Hammer and Sickle (Special Edition), FS II.171, is the final print in Andy Warhol’s Hammer and Sickle Special Edition portfolio, created in 1977 as a visual exploration of his screenprint Hammer and Sickle, FS II.164. This print offers a behind-the-scenes look at Warhol’s creative process, featuring the skeletal outline of the hammer and sickle overlaid onto the red color blocking used in the final composition. By isolating and layering each visual element, Warhol reveals the structural anatomy of the image, inviting viewers to see the evolution from concept to finished work.

The origins of the series trace back to Warhol’s 1976 trip to Italy, where he encountered the hammer and sickle symbol repeatedly graffitied across walls—a powerful emblem of communist ideology. However, Warhol's interest was not rooted in political alignment. Instead, he was fascinated by the symbol’s ubiquity, its graphic form, and its potential place in pop culture iconography. In the Special Edition portfolio, Warhol strips the objects of their ideological weight, abstracting them further to focus purely on form, repetition, and aesthetic construction.

To create the foundational images, Warhol asked his studio assistant Ronnie Cutrone to photograph a real hammer and sickle, as suitable references proved hard to find in books and other media. These photographs became the basis for a variety of unique compositions across the series. In this final print, the simplified line drawing conveys both a conceptual and visual breakdown of the icon, emphasizing the process of image-making itself.

Printed on Strathmore Bristol paper, Hammer and Sickle (Special Edition) FS II.171 is a screenprint hand-signed by Warhol in pencil at the lower center and numbered from an edition of only 10. This rare work not only deconstructs a globally recognized symbol but also demystifies Warhol’s printmaking technique, offering collectors and scholars a rare window into his studio practice.

Ultimately, this piece exemplifies Warhol’s ongoing interest in recontextualizing loaded imagery within the framework of Pop Art. By reducing the hammer and sickle to its bare bones, he challenges viewers to see the symbol anew—free from its political associations, and instead as a visual construct shaped by culture, media, and repetition.

For more information on Warhol’s Hammer and Sickle (Special Edition), FS II.171 or to buy Hammer and Sickle (Special Edition), FS II.171, contact our galleries using the form below.