Mao 91
by Andy Warhol
Year: 1972
Medium: Screenprint
Size: 36 x 36 in (91.44 x 91.44 cm)
Edition: 250
Signed
A striking example of Andy Warhol’s 1972 Mao series, Mao 91 transforms the image of China’s political leader into a bold Pop Art icon. Executed as a 36 × 36 in screenprint, this signed work belongs to an edition of 250. Created amid Warhol’s fascination with celebrity, power and mass media, it offers collectors a compelling blend of political history, cultural symbolism and museum-worthy visual impact.
Mao 91 is part of Andy Warhol’s landmark Mao series, created in 1972 as Warhol turned the image of Chinese leader Mao Zedong into a Pop Art icon. The source was Mao’s widely circulated official portrait from The Little Red Book. Warhol’s repetition, vivid color, and expressive paint challenge the boundary between political power, celebrity, and mass media. There is no authentic street-graffiti version; these works were conceived as studio paintings and screenprints, not public-wall pieces.
For collectors, the Mao series is among Warhol’s most important political bodies of work. Individual examples can command strong interest because they combine historical significance, iconic imagery, and Warhol’s signature technique. Provenance, edition, condition, and authentication remain essential to value.
From a curator’s perspective, Mao 91 is compelling because Warhol strips political authority from its original context and rebuilds it as celebrity culture. The familiar face becomes both powerful and strangely glamorous.
The work belongs to Warhol’s mature Pop Art period, alongside his Marilyn, Mick Jagger, and Dollar Sign imagery. For collectors, it offers a sophisticated connection to Warhol’s exploration of power, media, repetition, and fame.
More Andy Warhol Works to Explore
Mao 91
by Andy Warhol
Year: 1972
Medium: Screenprint
Size: 36 x 36 in (91.44 x 91.44 cm)
Edition: 250
A striking example of Andy Warhol’s 1972 Mao series, Mao 91 transforms the image of China’s political leader into a bold Pop Art icon. Executed as a 36 × 36 in screenprint, this signed work belongs to an edition of 250. Created amid Warhol’s fascination with celebrity, power and mass media, it offers collectors a compelling blend of political history, cultural symbolism and museum-worthy visual impact.
Mao 91 is part of Andy Warhol’s landmark Mao series, created in 1972 as Warhol turned the image of Chinese leader Mao Zedong into a Pop Art icon. The source was Mao’s widely circulated official portrait from The Little Red Book. Warhol’s repetition, vivid color, and expressive paint challenge the boundary between political power, celebrity, and mass media. There is no authentic street-graffiti version; these works were conceived as studio paintings and screenprints, not public-wall pieces.
For collectors, the Mao series is among Warhol’s most important political bodies of work. Individual examples can command strong interest because they combine historical significance, iconic imagery, and Warhol’s signature technique. Provenance, edition, condition, and authentication remain essential to value.
From a curator’s perspective, Mao 91 is compelling because Warhol strips political authority from its original context and rebuilds it as celebrity culture. The familiar face becomes both powerful and strangely glamorous.
The work belongs to Warhol’s mature Pop Art period, alongside his Marilyn, Mick Jagger, and Dollar Sign imagery. For collectors, it offers a sophisticated connection to Warhol’s exploration of power, media, repetition, and fame.