Screen print on museum board paper after Andy Warhol and published by Sunday B. Morning. Inscriptions on the back: "Published by Sunday B. Morning" and "Fill in your own signature". These prints are found in Feldman & Schellmann's "Andy Warhol's Catalogue Raisonne". Certificate of authenticity issued by Sunday B. Morning included.
The Mao Grey series by Andy Warhol is one of the most enigmatic variations within his renowned set of Mao Zedong portraits, created in 1972. In this version, Warhol abandons the vibrant and expressive colors of other editions and instead adopts a more subdued and austere aesthetic, dominated by shades of grey. This chromatic choice gives the image a more introspective character, distancing it from the propagandistic appearance and the visual impact that define many of his other works featuring the Chinese leader.
The use of grey in this series suggests a reinterpretation of Mao’s official portrait through a more neutral or even depersonalized lens. Unlike the vividly colored versions, which emphasize the connection between politics and spectacle, Mao Grey seems to strip the character of its mythical aura, reducing it to a flat image without emotional emphasis. This visual coldness could be seen as a critique of the rigidity of power or, conversely, as a reflection on how political figures are transformed into icons devoid of individuality.
The Mao Grey series also highlights Warhol’s fascination with repetition and the mechanization of imagery. Instead of exalting Mao’s persona with striking colors or dramatic contrasts, the grey version intensifies the uniformity and seriality of the work. The result is an almost impersonal representation, reminiscent of a faded photograph or an emotionless archival image. In this way, Warhol emphasizes the reproducible nature of political symbols and how, through art and media, the identity of a historical figure can be endlessly reshaped and reinterpreted.
