No other contemporary artist is as familiar to the public as Andy Warhol (1928-1987). His self-portraits occupy a position of central importance in his oeuvre. From his first attempts painted in gouache by the sixteen-year-old Andrew Warhola in the mid-forties to the fright-wig series completed shortly before his death in February 1987, Andy Warhol continually used self-portraiture to reflect on his position and social status as an artist, performing in a variety of roles in the process. Yet he never made use of the traditional topos of the artist's self-portrait. His fascination with transience and death is a constant presence in his self-portraits, as in his other works. Although many publications have focused on Warhol's various work groups, this book is the first monograph devoted exclusively to his self-portraits. The accompanying essays address different aspects of the theme and examine Warhol's self-portraits in the expanded context of the self-portrait in the twentieth century. Exhibition schedule: Kunstverein St. Gallen Kunstmuseum, June 12 - September 12, 2004 · Sprengel Museum Hannover, October 3, 2004 - January 16, 2005 · Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh February 12 - May 2, 2005