Details

Historical Description

Keith Haring’s Andy Mouse 4, 1986, is a vibrant and electrifying celebration of Pop Art, merging two of the twentieth century’s most recognizable visual icons: Andy Warhol and Mickey Mouse. Created as the fourth and final installment in Haring’s celebrated Andy Mouse series, the work stands as both a tribute to Warhol—Haring’s close friend and mentor—and a witty commentary on celebrity, consumerism, and commercial culture. At the center of the composition stands a stylized green mouse figure modeled after Mickey Mouse, yet unmistakably transformed into Andy Warhol through the addition of Warhol’s signature blue spiked hair and oversized yellow glasses with vivid purple lenses. Haring’s bold black contour lines and simplified cartoon-like forms create an image that is immediately playful, graphic, and instantly recognizable.

The composition radiates with intense, saturated color. A brilliant orange background energizes the entire scene, dramatically contrasting with the mouse’s lime green body and oversized yellow ears and shoes. Bright red shorts anchor the lower portion of the composition, while flashes of turquoise blue and purple intensify the visual rhythm of the work. Haring’s use of flat, unmodulated fields of color is characteristic of both his own visual language and the Pop Art movement more broadly, recalling the commercial immediacy of advertising, cartoons, and mass media imagery. The large black dollar sign emblazoned across the figure’s torso further reinforces themes of fame, commodification, and the commercialization of art and identity—subjects deeply intertwined with Warhol’s artistic legacy.

Executed as a silkscreen, Andy Mouse 4 also pays homage to Warhol’s iconic printmaking practice, particularly his celebrated square-format portraits and editions. The silkscreen process allowed Haring to achieve the crisp lines, luminous colors, and graphic precision that became synonymous with his work. Today, the Andy Mouse series remains among Keith Haring’s most famous and sought-after bodies of work, admired for its fusion of street culture, fine art, and Pop iconography. With its exuberant palette, museum-quality composition, and rich cultural references, Andy Mouse 4 stands as one of the defining collaborative homages within contemporary American art.

Created in 1986, Keith Haring Andy Mouse 4 silkscreen is hand-signed by Keith Haring (Reading, 1958 – New York, 1990) in pencil in the lower right margin.

Keith Haring Andy Mouse 4 is part of a portfolio of four silkscreens in the artist’s Andy Mouse portfolio of 1987. This body of work depicts illustrations of the fellow artist and Haring’s dear friend Andy Warhol. Also featured in this portfolio are Andy Mouse (Plate 1), Andy Mouse (Plate 2) and Andy Mouse (Plate 3).

Keith Haring Andy Mouse series:

The collaboration between Keith Haring and Andy Warhol resulted in a notable series known as the "Andy Mouse" series. Created in the mid-1980s, this series combines Haring's signature style with Warhol's iconic imagery, resulting in a dynamic fusion of the two influential artists.

The "Andy Mouse" series features Haring's cartoonish figure of a mouse with the distinctive face of Andy Warhol. Haring took inspiration from Warhol's own fascination with commercial icons and celebrity culture, incorporating Warhol's image as a way to pay homage to the influential Pop artist.

The collaboration between Haring and Warhol was not only a merging of artistic styles but also a meeting of two generations of artists. Haring, a rising star in the art world, admired Warhol's work and saw him as a mentor and inspiration. The "Andy Mouse" series became a way for Haring to pay tribute to Warhol's influence on his own artistic development.

In the "Andy Mouse" series, Haring's bold lines and vibrant colors breathe new life into Warhol's image, creating a playful and energetic representation. The mouse figure, which was a recurring motif in Haring's work, symbolizes innocence, curiosity, and a sense of wonder, while Warhol's face adds a layer of celebrity and cultural commentary.

Haring and Warhol both shared an interest in blurring the boundaries between high and low art, embracing popular culture, and challenging the traditional notions of what art could be. The "Andy Mouse" series reflects this shared sensibility, merging elements of street art, Pop art, and cartoon imagery.

The collaboration between Haring and Warhol extended beyond the creation of the "Andy Mouse" series. They also worked together on other projects, including a mural for the Pop Shop, a store founded by Haring that aimed to make art accessible to a wider audience.

The "Andy Mouse" series was met with positive reception, as it showcased the creative synergy between Haring and Warhol. It highlighted their ability to merge their distinct artistic approaches while paying homage to one another's contributions to the art world.

The series also serves as a testament to the enduring influence of both Haring and Warhol. Their artistic legacies continue to resonate with audiences, inspiring subsequent generations of artists and shaping the trajectory of contemporary art.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
Keith Haring Andy Mouse (Plate 4), from the Andy Mouse Portfolio, 1986 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the sale of the work).

1. Klaus Littman. Keith Haring: Editions on Paper 1982-1990, The Complete Printed Works. Hatje Cantz Publishers: New York, 1993. Keith Haring Andy Mouse 4  is listed and illustrated on pg. 65.
2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany our Keith Haring Andy Mouse 4.

About the Framing:
Framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, Keith Haring Andy Mouse 4, from the Andy Mouse Portfolio, 1986 is presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.