During the mid-1950s, Andy Warhol’s fascination with fashion, glamour, and commercial reproduction inspired a sequence of lavish shoe portraits, each named after a stylish celebrity. The Italian actress Anna Magnani was one of many voguish icons to whom Warhol dedicated a heel, and as was typical for Warhol, his representation to her was formed only by the glitzy persona he saw on television, as the two did not have a personal connection or friendship.
In 1956 Warhol exhibited a small handful of these works at The Bodley Gallery in the now legendary Golden Slipper Show, a moment which marked his transition from commercial illustrator—drawing shoes for advertising or promotion—to a fine artist. In the present work, Warhol adorns Anna Magnani with gold and silver leaf, underscoring the irresistibility and glamorous lifestyle of the high-profile star. Anna Magnani and his other sparkling shoes propelled Warhol into the public eye, as the early works resonated immediately with contemporaneous audiences on account of the familiar names they were constantly exposed to during the celebrity boom of the 1950s.
"I see art in everything. Your shoes. That car. This coffee cup."
—Andy Warhol
Shoes would remain a central topic for Warhol, and he notably revisited the subject in the 1980s, the last decade of his life, with the celebrated Diamond Dust Shoe series. Though the subtle and glittering colors Warhol applies to Anna Magnani are a far cry from his later vibrant silkscreens, Anna Magnani serves as one of the rare early demonstrations of Warhol’s ambition, acting as a prelude to the prominent themes he would continue to explore for the duration of his career.