Andy Warhol’s Mother and Child (FS II.383) was created in 1986 as part of his Cowboys and Indians portfolio—one of the artist’s final series before his death. In this body of work, Warhol explores the myths and realities of the American West, juxtaposing heroic figures and iconic imagery from both Native American culture and Hollywood’s idealized portrayals.
In Mother and Child, Warhol depicts a tender image of an Indigenous woman holding her child, sourced from a historical photograph. Through his silkscreen process, he overlays this image with vibrant, contrasting colors—reds, blues, yellows, and pinks—that transform a moment of quiet intimacy into a bold pop icon. The flat areas of color and sharp outlines emphasize both the emotional bond and the cultural symbolism of motherhood within Native traditions.
While Warhol’s earlier work often celebrated consumerism and celebrity, Mother and Child reflects a more reflective tone. It suggests reverence for cultural identity and human connection, while still filtered through Warhol’s lens of reproduction and mass media. The piece blurs the line between documentation and iconography, inviting viewers to question how American history—and the people within it—are represented and remembered.