Andy Warhol Details of Renaissance Paintings For Sale

Andy Warhol: Details of Renaissance Paintings

Market Position & Investment Context

The Details of Renaissance Paintings series represents one of Warhol's most intellectually ambitious print portfolios, commanding strong institutional and collector interest as a bridge between Old Master traditions and contemporary Pop sensibility. At Guy Hepner, our position as a leading Warhol dealer—with 478 transactions totalling over $51 million across 292 collectors—provides direct insight into how this series performs within the broader Warhol print market.

Recent auction results confirm sustained demand: individual prints from the Leonardo da Vinci, the Annunciation, 1472 suite achieved $666,750 at auction in October 2025, with earlier sales at £247,650 in September 2024. These figures demonstrate consistent appreciation for works that occupy a unique position in Warhol's catalogue—sophisticated subject matter combined with the artist's signature screen print technique.

The broader Warhol market continues to set benchmarks across all auction houses. Christie's May 2022 sale of Shot Sage Blue Marilyn at $195,040,000 established the highest price ever recorded for a 20th-century work at auction. More recently, Christie's May 2025 sales saw Mao prints (F.S. II.96 and II.97) each realise $4,648,000, while Sotheby's achieved $4,076,000 and $3,832,000 for Flowers works that same month. Within this elevated market context, the Renaissance Paintings series offers collectors substantive entry into Warhol's print oeuvre at accessible price points relative to his iconic Pop imagery.

---

Technical & Historical Context

Published in 1984 by Editions Schellmann & Klüser, Munich, the Details of Renaissance Paintings portfolio arrived during Warhol's prolific late period, when the artist increasingly engaged with art historical appropriation. The series comprises screen prints on Arches Aquarelle Cold Pressed paper, with individual sheets measuring 32 x 44 inches and the complete Annunciation set sized at 25 1/4 x 37 1/8 inches per print.

Warhol selected two Renaissance masterworks for transformation: Leonardo da Vinci's The Annunciation (1472) and Paolo Uccello's St. George and the Dragon (c. 1460). By isolating details—hands, faces, the dragon's form—and rendering them through his commercial printing vocabulary, Warhol collapsed centuries of artistic hierarchy. The sacred became secular; the singular became serial.

The choice of Arches Aquarelle paper was deliberate. This archival-quality substrate, traditionally favoured by watercolourists, provided a receptive surface that enhanced the luminosity of Warhol's colour separations while ensuring long-term stability. The cold pressed texture adds subtle dimensionality that distinguishes these prints from Warhol's slicker commercial editions.

---

Individual Works & Collector Preferences

The portfolio divides between two source paintings, each yielding four distinct detail prints. From Leonardo's Annunciation, F.S. II 320–323 isolate the angel Gabriel's face, the Virgin's contemplative expression, architectural elements, and the lily arrangement—symbol of purity rendered through Warhol's flattened chromatic palette. The complete set (F.S. II 320–323) has proven particularly desirable, with collectors valuing the narrative coherence of owning the full Leonardo suite.

Paolo Uccello's St. George and the Dragon generated F.S. II 324–327, with prints highlighting the princess, the knight's armoured form, the dragon in its death throes, and landscape passages. Among these, F.S. II 327 draws strong interest for its focus on the mythological creature—Warhol's eye for the monstrous aligning with his broader fascination with spectacle and violence.

From our transactional experience, collectors approaching this series tend toward two profiles: those building comprehensive Warhol print holdings who appreciate the art historical gravitas, and those specifically interested in the dialogue between Renaissance and contemporary practice. The latter group often includes collectors with Old Master holdings seeking contextual counterpoints. Individual sheets from both the Leonardo and Uccello suites move regularly, though complete sets command premiums and extended placement periods due to their relative scarcity.

---

Authentication & Condition Factors

Each print in the Details of Renaissance Paintings series bears Warhol's signature in pencil on the verso, accompanied by edition numbering. The portfolio was published in an edition of 70, with additional proofs designated as artist's proofs (A.P.) and printer's proofs (P.P.). Collectors should expect accompanying documentation from Editions Schellmann & Klüser, and works should reference the definitive Feldman/Schellmann catalogue raisonné numbers (F.S. II 320–327).

Condition assessment requires particular attention to the Arches Aquarelle substrate. The cold pressed texture, while archivally sound, can show handling evidence more readily than coated papers. Surface abrasions, foxing, and toning along sheet edges represent common condition issues in works that have not been properly stored or framed. Light exposure produces fading in the more transparent colour passages—a concern given the series' age approaching forty years.

Guy Hepner provides comprehensive condition reporting on all Renaissance Paintings works, with high-resolution imaging that documents sheet edges, surface integrity, and any conservation history. We recommend UV-filtering glazing and climate-controlled display for long-term preservation, particularly given these prints' reliance on colour vibrancy for their visual impact.

---

Investment Analysis & 2026 Acquisition Strategy

Within Warhol's extensive print catalogue, the Renaissance Paintings series occupies a distinct market position. Unlike the immediately recognisable Marilyn, Mao, or Flowers portfolios—where price escalation has placed many works beyond mid-market collectors—the Renaissance suite offers acquisition opportunities with meaningful appreciation potential. The October 2025 results at $666,750 reflect strong but not overheated demand, suggesting room for growth as institutional interest in Warhol's art historical commentary deepens.

Comparative performance within Warhol's oeuvre indicates that thematic depth correlates with sustained collector interest. The Renaissance works reward extended viewing and scholarly engagement, attributes that align with museum acquisition criteria and private collections oriented toward curatorial coherence rather than trophy display.

For 2026 acquisitions, Guy Hepner advises targeting complete sets where available, as these appear to market less frequently and command proportionally higher premiums upon resale. Individual sheets remain viable entry points, with F.S. II 321 (the Virgin's face from the Annunciation) and F.S. II 327 (the dragon detail) demonstrating strongest secondary interest. Condition-sensitive buyers should prioritise works with documented provenance and minimal conservation intervention.

---

Acquire Details of Renaissance Paintings Through Guy Hepner

Guy Hepner maintains active inventory across the Renaissance Paintings portfolio, with access to additional works through our established collector network. Our New York team provides acquisition guidance, authentication support, and condition assessment for serious buyers considering entry into this distinguished series.

Contact our specialists to discuss current availability and pricing for individual prints or complete sets.