Ethan Walker
Andy Warhol's art is scattered with references to religion, and the artist himself had a complex relationship with Catholicism. Baptized in the Byzantine Catholic Church as Andrew Warhola, Warhol's work includes explicit religious themes, such as crosses, the Madonna, and the Last Supper. Despite being actively gay, Warhol continued to practice Catholicism, attending a Latin Church almost daily but never taking Communion or going to Confession. He also created a series of films titled Sunrise/Sunset for the Vatican pavilion at the World's Fair in San Antonio.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religious upbringing | Baptized in the Byzantine Catholic Church |
| Attended St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church every Sunday | |
| Mother, Julia Warhola, was an observant Catholic | |
| Religious art | Religious metaphors and imagery in his art |
| "Jackie" series rendered Jackie Kennedy as a figure out of a pietà | |
| "Sunrise/Sunset" series for the Vatican pavilion at the World's Fair in San Antonio | |
| "Last Supper" series | |
| "Crosses, Raphael Madonna-$6.99" | |
| Religious practices | Attended a Latin Church almost daily |
| Never took Communion and never went to Confession | |
| Went to church on Sundays after surviving a shooting in 1968 |
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What You'll Learn
Warhol's art and Catholicism
Andy Warhol was a practicing Catholic. Baptised Andrew Warhola, he grew up in a close-knit community of immigrants from Ruthenia, near Poland's southern border, in Pittsburgh. Warhol and his family attended the St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church, where he was exposed to religious imagery and the power of images. His mother, Julia, was a devout Catholic who made pen-and-ink drawings of angels, and a reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" hung in their home.
Warhol's Catholic faith was a significant influence on his art. He created works with explicitly religious themes, such as "Crosses", "Raphael Madonna-$6.99", and "The Last Supper" series. In 1967, he accepted a commission from the Catholic Church and created a series of films titled "Sunrise/Sunset" for the Vatican pavilion at the World's Fair in San Antonio. This series of five unfinished reels of film depicting sunsets has been interpreted as capturing a spiritual, transient experience.
Despite his Catholic upbringing, Warhol's work was often seemingly at odds with religious practices. His films and art were frequently graphic and sexual, and he was openly gay. However, metaphors of the Catholic faith are present in the undercurrents of his artistic production. For example, his "Jackie" series from 1964 rendered Jackie Kennedy as a figure out of a pietà, wearing the veil she wore to her husband's funeral.
Warhol's relationship with Catholicism was complex and multifaceted. He attended church services regularly, but he did not take Communion or go to Confession. His lifestyle was described by his pastor as "absolutely irreconcilable" with Catholic moral doctrine. After surviving an assassination attempt in 1968, Warhol made a vow to attend church on Sundays, and he continued to incorporate religious subjects into his art, such as in his "Details of Renaissance Paintings" series in 1984.
In conclusion, Warhol's art and Catholicism were intricately linked. His Catholic upbringing and faith influenced his artistic production, and he continued to explore religious themes throughout his career, even as he pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable in his personal life and artwork.
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Warhol's religious upbringing
Andy Warhol's religious upbringing played a significant role in shaping his life and art. Warhol was born and raised in a religious Catholic family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His parents, Andrej Warhola and Julia Warhola, were devout Byzantine Catholics of Lemko descent, a subgroup of Rusyn people, and they passed their strong religious beliefs on to their children.
Warhol's mother, Julia, was especially religious and is often cited as the most influential person in Warhol's life. She was a very traditional and pious woman who attended church daily and prayed constantly. Julia was also deeply superstitious and often took her son to fortune tellers and palm readers, which likely influenced Warhol's later fascination with celebrity, death, and the supernatural.
Warhol and his two older brothers, Paul and John, were altar boys at their local church, and the family regularly attended mass and participated in the sacraments. The Warholas observed Catholic holidays and traditions, and their home was filled with religious icons and imagery. Warhol's artwork would later reflect this early exposure to religious iconography and his familiarity with Catholic rituals and symbols.
As a young man, Warhol attended a Catholic elementary school, and his artwork during this time often reflected religious themes. He continued to practice his faith into adulthood, even after moving to New York City and achieving success as an artist. He regularly attended mass at St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Manhattan's Upper East Side, and his attendance at church services was noted by several of his contemporaries.
However, Warhol's relationship with the Catholic Church and his faith became more complex as he grew older. He often struggled with his sexuality and his religious beliefs, as the Catholic Church taught that homosexuality was a sin. Despite this internal conflict, his Catholic upbringing remained an important aspect of his identity, and he continued to explore religious themes in his artwork throughout his career.
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Warhol's near-death experience and religion
Andy Warhol was raised in a close-knit community of immigrants from Ruthenia, near Poland's southern border. Baptized Andrew Warhola, he grew up in the Byzantine Catholic tradition, spending Sunday mornings at the St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church. Religious imagery was also prominent in his home.
Warhol's near-death experience occurred on June 3, 1968, when he was shot at point-blank range by Valerie Solanas at his office in the Factory. He spent two months in the hospital recovering from his injuries and underwent surgery to remove the bullet. The shooting had a profound impact on Warhol's life and work, causing him to revisit the theme of death in his art. It also intensified his fear of hospitals, and he embraced alternative health treatments instead.
Following the shooting, Warhol made a vow to attend church on Sundays, which he kept in his own way. He would often duck into the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer on Lexington Avenue for a few minutes before heading to the Chelsea flea market.
Despite his complicated relationship with Catholicism, Warhol continued to practice Ruthenian Catholicism throughout his life. He attended services at a Latin Church almost daily but never took Communion or went to Confession.
Warhol's art often featured explicitly religious themes, such as crosses, the Madonna, and the Last Supper. He also created works with spiritual themes, such as sunsets, and accepted commissions from the Catholic Church, such as the "Sunrise/Sunset" film series for the Vatican pavilion at the World's Fair in San Antonio.
Warhol remained a devout Catholic until his death in 1987 and was buried in a Catholic cemetery in his hometown of Pittsburgh. His funeral was a traditional Catholic service.
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Warhol's sexuality and religion
Andy Warhol was a gay man who had several partners throughout his life. His boyfriends, including Edward Wallowitch, John Giorno, and Jed Johnson, were also his colleagues and collaborators, helping to shape and define his career as an artist. From his 1950s Boy Book drawings lovingly depicting the sensuous male form to his poignant self-portraits in drag in the 1980s, Warhol openly expressed his queer identity in life and art, even when homosexuality was criminalized and suppressed in the United States.
Warhol was born in Pittsburgh in 1928 and baptized Andrew Warhola. He grew up in a close-knit community of immigrants from Ruthenia, near Poland's southern border. As a boy, he spent Sunday mornings gazing at Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints in the St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church. He gained a religious sense of the power of images from this congregation, which followed the Byzantine rite—with the priest hidden behind a wall of icons and incanting in Old Church Slavonic. Religious imagery was also prominent at home. His mother, Julia, made pen-and-ink drawings of angels, and a reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" hung in the hall.
Warhol's relationship with Catholicism was complicated and influenced his art. His work, seemingly antithetical to "religious" practices, contains metaphors of the Catholic faith in its undercurrents. For instance, in 1967, at the height of his fame, Warhol accepted a commission from the de Menil family on behalf of the Catholic Church. He created a series of films titled "Sunrise/Sunset" for the Vatican pavilion at the World's Fair in San Antonio. Although the pavilion was never built, one work in the series—a long-form video of a sunset over the Pacific—is on display in Brooklyn, with a voiceover by Nico of the Velvet Underground.
After surviving an almost fatal shooting in 1968, Warhol vowed to go to church on Sundays. In the years that followed, he kept his vow, in his own way—often ducking into the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, on Lexington Avenue, near his townhouse, for just a few minutes. In 1980, Warhol met Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square in Rome. Although he was unable to make a silk-screen portrait of the Pope, he did get a good photograph of him.
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Religious imagery in Warhol's art
Andy Warhol's religious upbringing in the Byzantine Catholic Church had a profound and lasting influence on his art. While he may not have been a conventionally practising Catholic in his adult life, his art frequently referenced religious themes and iconography, often in unexpected and thought-provoking ways.
One of the most prominent examples of religious imagery in Warhol's work is his series of paintings and silkscreens based on Leonardo da Vinci's famous mural, "The Last Supper." Warhol created multiple versions of this work, using bright, bold colours and a distinctive halftone technique to give the familiar image a modern, pop art twist. By reproducing this iconic religious scene in his unique style, Warhol invited viewers to consider the familiar story in a new light, perhaps even prompting questions about the role of religion in contemporary society.
In addition to "The Last Supper," Warhol created a number of works featuring religious figures and symbols. He produced a series of paintings and prints of the Virgin Mary, often based on traditional Byzantine icons, but with his own unique, contemporary interpretation. These images often feature bright, vibrant colours and a flattened perspective, reflecting Warhol's interest in both religious tradition and modern commercial art.
Another recurring religious motif in Warhol's work is the halo. In his famous "Marilyn Diptych," created shortly after the actress' death, Warhol gives Marilyn Monroe a halo-like aura, elevating her to a saint-like status. This blending of religious and secular imagery is a characteristic feature of Warhol's art, reflecting his fascination with celebrity culture and his unique perspective on modern society's 'idols'.
Warhol's use of religious imagery was not without controversy. His depictions of religious scenes and figures in a pop art style challenged traditional notions of sacred art and prompted debates about the role of religion in a consumerist society. However, Warhol's work also revealed a deep respect for religious traditions and a genuine engagement with spiritual themes. His art often explored the intersection of spirituality, consumer culture, and modern life, reflecting his own complex relationship with religion.
In conclusion, while Andy Warhol may not have been a conventionally practising Catholic, his art was deeply influenced by his religious upbringing. Through his distinctive pop art style, Warhol reinterpreted traditional religious imagery, inviting viewers to consider familiar themes in a new and often challenging light. His use of religious motifs, from "The Last Supper" to the halo, revealed a complex engagement with spirituality and a unique perspective on the role of religion in contemporary society.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Andy Warhol was a practicing Catholic. Baptized in the Byzantine Catholic Church as Andrew Warhola, Warhol attended church every Sunday with his family. He also attended Mass several times a week at the traditional St. Vincent Ferrer parish on Manhattan's Upper East Side.
Warhol's art was scattered with references to religion, including religious metaphors and iconography. His work often treated Hollywood stars and public figures as modern-day saints, likening our distanced adoration of their images to the Catholic practice of worshipping Biblical icons.
Yes, Warhol's Catholic background influenced his artistic production. His upbringing in the Byzantine Catholic tradition and his early exposure to religious imagery in church and at home informed his artistic practice.
Warhol's views on Catholicism evolved throughout his life. After being shot in 1968, he made a vow to attend church on Sundays, and his near-death experience led him to incorporate more religious references in his art, including abstracted crucifixes and women with infants.
