In General Custer, Andy Warhol turns his gaze toward one of the most mythologised figures of the American frontier, transforming history into icon. Set against a saturated field of blazing red, Custer’s profile emerges in flattened planes of ochre, rust, and pale white, his crossed arms and stoic expression rendered with graphic clarity. Warhol strips the image of painterly depth, replacing it with bold contour lines and areas of vibrant, almost confrontational colour.

Part of the celebrated Cowboys and Indians series, the work interrogates the construction of American identity and the mythology of the Wild West. Custer—long positioned in popular culture as a heroic cavalry officer—becomes, in Warhol’s hands, both a cultural symbol and a commodified image. The stark red ground heightens the drama while subtly alluding to themes of conflict and conquest embedded within the historical narrative.

This example is a unique colour variant, underscoring Warhol’s enduring fascination with repetition and difference. By shifting the chromatic register, Warhol transforms the emotional tenor of the image, demonstrating how colour alone can recalibrate meaning, mood, and intensity. The distinctive palette gives the work a singular presence within the series, enhancing its individuality while maintaining its conceptual ties to the broader portfolio.

Executed as a unique screenprint on Lenox Museum Board, the square format reinforces the work’s iconic presence, giving the figure a commanding yet contained stage. Simultaneously celebratory and critical, General Custer exemplifies Warhol’s late-career exploration of American mythmaking—where celebrity, history, and media imagery converge into a single, unforgettable portrait.