Andy WARHOL - John Wayne [Unique] (FS II.377)

John Wayne 377 (Unique) by Andy Warhol represents the macho leading man in Hollywood’s prime. He was a fixture in westerns and war movies alike and was considered an all-American hero. The source image is a publicity photo from the film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). In this image, the celebrity status of John Wayne completely overshadows the actor’s real identity. In the movie, a reporter takes the story of John Wayne’s character back to his editor and is told, “This is the West, sir; when the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” That’s what Warhol did in this series.