Rebel without a Cause (James Dean)
from Ads
Medium: Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Year: 1985
Sheet: 38×38 inches (96.5 x 96.5 cm)
Edition: 190
Artist’s Proofs: 30 AP
Printer’s Proofs: 5 PP
Exhibitor’s Proofs: 5 EP
Hors Commerce: 10 HC
Other: 10 numbered in Roman numerals
Bon a Tirer: 1 BAT
Trial Proofs: 30 TP, each print is unique
(see Feldman & Schellmann IIB.350-359)
Printer: Rupert Jasen Smith, New-York
Publisher: Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, Inc., New York
Literature: Feldman & Schellmann II.355
Each signed and numbered in pencil
With the printer’s and the publisher’s blindstamps
With the artist’s and the publisher’s copyright inkstamps on the reverse
Also with the stamp:
This interpretation created and copyrighted by Andy Warhol is derived from an original version of a JAMES DEAN poster copyrighted by Warner Bros
Rebel Without a Cause, from the Ads series, distills one of the most enduring images of American cinema into a striking meditation on fame, masculinity, and myth. The composition centers on James Dean, captured in his iconic pose—leaning slightly forward, cigarette in hand, gaze both distant and defiant. Warhol crops and flattens the image, isolating Dean against a field of saturated color that oscillates between intensity and artifice. The figure is at once sharply outlined and slightly unstable, as if dissolving into the very image that made him immortal. The result is less a portrait than a projection: a face that belongs as much to collective memory as to the man himself.
Rebel without a Cause (James Dean) is part of Ads
(Click on picture below to access the Catalogue Entry)
Created in 1985 and published by Ronald Feldman, the Ads series represents Warhol’s late return to the visual language that defined his early career—advertising, celebrity, and the mechanics of image circulation. Printed by Rupert Jasen Smith in an edition of 190, the works employ Warhol’s mature silkscreen technique, layering photographic source material with bold, often dissonant color fields. In this case, the source image derives from promotional material for the film Rebel Without a Cause, a cultural landmark that crystallized the figure of the rebellious youth in postwar America. Warhol does not reinterpret the image so much as intensify it, pushing its graphic and emotional charge to the surface.
The choice of James Dean is, of course, deeply aligned with Warhol’s lifelong fascination with celebrity as a form of modern iconography. Dean’s career was brief—cut short by his death at the age of 24—yet his image achieved a permanence that few actors have matched. He became less a person than a symbol: of youthful defiance, existential uncertainty, and a certain romantic fatalism. Warhol had already explored similar territory in his earlier portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, but here the tone is subtly different. There is less glamour, more tension; less polish, more fragmentation. Dean’s image feels raw, unresolved—an icon still in the process of becoming.
What gives Rebel Without a Cause its particular force is its ambiguity. On one level, it operates exactly like an advertisement: a compelling image designed to capture attention and linger in the mind. On another, it exposes the very machinery of that appeal. The cigarette, the posture, the carefully constructed aura of nonchalance—these are not spontaneous gestures, but coded signs, repeated and circulated until they become inseparable from the idea of rebellion itself. Warhol, ever attentive to such mechanisms, presents the image without commentary, allowing its constructed nature to reveal itself.
Within the broader Ads portfolio, this work occupies a unique position. While many of the prints focus on products—Chanel perfume, Volkswagen cars, Life Savers candy—Rebel Without a Cause shifts the emphasis back to the human figure, yet treats it with the same logic of branding. James Dean becomes, in effect, a product: an image packaged, distributed, and consumed. This collapse between person and commodity lies at the heart of Warhol’s practice, and here it is rendered with a particular clarity. In the end, Warhol offers no resolution. James Dean remains suspended between image and identity, rebellion and performance, presence and myth. It is precisely this tension that gives the work its lasting intensity—an image that continues to burn, quietly, long after its moment has passed.
In Rebel Without A Cause (James Dean), Andy Warhol illustrates further his passion for and interest in popular culture. This print of a Japanese film poster for the 1950s film, Rebel Without a Cause, depicts James Dean as the troublemaking teenager, Jim Stark. Printed on Lenox Museum Board, this image contains an element of nostalgia, harking back to the 1950s, the era in which Warhol rose to fame. The image is rendered in unlikely colors, with bold black and green gestural lines delineating Dean’s body against a vibrant red backdrop. Dean dominates the right side of the print with a repetition of the actor appearing faintly in the center of the print. The left of the composition shows the film’s title in duotone blue Japanese script.
“James Dean is not our hero because he was perfect, but because he so perfectly represented the damaged but beautiful soul of his time.”
Star of the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause, James Dean became a cultural icon, ultimately lifted to mythical status due to his untimely death in a car accident at the age of 24. Warhol certainly would have seen the film shortly after he moved to New York and, a strong believer in the myth of stardom, the artist was captivated by Dean. Warhol was attuned to the nuance of celebrity, obsessed with encapsulating the tension between their public life and private personas.
Drawn to the youthful and famous, Warhol immortalizes them in this series, which also includes Judy Garland, and Ronald Reagan. What is present, too, in Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean) is a note of imminent disaster. There is an outlined shadow figure of Dean, leading one to see the young actor as transient or fading from view—the effect is ghostly. This commentary on death and the question of permanence is particularly resonant, as it brings forth that though Warhol was entranced by the concept of celebrity, he was not unaware of the painful truths of untimely death—in fact, perhaps his fascination with Dean is rooted in this painful loss, and Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean) ultimately immortalizes the memory of Dean as a tragic, teenage idol who embodies the promise and disappointment of Hollywood.
Auction Market Overview
Auction Summary
Regular Editions
Palm Beach Modern: 21 February 2026
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 140,800
ANDY WARHOL (American, 1928-1987)
Rebel without a Cause from the “Ads” portfolio, 1985
(Frayda Feldman and Jorge Schellmann, vol. II, cat. no. 355)
Screenprint on Lenox Museum Board
HC 5/10 aside from the edition of 190, 30 APs
Signed with blindstamp
XXXXXXXXXX
LLB Auction: 23 December 2025
Estimated: EUR 100,000 – 150,000
EUR 105,000 (Hammer)
EUR 126,000 / USD 147,775
ANDY WARHOL
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), 1985
(Feldman & Schellmann II.355)
Screenprint on Lenox Museum Board
Signed by the artist
From the edition of 190
Karl & Faber: 5 June 2025
Estimated: EUR 100,000 – 150,000
EUR 139,700 / USD 159,260
ANDY WARHOL
Rebel without a Cause from Ads (Feldman & Schellmann II.355), 1985
Color screenprint on Lenox museum cardboard
One of 190 numbered copies
Signed lower right
With the artist’s copyright stamp and copyright stamp of Warner Bros, Inc. on the reverse
Christie’s online: 27 March 2025
Estimated: GBP 90,000 – 120,000
PASSED
ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), from: Ads (Feldman & Schellmann II.355), 1985
Screenprint in colours on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered 75/190 (there were also thirty artist’s proofs)
XXXXXXXXXX
Sotheby’s New-York: 22 October 2024
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 132,000
ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), from Ads (Feldman & Schellmann II.355), 1985
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Sheet: 38×38 inches (96.4 x 96.7 cm)
Signed in pencil and numbered 74/190
Christie’s online: 27 March 2024
Estimated: GBP 80,000 – 120,000
GBP 151,200 / USD 190,981
AUCTION RECORD FOR REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (REGULAR EDITION)
ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
Rebel Without A Cause (James Dean), from: Ads, 1985
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered 182/190 (there were also thirty artist’s proofs)
XXXXXXXXXX
Waddington’s Toronto: 29 June 2023
Estimated: CAD 100,000 – 150,000
CAD 168,750 / USD 127,325
ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987), American
REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (JAMES DEAN), FROM “ADS,” 1985 [F&S II. 355]
Screenprint in colours on Lenox museum board, the full sheet
Signed and numbered 181/190, there were also 30 artist’s proofs
Sotheby’s New-York: 19 April 2023
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 114,300
ANDY WARHOL
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), from Ads, 1985
Screen-print in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil and numbered 69/190
XXXXXXXXXX
Sotheby’s New-York: 28 October 2022
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 163,800
ANDY WARHOL
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), from Ads
Screen-print in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil and numbered 148/190′
Sotheby’s New-York: 19 July 2022
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 138,600
ANDY WARHOL
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean) (F&S II.355), from Ads, 1985
Screen-print in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil Andy Warhol and inscribed AP 30/30 (lower right)
XXXXXXXXXX
Koller Zurich: 1 July 2021
Estimated: CHF 60,000 – 80,000
CHF 146,700 / USD 158,430
ANDY WARHOL (Pittsburgh 1928–1987 New York)
Rebel without a cause (James Dean), from the 10-part portfolio Ads, 1985
Color screenprint on Lenox Museum Board
Edition: 131/190
Signed in pencil lower right: Andy Warhol
With the copyright-stamp on the reverse: © ANDY WARHOL
Also with the stamp:
This interpretation created and copyrighted by Andy Warhol is derived from an original version of a JAMES DEAN poster copyrighted by Warner Bros
Menzies Sydney: 30 June 2021
Estimated: AUD 100,000 – 150,000
AUD 159,545 / USD 119,600
ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987, American)
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), 1985
Color screenprint on Lenox Museum Board
Hand numbered and signed in image
Edition: Artist’s Proof 15/30 (main edition of 190)
Bonhams New-York: 26 May 2021
No Estimates Provided
USD 162,812
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum board
Signed in pencil and numbered 63/190 (there were also 30 artist’s proofs)
Estimated: USD 70,000 – 90,000
USD 132,300
ANDY WARHOL
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), from Ads (F. & S. 355), 1985
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Signed and numbered 92/190 in pencil (there were also 30 artist’s proofs and 10 in Roman numerals)
XXXXXXXXXX
Christies New-York: 20 October 2020
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 112,500
ANDY WARHOL
Rebel Without A Cause (James Dean), from Ads, 1985
Screen-print in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered ‘AP 20/30’ (an artist’s proof, the edition was 190)
XXXXXXXXXX
Christies New-York: 23 October 2019
Estimated: USD 70,000 – 100,000
USD 106,250
ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), from Ads, 1985
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered 28/190
Mainichi Auction: 19 October 2019
Estimated: JPY 7,000,000 – 10,000,000
JPY 9,500,000 (Hammer)
JPY 11,067,500 / USD 102,095
ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), 1985
Screenprint
Signed and numbered 28/190
Bonhams New-York: 21 May 2019
Estimated: USD 70,000 – 100,000
USD 100,075
ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), from Ads (F.&S.II.355), 1985
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil and numbered 63/190
Christies New-York: 18 April 2019
Estimated: USD 70,000 – 100,000
USD 106,250
ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
Rebel Without A Cause (James Dean), from Ads, 1985
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered 18/190
Phillips London: 24 January 2019
Estimated: GBP 55,000 – 75,000
GBP 68,750 / USD 89,580
Screenprint in colours on Lenox Museum Board
Signed and numbered IV/X in pencil
One of 10 impressions in Roman numerals, the edition was 190 and 30 artist’s proofs
Trial Proofs
Rebel without a Cause (TP 15/30), 1985
Sotheby’s New-York: 14 April 2026
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 192,000
TRIAL PROOF
ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), from Ads (see Feldman & Schellmann IIB.355)
Screenprint in a unique color combination on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil and inscribed TP 15/30
This impression is one of 30 unique trial proofs aside from the numbered edition of 190 plus 30 artist’s proofs
With the blindstamps of the printer, Rupert Jasen Smith, and the publisher, Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, Inc.
Rebel without a Cause (TP 23/30), 1985
Phillips New-York: 26 October 2023
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 222,250
TRIAL PROOF
ANDY WARHOL
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), from Ads (see F. & S. 355), 1985
Unique screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Signed and numbered ‘TP 23/30’ in pencil
One of 30 unique color trial proofs, the edition was 190 and 30 artist’s proofs
Rebel without a Cause (TP aside), 1985
Bonhams New-York: 30 October 2020
Estimated: USD 40,000 – 60,000
USD 125,075
TRIAL PROOF
Unique screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, a proof (aside from the edition of 190 and 30 trial proofs)
Rebel without a Cause (TP 25/30), 1985
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 125,000
USD 125,000
TRIAL PROOF
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil and numbered TP 25/30 (a unique trial proof, aside from the edition of 190)
Rebel without a Cause (TP 9/30), 1985
Christie’s London: 17 September 2014
Estimated: GBP 60,000 – 80,000
GBP 74,500 / USD 121,110
TRIAL PROOF
ANDY WARHOL
Rebel without a Cause (James Dean), from: Ads, 1985
Unique screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Numbered in pencil TP 9/30
A unique trial proof aside from the standard edition of 190
Rebel without a Cause (TP 27/30), 1985
Christie’s London: 21 September 2011
Estimated: GBP 40,000 – 60,000
GBP 49,250 / USD 76,740
TRIAL PROOF
ANDY WARHOL
Rebel without a Cause (James Dean), from: Ads (F. & S. IIB.355), 1985
Unique screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Numbered in pencil TP 27/30, from the edition of unique trial proofs
Aside from the standard edition of 190
Numbered on pencil A493.104, with the Warner Bros. copyright stamp
Rebel without a Cause (TP 7/30), 1985
Christie’s New-York: 1 May 2002
Estimated: USD 14,000 – 18,000
USD 17,925
TRIAL PROOF
ANDY WARHOL
Rebel Without a Cause (James Dean), from Ads (F. & S. 355), 1985
Unique screenprint in colors on Lenox Musuem Board
Signed in pencil, numbered ‘TP 7/30’
A uniquely colored trial proof apart from the edition of 190 plus 30 artist’s proofs