Cow (FS II.11) is one of Andy Warhol’s most iconic and playful works, first produced in 1966. Unlike his celebrity portraits or images of consumer products, this screenprint features the unexpected subject of a brightly colored cow, rendered in Warhol’s signature Pop Art style. The composition presents a close-up of the animal’s head against a bold, monochrome background—its contours defined by vibrant, contrasting colors such as magenta, yellow, and green.
The idea for the Cow series originated from Warhol’s friend and art dealer Ivan Karp, who suggested that Warhol create something “pastoral.” Warhol responded with irony and humor, elevating a simple barnyard creature into a work of fine art. The Cow prints were originally used as wallpaper, covering entire gallery walls in repeating patterns—transforming the exhibition space into a bright, immersive Pop environment.
Through Cow (FS II.11), Warhol demonstrates his fascination with repetition, commercial imagery, and the power of color to transform the ordinary into the spectacular. What might appear humorous on the surface becomes, in Warhol’s hands, a commentary on art, consumer culture, and the boundaries between high and low imagery.