Hammer and Sickle (Special Edition) FS II.166 is the second print in Andy Warhol’s seven-part Special Edition portfolio, designed to reveal the layered screenprinting process behind his completed work Hammer and Sickle, FS II.164. This print introduces the second color in the sequence: blocky shapes of charcoal gray, which represent the shadows of the hammer and sickle. These forms serve as the foundation for depth and dimension, signaling the structural emergence of the iconic imagery.

Warhol conceived this series after a 1976 visit to Italy, where he encountered the hammer and sickle symbol spray-painted across city walls as a form of popular graffiti. While the symbol carried deep political significance, Warhol approached it not as an ideological statement, but as a visual motif. He was intrigued by its repetition, cultural saturation, and potential reinterpretation through the lens of Pop Art.

To create the foundational visuals, Warhol tasked his studio assistant Ronnie Cutrone with photographing an actual hammer and sickle, after rejecting more conventional references found in books and political materials. These photographs offered a fresh, real-world perspective and became the visual basis for the series. Each print in the Special Edition portfolio isolates a layer of the final image, offering viewers an intimate look at Warhol’s compositional process.

In FS II.166, the charcoal gray shadows take center stage, giving weight and volume to otherwise flat shapes. These abstract forms, while clearly suggestive of the tools, retain a degree of ambiguity, allowing Warhol to distance the image from its overt political origins. Instead, the focus is placed on form, contrast, and the process of visual construction.

Printed in 1977 on Strathmore Bristol paper, this screenprint is hand-signed by Andy Warhol in pencil at the lower center and numbered from an edition of just 10. As part of the Special Edition portfolio, FS II.166 underscores Warhol’s ability to dissect and rebuild cultural symbols layer by layer—both technically and conceptually. The result is a compelling examination of image-making, ideology, and the transformation of meaning through art.

For more information on Warhol’s Hammer and Sickle (Special Edition), FS II.166 or to buy Hammer and Sickle (Special Edition), FS II.166, contact our galleries using the form below.