Cars (painting)
Encyclopedia
Cars is a series of artworks by the American artist Andy Warhol
, commissioned by Mercedes-Benz
in 1986.
A German art dealer, Hans Meyer, commissioned the first painting, of a 300SL coupe
, to celebrate the 1986 centenary of the invention of the motor car. When Mercedes-Benz saw the result, it commissioned the entire series, which was to track the evolution of its designs from the Benz Patent-Motorwagen 1885, Daimler Motor Carriage
(1886), and Mercedes 35 hp
(1901), to the Mercedes-Benz W125
, and the Mercedes-Benz C111
.
Now part of Mercedes-Benz's corporate art collection, Cars was unfinished at the time of Warhol's death in 1987. Warhol completed 36 silkscreen prints and 13 drawings of eight Mercedes models before his death. Warhol had planned to cover 20 models in 80 pieces. The series was based on photographs of cars, and were the first non-American designed objects that Warhol had portrayed in his work.
Cars has been exhibited just twice in its entirety in public: in Tübingen
in 1988, and at the Albertina, Vienna
from 22 January–16 May 2010. Half of the series was shown in Milton Keynes
in September 2001.
Cars was Warhol's second automotive art project. In 1979 Warhol was commissioned by BMW
to paint a Group 4 race version of the then elite supercar BMW M1
for the fourth installment in the BMW Art Car Project. Unlike the three artists before him, Warhol declined the use of a small scale practice model, instead opting to immediately paint directly onto the full scale automobile. It was indicated that Warhol spent only a total of 23 minutes painting the entire car.
Warhol's work for Mercedes Benz and his similar commissions for Perrier
have been criticized as "undistinguished glitz", with critics lamenting Warhol's "passionate avarice", accusing him of crossing the line into advertisements for their subjects.
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
, commissioned by Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
in 1986.
A German art dealer, Hans Meyer, commissioned the first painting, of a 300SL coupe
Mercedes-Benz 300SL
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL was introduced in 1954 as a two-seat, closed sports car with distinctive gull-wing doors. Later it was offered as an open roadster...
, to celebrate the 1986 centenary of the invention of the motor car. When Mercedes-Benz saw the result, it commissioned the entire series, which was to track the evolution of its designs from the Benz Patent-Motorwagen 1885, Daimler Motor Carriage
Gottlieb Daimler
Gottlieb Daimler was an engineer, industrial designer and industrialist born in Schorndorf , in what is now Germany. He was a pioneer of internal-combustion engines and automobile development...
(1886), and Mercedes 35 hp
Mercedes 35 hp
The Mercedes 35 hp was a radical early car model designed in 1901 by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler, for Emil Jellinek. Produced in Stuttgart, Germany, by the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft , it began the Mercedes line of cars .A significant advancement over the previous generation of...
(1901), to the Mercedes-Benz W125
Mercedes-Benz W125
The Mercedes-Benz W125 was a Grand Prix racing car designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut to race during the 1937 Grand Prix season. The car was used by Rudolf Caracciola to win the 1937 European Championship and W125 drivers also finished in the second, third and fourth positions in the championship.The...
, and the Mercedes-Benz C111
Mercedes-Benz C111
The C111 was a series of experimental automobiles produced by Mercedes-Benz in the 1960s and 1970s. The company was experimenting with new engine technologies, including Wankel engines, Diesel engines, and turbochargers, and used the basic C111 platform as a testbed...
.
Now part of Mercedes-Benz's corporate art collection, Cars was unfinished at the time of Warhol's death in 1987. Warhol completed 36 silkscreen prints and 13 drawings of eight Mercedes models before his death. Warhol had planned to cover 20 models in 80 pieces. The series was based on photographs of cars, and were the first non-American designed objects that Warhol had portrayed in his work.
Cars has been exhibited just twice in its entirety in public: in Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
in 1988, and at the Albertina, Vienna
Albertina, Vienna
The Albertina is a museum in the Innere Stadt of Vienna, Austria. It houses one of the largest and most important print rooms in the world with approximately 65,000 drawings and approximately 1 million old master prints, as well as more modern graphic works, photographs and architectural drawings...
from 22 January–16 May 2010. Half of the series was shown in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
in September 2001.
Cars was Warhol's second automotive art project. In 1979 Warhol was commissioned by BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
to paint a Group 4 race version of the then elite supercar BMW M1
BMW M1
The BMW M1 is a sports car that was produced by German automaker BMW from 1978 to 1981.In the late 1970s, Italian manufacturer Lamborghini entered into an agreement with BMW to build a production racing car in sufficient quantity for homologation. The result was sold to the public, from 1978 to...
for the fourth installment in the BMW Art Car Project. Unlike the three artists before him, Warhol declined the use of a small scale practice model, instead opting to immediately paint directly onto the full scale automobile. It was indicated that Warhol spent only a total of 23 minutes painting the entire car.
Warhol's work for Mercedes Benz and his similar commissions for Perrier
Perrier
Perrier is a brand of bottled mineral water made from a spring in Vergèze in the Gard département of France. The spring is naturally carbonated...
have been criticized as "undistinguished glitz", with critics lamenting Warhol's "passionate avarice", accusing him of crossing the line into advertisements for their subjects.