Henri Matisse, The Snail 1953. Tate.
This display introduces you to some of the best-loved artworks in the Tate collection
This display introduces you to some of the best-loved artworks in the Tate collection. Linked by themes such as colour, these rooms with highlight artworks from a range of countries, cultures and times.
Andy Warhol, Marilyn Diptych 1962
In August 1962, Andy Warhol started experimenting with screenprints in his New York studio. When the actor Marilyn Monroe died the same month, Warhol was shocked by her death. He found a publicity photo of Monroe from the 1953 film Niagara, taken by the photographer Gene Kornman. Cropping her face, Warhol made a series of graphic screenprints based on the portrait. He painted over some of them by hand, then reprinted Monroe’s face on top of the colour. Originally two separate pieces, Marilyn Diptych was first purchased by art collectors Burton and Emily Tremaine. Together, the mask-like depictions of Monroe could hint at the experiences of a life led inside and outside the celebrity spotlight.
Gallery label, April 2025
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artworks in Start Display
Art in this room
Andy Warhol
Marilyn Diptych
1962
