In Andy Warhol’s Hans Christian Andersen FS. II 397, Warhol pays tribute to the renowned Danish author whose fairy tales have captivated audiences across generations. Created in 1987, this screenprint features a dark paper cut-out figure set against a soft, muted background—an intentional contrast that draws the viewer's attention directly to the central form. The composition reflects Warhol’s ability to transform even the simplest imagery into a bold, iconic statement.

This print is part of Warhol’s Hans Christian Andersen suite, a portfolio of four screenprints created late in his career. Three of the prints showcase stylized, paper cut-out representations of characters from Andersen’s stories, while only one features a portrait of the author himself. Warhol’s fascination with Andersen’s whimsical and enduring characters led him to explore their visual potential through his distinctive Pop Art lens.

The suite was printed by Rupert Jasen Smith in New York and published by Art Expo Danmark in Odense, Denmark. Each work in the series—including Hans Christian Andersen FS> II 397—was posthumously stamped in black on the verso and is catalogued from FS II.394 to 401.

Warhol was known for elevating cultural icons—whether celebrities, products, or public figures—into the realm of contemporary art. His decision to center a series around Hans Christian Andersen reveals his broader interest in storytelling and the cultural longevity of literary figures. Just as he had done with Marilyn Monroe or Campbell’s Soup cans, Warhol reimagined Andersen and his characters as visual emblems of pop culture, reaffirming the enduring influence of narrative art in a modern context.

For more information on Warhol’s Hans Christian Andersen (FS. II 397) or to buy Hans Christian Andersen (FS. II 397), contact our galleries using the form below.