The Shield
by Andy Warhol
Year: 1986
Medium: Screenprint on Lenox Museum Board
Size: 36 × 36 in (91.4 × 91.4 cm)
Edition of 250
Emerging from Andy Warhol’s celebrated late-career practice, The Shield (1986) explores the visual language of heraldry, identity, and American popular culture through a distinctly Pop Art lens. This 36 × 36-inch screenprint on Lenox Museum Board belongs to an edition of 250. Its commanding format, emblematic imagery, and place within Warhol’s mature oeuvre make it an appealing choice for discerning collectors.
The Shield by Andy Warhol was created in 1986 as part of his Cowboys and Indians series, one of his final major bodies of work. Warhol photographed Native American objects at the National Museum of the American Indian and transformed the shield into a bold Pop Art image. Traditionally, shields carried ideas of protection, identity, and spiritual power. Warhol’s treatment also raises questions about how Native American culture was filtered through American movies and mass media. The result balances history, symbolism, and the mythology of the American West.
There is no recognized street-graffiti version. Warhol created The Shield as a studio screenprint for the fine-art market, not as a street work.
For collectors, The Shield is a desirable late-career Warhol. The edition was limited, and condition, signature, provenance, and authenticity remain important factors in assessing rarity and market value. Its place within the Cowboys and Indians series also gives it strong historical appeal.
From our gallery perspective, the strength is its simplicity. Warhol turns a protective object into an instantly readable American icon while retaining a sense of mystery and cultural history.
Artistically, The Shield connects with Geronimo, Sitting Bull, Cowboys and Indians, and Warhol’s wider Americana works. For collectors seeking a distinctive late Warhol with strong cultural character, The Shield is an excellent acquisition.
More Andy Warhol Works to Explore
The Shield
by Andy Warhol
Year: 1986
Medium: Screenprint on Lenox Museum Board
Size: 36 × 36 in (91.4 × 91.4 cm)
Edition of 250
Emerging from Andy Warhol’s celebrated late-career practice, The Shield (1986) explores the visual language of heraldry, identity, and American popular culture through a distinctly Pop Art lens. This 36 × 36-inch screenprint on Lenox Museum Board belongs to an edition of 250. Its commanding format, emblematic imagery, and place within Warhol’s mature oeuvre make it an appealing choice for discerning collectors.
The Shield by Andy Warhol was created in 1986 as part of his Cowboys and Indians series, one of his final major bodies of work. Warhol photographed Native American objects at the National Museum of the American Indian and transformed the shield into a bold Pop Art image. Traditionally, shields carried ideas of protection, identity, and spiritual power. Warhol’s treatment also raises questions about how Native American culture was filtered through American movies and mass media. The result balances history, symbolism, and the mythology of the American West.
There is no recognized street-graffiti version. Warhol created The Shield as a studio screenprint for the fine-art market, not as a street work.
For collectors, The Shield is a desirable late-career Warhol. The edition was limited, and condition, signature, provenance, and authenticity remain important factors in assessing rarity and market value. Its place within the Cowboys and Indians series also gives it strong historical appeal.
From our gallery perspective, the strength is its simplicity. Warhol turns a protective object into an instantly readable American icon while retaining a sense of mystery and cultural history.
Artistically, The Shield connects with Geronimo, Sitting Bull, Cowboys and Indians, and Warhol’s wider Americana works. For collectors seeking a distinctive late Warhol with strong cultural character, The Shield is an excellent acquisition.