Title: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands: Royal Edition 340
Medium: Screenprint on Lenox Museum Board with Diamond Dust.
Year: 1985
Size: 39 3/8″ x 31 1/2″
Edition: Edition of 5 AP, signed and numbered in pencil. Portfolio of 16.
Andy Warhol created Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1985 for his portfolio Reigning Queens: Royal Edition. The portfolio consists of sixteen screenprints featuring four different queens and decorated with diamond dust. Warhol’s portrait shows Queen Beatrix in her own right, rather than as a woman married to and represented by a king. Warhol’s pop rendering of Queen Beatrix of the Netherland is an exhibition of female empowerment. Warhol uses his signature color blocking technique and bold, vibrant colors against a solid grey background to accent her femininity and spark attention to the subject. Her face is a gentle blue, with a red and orange gradient accenting her crown and jewels, illuminating the symbols of her power. Queen Beatrix II of Denmark is exemplary of Andy Warhol’s pop art take on classic portraiture. This print is from the Royal Edition of the portfolio and is covered with diamond dust. This print is from the Royal Edition of the portfolio and is covered with diamond dust.
