
Andy Warhol
101.6 x 81.3 cm
Wayne Gretzky #99 (F.S. II 306), a screenprint published by Andy Warhol in 1984, captures Canada's most celebrated hockey player in the artist’s iconic style. While Warhol had previously explored the theme of athletic fame in his 1977 Athletes series, this portrait stands apart as an independent work, highlighting Gretzky’s singular status. Often referred to as "Canadian royalty," Gretzky inspired Warhol to remark, “he’s more than a hockey player, he’s an entertainer.”
The composition features Gretzky’s portrait and bust in the upper left, with the outline of his hand gripping a hockey stick superimposed across the lower section of the print. The number "95" is visible on his jersey, and Warhol fittingly chose the athlete’s team colors—blue, orange, and white—for the palette, grounding the portrait firmly in Gretzky’s identity.
The creation of the portrait was made possible by Vancouver-based art dealer Frans Wynans, in collaboration with Gretzky himself. A fan of Warhol’s work, Gretzky had previously purchased several of the artist’s pieces, commenting, “I’m by no means saying that I know a whole lot about art. I buy things I enjoy and I enjoy his stuff—and to be painted by him is terrific.”
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