
25 Cats Named Sam
20 works

Mao F.S. II 92, 1972
Screen print on Beckett High White Paper
36 x 36 in 91.4 x 91.4 cm
Edition of 250 plus 50 AP
Andy Warhol's Mao series, created in 1972, stands as a notable departure from his earlier subjects and marks a significant shift towards exploring political figures and power in his art. Warhol's Mao 92 print shows the subject with an orange face and peach background, making it one of the most desirable Mao prints for collectors since they are not often for sale in excellent condition.The Mao series comprises a collection of silkscreen prints that depict the iconic image of Mao Zedong, the Chairman of the Communist Party of China. Warhol based these prints on a famous photograph of Mao, portraying the leader in a frontal and almost propagandistic style, much like the images distributed during the Cultural Revolution in China.Warhol's depiction of Mao captures the enigmatic and authoritative aura surrounding the political figure, yet the repetition of Mao's image in the series adds a layer of ambiguity and contemplation. By repeating the same image in various colors and compositions, Warhol challenges the singular authority of the subject and raises questions about the idolization of political figures in mass media.The series reflects Warhol's interest in the intersection of politics and popular culture, as well as his fascination with celebrity and fame. Mao, an influential political figure, is reimagined by Warhol within the context of mass production and consumerist aesthetics, blurring the lines between political power and celebrity status.Warhol's Mao series sparked discussions about the commodification of political figures and the cult of personality surrounding influential leaders. Through these prints, he provokes contemplation about the manipulation of images in politics and the pervasive influence of media in shaping public perception.Despite its departure from Warhol's more mainstream subjects, the Mao series remains a significant commentary on the intersections of politics, power, and media in contemporary society. It stands as a testament to Warhol's ability to provoke thought and dialogue through his art, challenging viewers to reconsider the nature of authority and representation in the realm of popular culture and politics.
Price on Application

MAO · Andy Warhol · Sotheby's · 2012-05 · $2,540,733

Mao · Andy Warhol · Christie's · 2007-10 · $1,679,930

MAO (F. & S. II.90-99) · Andy Warhol · Sotheby's · 2011-10 · $1,426,500

Mao · Andy Warhol · Christie's · 2016-11 · $1,207,500

MAO (SET OF 10) · Andy Warhol · Sotheby's · 2014-11 · $1,109,000


Andy Warhol
15 Blue-Green Maos (Reversal Series)
1979

Andy Warhol
Mao
1973

Andy Warhol
Mao (FS II.89)
1973

Andy Warhol
Mao F.S. II 125A
1974

Andy Warhol
Mao F.S. II 90
1972

Andy Warhol
Mao F.S. II 91
1972

Andy Warhol
Mao F.S. II 93
1972

Andy Warhol
Mao F.S. II 94
1972

Andy Warhol
Mao F.S. II 95
1972

Andy Warhol
Mao F.S. II 96
1972

Andy Warhol
Mao F.S. II 97
1972

Andy Warhol
Mao F.S. II 98
1972

Andy Warhol
Mao F.S. II 99
1972

Andy Warhol
Mao Portfolio
1972
Mao represents one of Andy Warhol's most politically charged and formally ambitious print series—a sequence of fourteen silkscreens produced in 1972 and catalogued as FS II.85–98, each derived from the official portrait of Mao Zedong as reproduced in the Little Red Book. The series emerged directly from the diplomatic context of Nixon's 1972 visit to China, which cracked open the ideological boundary between the capitalist West and communist China and transformed Mao's image from Cold War enemy to something far more ambiguous: an icon, a brand, a face. Warhol understood this instantly. By subjecting Mao's portrait to the same silkscreen treatment he had applied to Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Campbell's soup cans, he collapsed the distinction between political propaganda and consumer spectacle, between the Chairman and the celebrity—between power and product.
The series spans a remarkable range of colorways, from austere black-and-white compositions that preserve the severity of the original propaganda image to vibrant variants in electric pink, lime green, and orange that reframe Mao within the visual language of pop culture. This chromatic range makes the Mao series one of Warhol's most versatile from a collector's perspective: individual prints within FS II.85–98 vary considerably in mood, palette, and price point, while all sharing the same underlying conceptual architecture. Signed and numbered editions command the strongest auction premiums, with several works in the series achieving exceptional results at the major houses. The series currently ranks at positions one through six across three tracked keywords, reflecting sustained and growing collector and market interest.
Warhol's Mao series remains among the artist's most intellectually provocative bodies of work—a series that asks, with deadpan precision, whether there is any meaningful difference between a Communist icon reproduced for political control and a celebrity image reproduced for commercial consumption. For collectors, these prints combine Warhol's technical mastery of the silkscreen medium with some of his most searching conceptual thinking, producing works that have aged into genuine art historical landmarks. The market fundamentals are correspondingly strong: FS II.85–98 are among the most consistently sought Warhol print series at auction, offering the combination of art historical weight, pop cultural resonance, and demonstrated investment performance that defines blue-chip print collecting.
Guy Hepner specializes in museum-quality prints from Warhol's most significant series, including authenticated works from the Mao editions FS II.85–98.
Andy Warhol's Mao series is actively collected on the secondary market. Guy Hepner Gallery offers authenticated works from this series with full provenance documentation. Enquire about Mao prints for sale →

Andy Warhol prints for sale and Andy Warhol paintings for sale at Guy Hepner Gallery, New York. Our inventory spans screenprints, silkscreens, and unique works across his most collected series: Marilyn Monroe, Campbell's Soup, Mao, Flowers, Myths, Ads, Cowboys and Indians, Dollar Signs, Cars, and Reigning Queens — all with full provenance and Feldman & Schellmann catalogue raisonné references. We also acquire Warhol. Contact our team for a free valuation.
Andy Warhol (1928–1987) is the defining figure of American Pop Art and the most commercially traded artist of the twentieth century. Born Andrew Warhola in Pittsburgh to Slovak immigrant parents, he rose from commercial illustrator to the architect of a cultural movement that permanently dissolved the boundary between fine art and mass media. His Manhattan studio, The Factory, became the epicentre of New York art and celebrity culture from the early 1960s until his death in February 1987.
Andy Warhol art for sale spans an extraordinary range of subjects, media, and price points — from intimate drawings and unique canvas paintings to large signed editions. His signature subjects include Campbell's Soup Cans, Marilyn Monroe, Mao Zedong, Dollar Signs, Flowers, Reigning Queens, Cowboys and Indians, the Ads portfolio, and the late Cars and Endangered Species series. Each body of work reflects his obsessive engagement with repetition, celebrity, and commodity culture.
The market benchmark for Warhol was set in May 2022 when Shot Sage Blue Marilyn (1964) sold at Christie's New York for $195 million — the highest price ever achieved at auction for an American artwork. Recent print sales confirm sustained institutional demand: Mao editions achieved $4,648,000 each at Christie's in May 2025; Flowers editions achieved $4,076,000 and $3,832,000 at Sotheby's in the same season.
Andy Warhol paintings for sale — unique acrylics and silkscreens on canvas — represent the rarest and most valuable tier of his output. Subjects produced in multiple unique variations include Flowers, Skulls, Shadows, Dollar Signs, and the late Oxidation Paintings. The Rorschach series (1984) and Camouflage works appeal strongly to institutional collectors. Abstract Expressionism paintings from the late 1970s and early 1980s remain undervalued relative to his iconic print series and represent a compelling collecting opportunity.
Andy Warhol paintings require substantial documentation: exhibition history, gallery receipts, and provenance tracing to The Factory or first-generation dealers. Prices range from mid-five figures for works on paper to eight figures for major canvas paintings. Our team can advise on current pricing and condition assessment across all painting categories.
Warhol's screenprints represent the most accessible and widely collected segment of his output. Andy Warhol prints for sale range from early unsigned offset lithographs to hand-signed, numbered editions produced with Castelli Graphics, Factory Editions, and Ronald Feldman Fine Arts. Signed, numbered editions from key series — Marilyn Monroe (1967), Flowers (1970), Mao (1972), Ads (1985), Endangered Species (1983), Cowboys and Indians (1986), and Reigning Queens (1985) — command the strongest collector demand and the deepest secondary market liquidity.
Condition, provenance, and edition size are the critical variables. Works printed on Lenox Museum Board or high-grade rag paper with consistent registration and original colouration are the most desirable. Fading, foxing, or retouching materially affects value.
The Cars portfolio (F.S. II.356–362), produced in 1985 as a commission from Mercedes-Benz to mark the centenary of the automobile, stands among the most refined of Warhol's late print series. Ten screenprints on Lenox Museum Board render historic Mercedes-Benz models in Warhol's characteristic flat colour and photographic silkscreen technique — his iconic commercial sensibility applied to the history of industrial design. Signed and numbered in editions of 100, with separate artist's proofs, the Cars series regularly achieves $25,000–$75,000 per impression and commands significant premiums when offered as complete portfolios.
Warhol's production in the final decade of his life — broadly 1978 to 1987 — encompasses some of his most conceptually ambitious work. The Knives series (1981–82), Guns series (1981–82), and Crosses (1981–82) form a trilogy of loaded American objects rendered in the same neutral Pop vocabulary he had applied to Soup Cans twenty years earlier. The Boots and Dollar Bills paintings sit alongside late unique canvases from the Camouflage series (1986–87) and the haunting Last Supper paintings completed weeks before his death. Works from this period are systematically underrepresented in collector awareness relative to their importance to the broader catalogue and represent genuine long-term collecting opportunities.
Andy Warhol self portrait prints are among the most sought-after works in his catalogue — a subject he returned to from 1966 to 1986. The most collected examples include:
Self portrait prices range from $18,000 for early unsigned screenprints to $400,000+ for the 1978 and 1986 signed works in excellent condition. Authentication requires reference to the Feldman & Schellmann catalogue raisonné and, where applicable, a former Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board certificate.
Guy Hepner actively acquires Andy Warhol prints, paintings, and unique works from private collections. If you are looking to sell Warhol prints or seeking a current market valuation, contact our New York gallery for a confidential, no-obligation assessment. We handle all series including Marilyn, Mao, Flowers, Ads, Cowboys and Indians, Myths, Reigning Queens, and late works. Our team can advise on the most appropriate route to market and current secondary market pricing.
Interested in adding Andy Warhol to your collection? Contact our team to discuss available inventory, provenance documentation, and pricing guidance tailored to your collecting goals.