of the dangers facing many animal species. Through his art, Warhol aimed to draw attention to the urgent need for conservation and preservation efforts to protect these animals and their habitats.

The prints in the series are visually striking, featuring bright, bold colors and strong graphic images that are characteristic of Warhol's signature pop-art style. They are considered some of the most iconic works in Warhol's oeuvre and have become highly sought-after by collectors and art enthusiasts alike.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
Andy Warhol screenprint Silverspot Butterfly, from the Endangered Species Series, 1983 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonné and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the sale of the work).

1. Feldman, Frayda and Jörg Schellmann, A Catalogue Raisonne, 4th ed. Listed as catalogue raisonné no. II.298.
2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.

About the Framing:
Framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, Andy Warhol San Francisco Silverspot Butterfly from the Endangered Species Series, 1983 is presented in a complementary moulding and optical grade Plexiglas.