Andy Warhol's Dollar Sign and Flowers

We are pleased to announce the recent acquisition of screenprints by Andy Warhol. 

The Dollar Sign and the Flowers series have extraordinary history, much like the artist himself. 

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was the youngest of three sons born to Czechoslovakian immigrant parents Ondrej and Julia Warhola in Pittsburgh. When Warhol was fourteen, his father died, and the family struggled to make ends meet.

Julia Warhola was an artist herself and recognized her son’s talent. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University and moved to New York in 1949, where he became one of the most successful commercial illustrators in the city. 

Warhol began his career as a fine artist in the early 1950s. His talent, and innovative views about high-and-low art, led to his combining his commercial success with his success as a fine artist.

Warhol liked money. “Making money is art” he said, “and working is art and good business is the best art.” He combined the making of money with the drawing of money.

His Dollar Sign paintings were part of an exhibit at the National Galleries in Scotland. Curator Keith Hartley and British art dealer Anthony d’offay discussed the history of Warhol’s Dollar Signs:

When Andy Warhol died, in 1987, his estate was valued at an estimated $100 million dollars. 

 In 1964, Warhol saw a photo of hibiscus flowers in Modern Photography magazine taken by Patricia Caulfield, an editor at the magazine. He called Modern Photograpy and asked if he could buy the photo, but thought the asking price was too high.

He cut the picture out of the magazine, cropped it and used the image for his Flowers series, shown at the Leo Castelli Gallery in 1964. The show was very successful.

Caulfield sued Warhol for using her photo. As part of a settlement, Warhol created two Flowers paintings for her and agreed to pay her a 25 percent share of the royalties derived from a portfolio of Flowers prints.

The Flowers exhibit elevated Andy Warhol’s career and reputation as a fine artist.

 Please contact us if you would like more information about the works of Andy Warhol available at Surovek Gallery.

 References:

Erin Argun, reviewer. 10 Facts About Andy Warhol's Dollar Sign. MyArtBroker. August 30, 2024.

Shoshana Hernandez. Andy Warhol exhibition comes to Chapultepec with polaroids taken by the pop art genius. CDMS Secreta. October 7, 2025.

Richard Sandomir. Patricia Caulfield, 91, Dies; Battled Warhol Over Use of Her Photograph. The New York Times. September 8, 2024.