Watercolor Paint Kit (FS. II 288), created by Andy Warhol in 1982, emerged during a period when the artist faced heavy criticism for his deep entanglement with the business side of the art world. This offset lithograph was produced as part of a fundraiser for the New York Association for the Blind, reflecting Warhol’s willingness to lend his work to charitable causes.

The choice of subject matter is particularly intriguing: a watercolor paint kit—a traditional tool of handmade art. This stands in contrast to Warhol’s iconic embrace of mechanical reproduction through silkscreen printing. Warhol famously distanced himself from the labor-intensive, individualized processes of traditional art, once stating, “I think everybody should be a machine… The reason I’m painting this way is that I want to be a machine.”

Watercolor Paint Kit (FS.II 288) is notable for its ironic reflection on artistic conventions Warhol had spent much of his career rejecting. While the subject nods to the traditional methods he famously subverted, the work itself remains unmistakably Warholian in its execution and presentation. It demonstrates his remarkable versatility—willing to explore unexpected themes without abandoning the distinctive, unorthodox style that defined his impact on contemporary art.