Pat Hearn

ABOUT THIS WORK

In this striking portrait, Pat Hearn, a prominent New York art dealer, gazes directly out from a field of vibrant pink. Her face, rendered in stark black and white, is a high-contrast silkscreen print, a technique that gives her features a graphic, almost detached quality. Her lips are painted a dramatic, bright red, a detail that pops against the monochromatic treatment of her skin and hair, drawing immediate attention. The overall effect is both glamorous and unsettling, capturing Hearn's assertive presence while also transforming her into an icon, much like the celebrities and consumer products that frequently appeared in art of this period. This work captures Hearn at a pivotal moment, just two years after she opened her influential gallery, showcasing her as a significant figure within the art world.

DETAILS

Artist: Andy Warhol
Date: 1985
Medium: Acrylic and silkscreen ink on linen
Location: Art Institute of Chicago
Dimensions: 101.6 × 101.6 cm (40 × 40 in.)
Collection: Contemporary Art
Culture: United States
Credit line: Gift of Edlis Neeson Collection

ART MOVEMENTS

Pop Art Postmodernism

LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

Five details hide in plain sight. Pick one and we’ll show you exactly where to look.

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01

Profile face

Follow the sharp profile from forehead to chin. The pale skin and dark lips look cut out against the red, like a stamped emblem.

1 of 4 on the painting

02

Black helmet of hair

The bobbed hair is almost a solid black shape with only faint red glints. It frames the face and anchors the top of the picture.

2 of 4 on the painting

03

Offset shadow edge

Look along her chest and back, where a thin dark and red edge sits slightly off the pale body. It looks like a printing offset, which gives the image a shifting, photographic feel.

3 of 4 on the painting

04

Hands behind her back

Low at the right, her pale fingers clasp behind her back. The small gesture makes the pose feel restrained and gives it a quiet tension.

4 of 4 on the painting

05Whole painting

Flat red field

The saturated red fills the whole square with no horizon or furniture. Nothing competes with the figure, so she reads like a bold graphic sign.

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THE ARTIST