Books and Manuscripts

[Warhol, Andy]
Printed Invitation to the “Flowers” Show at Leo Castelli
(New York: Total Color, 1964). Offset color lithograph on paper, from an edition of approximately 300 copies printed. 22 x 22 in. (559 x 559 mm). Creasing from original folds; separation along upper central fold. Feldman/Schellmann II.6

A mailer invitation printed for Andy Warhol’s inaugural exhibition at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York, held from November 21-December 17, 1964. The show consisted solely of Warhol's Flower paintings, one of which was featured on this printed invitation. The works were based on a series of images that accompanied an article about photographic color processing in the June 1964 issue of Modern Photography. The original image was taken by the magazine’s executive editor, Patricia Caulfield, and was reproduced numerous times in the article to illustrate the effect of different exposure times and filter settings. Caulfield later threatened to sue Warhol over the unauthorized use of her work, and she was offered two sets of Flowers portfolios as payment for the use of her work, but declined the offer in lieu of a cash settlement. The Flowers sold well, both at the time of the exhibition and as part of Castelli’s inventory during 1965.