Andy Warhol created two series of four screen prints dedicated to Hans Christian Andersen. The series was conceived a year prior to his death, therefore it is possible the artist began reflecting on his own childhood during this time. Once again, the pop artist used pre-existing images, in this case the work of another artist, enlarged them manifold and gave them his signature color treatment, rather than creating his own interpretation of the author’s figures and tales.

Introduction

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a prolific Danish author who is best known for his fairy tales. His many stories are often more complex than what meets the eye; he frequently embeds dark and gruesome themes within his children’s tales. His fairy tales have been translated into 125 languages across the world, and his stories have become permanently ingrained into the Western consciousness. Some of his most famous stories include “The Little Mermaid”, “The Ugly Duckling”, “Thumbelina” and more. His many stories have been adapted into plays, operas and films.

Andersen created around 1000 paper cutouts in his life time, and used to carry scissors with him to create silhouettes for his friends and their children. His paper cutouts are childlike and playful, though not directly representative of his fairytales. Nevertheless, Andersen sometimes featured papercuts alongside his stories as an additional feature. Many believe, like his fairytales, the paper shapes also contain hidden meanings beyond their innocent imagery. Unlike Warhol’s previous works, the screen prints use a minimal color palette. It appears that Warhol depicts Andersen with sincere respect rather than veiled irony. Overall, Warhol pays a sweet tribute to a man who equally valued childlike curiosity and modern thinking.

Andy Warhol created two series of four screen prints dedicated to Hans Christian Andersen. The series was conceived a year prior to his death, therefore it is possible the artist began reflecting on his own childhood during this time. Once again, the pop artist used pre-existing images, in this case the work of another artist, enlarged them manifold and gave them his signature color treatment, rather than creating his own interpretation of the author’s figures and tales. The source-material for the four prints consists of a famous photographic portrait of Andersen in profile, and of three of his paper cut-outs, created between 1865 and 1870: ‘Two Women by a Palm Tree with a Ballerina on Top of it‘, ‘Clown with Tablet on his Head’, ‘Miller with two Ole Lukøjes’.

From 1980 onwards, Warhol began to release signed and numbered trial proofs, The trial proofs can be considered unique works and are evidence of the artist’s experiments with a huge variety of colors combinations before selecting a final version to be published as the standard, numbered edition. The nature of the screen-printing process, favored by Warhol throughout his career, was ideal for such experimentation, as every screen could be reused and a different color applied.

Hans Christian Andersen Portfolio I

Hans Christian Andersen

The complete set of four screenprints in colors
Medium: Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Year: 1987
Sheet: 38×38 inches (96.5 x 96.5 cm)
Edition: 25
Artist’s Proofs: 8 AP
Printer’s Proofs: 3 PP
Hors Commerce: 5 HC
Trial Proofs: 36 TP for II.394-397 and II.398-401 with unique color combinations
(see Feldman & Schellmann IIB.394-397, IIB.398-401)
Printer: Rupert Jasen Smith, New-York
Publisher: Art Expo Danmark, Odense, Denmark
Literature: Feldman & Schellmann II.394-397

Signed in pencil by the executor of The Estate of Andy Warhol, the publisher and the printer and numbered on a stamped certificate of authenticity on the verso

1. Hans Christian Andersen (F&S II.394)

2. Hans Christian Andersen (F&S II.395)

3. Hans Christian Andersen (F&S II.396)

4. Hans Christian Andersen (F&S II.397)

Hans Christian Andersen Portfolio II

Hans Christian Andersen

The complete set of four screenprints in colors
Medium: Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Year: 1987
Sheet: 38×38 inches (96.5 x 96.5 cm)
Edition: 25
Artist’s Proofs: 8
Printer’s Proofs: 3 PP
Hors Commerce: 5 HC
Trial Proofs: 36 TP for II.394-397 and II.398-401 with unique color combinations
(see Feldman & Schellmann IIB.394-397, IIB.398-401)
Printer: Rupert Jasen Smith, New-York
Publisher: Art Expo Danmark, Odense, Denmark
Literature: Feldman & Schellmann II.398-401

Signed in pencil by the executor of The Estate of Andy Warhol, the publisher and the printer and numbered on a stamped certificate of authenticity on the verso

1. Hans Christian Andersen (F&S II.398)

2. Hans Christian Andersen (F&S II.399)

3. Hans Christian Andersen (F&S II.400)

4. Hans Christian Andersen (F&S II.401)

2025 Auction Results

WORK IN PROGRESS

Mill-man with dancing girl and the Sandman (F&S II.397), 1987

Bruun Rasmussen: 20 November 2025
Estimated: DKK 25,000 – 30,000
DKK 26,000 (Hammer)
DKK 38,800 / USD 5,090

ANDY WARHOL (b. Pennsylvania 1928, d. New York 1987)
“Mill-man with dancing girl and the Sandman” (Feldman/Schellmann II.397), 1987
from “The H. C. Andersen Series”
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Numbered 13/25
Signed on the reverse by the executor of The Andy Warhol Estate, Fred Hughes, the publisher Art Expo Danmark and the printer Rupert Jasen Smith in a stamped certificate
Published by Art Expo Danmark, Odense, Denmark

Bruun Rasmussen: 20 November 2025
Estimated: DKK 60,000 – 75,000
DKK 55,000 (Hammer)
DKK 71,500 / USD 10,765

ANDY WARHOL (b. Pennsylvania 1928, d. New York 1987)
“H. C. Andersen Portrait” (Feldman/Schellmann II.394), 1987
from “The H. C. Andersen Series”
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Numbered 13/25
Signed on the reverse by the executor of The Andy Warhol Estate, Fred Hughes, the publisher Art Expo Danmark and the printer Rupert Jasen Smith in a stamped certificate
Published by Art Expo Danmark, Odense, Denmark

Bruun Rasmussen: 20 November 2025
Estimated: DKK 25,000 – 30,000
DKK 32,000 (Hammer)
DKK 41,600 / USD 6,265

ANDY WARHOL (b. Pennsylvania 1928, d. New York 1987)
“Pierrot with swan and houses on a tray” (Feldman/Schellmann II.396), 1987
from “The H. C. Andersen Series”
Screenprint in colours on Lenox Museum Board
Numbered 13/25
Signed on the reverse by the executor of The Andy Warhol Estate, Fred Hughes, the publisher Art Expo Danmark and the printer Rupert Jasen Smith in a stamped certificate
Published by Art Expo Danmark, Odense, Denmark

Bruun Rasmussen: 20 November 2025
Estimated: DKK 25,000 – 30,000
DKK 35,000 (Hammer)
DKK 45,500 / USD 6,850

ANDY WARHOL (b. Pennsylvania 1928, d. New York 1987)
“Two women by a tree” (Feldman/Schellmann II.395), 1987
from “The H. C. Andersen Series”
Screenprint in colours on Lenox Museum Board
Numbered 13/25
Signed on the reverse by the executor of The Andy Warhol Estate, Fred Hughes, the publisher Art Expo Danmark and the printer Rupert Jasen Smith in a stamped certificate
Published by Art Expo Danmark, Odense, Denmark

Sotheby’s London: 24 September 2025
Estimated: GBP 5,000 – 7,000
GBP 7,620 / USD 10,250

ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
Hans Christian Andersen (F. & S. II.394), 1987
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Inscribed and numbered HC 3/5
Signed in pencil by the executor of The Estate of Andy Warhol, the publisher and the printer
On a stamped certificate of authenticity verso
One of five hors commerce examples aside from the edition of 25 plus eight artist’s proofs

Regular Editions

Trial Proofs

Sotheby’s Cologne: 4 December 2024
Estimated: EUR 8,000 – 12,000
EUR 7,200 / USD 7,570
TRIAL PROOF

ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
Hans Christian Andersen (Feldman & Schellmann II.394), 1987
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Numbered and inscribed TP 20/36
Signed in pencil by the executor of The Estate of Andy Warhol, the publisher and the printer and numbered on a stamped certificate of authenticity as well as printed artist’s name verso

Complete Sets

Sotheby’s Cologne: 4 December 2024
Estimated: EUR 15,000 – 20,000
EUR 14,400 / USD 15,135
COMPLETE SET

ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
Hans Christian Andersen (4 works) (Feldman & Schellmann II.394-397), 1987
The complete set of four screenprints in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Each numbered 2/25 in pencil, signed in pencil by the executor of The Estate of Andy Warhol, the publisher and the printer and numbered on a stamped certificate of authenticity verso

LA Modern: 21 February 2024
Estimated: USD 15,000 – 20,000
USD 20,160
COMPLETE SET

Phillips London: 8 June 2023
Estimated: GBP 8,000 – 12,000
GBP 12,700
COMPLETE SET

Sotheby’s New-York: 27 October 2022
Estimated: USD 15,000 – 25,000
USD 27,720
COMPLETE SET

Hans Christian Andersen, 1987
The complete set of four screen-prints in colors on Lenox Museum Board
Each signed in pencil by the executor of The Estate of Andy Warhol, the publisher and the printer and numbered 24/25 on a stamped certificate of authenticity on the verso

Christie’s London: 24 March 2022
Estimated: GBP 15,000 – 20,000
GBP 30,240
COMPLETE SET

Hans Christian Andersen, 1987
The complete set of four screen-prints in unique color combinations on Lenox Museum Board
Each signed in pencil by the printer, publisher and the executor of the Andy Warhol Estate, Frederick Hughes, on a stamped certificate on the reverse
Each numbered TP 4/36, a unique trial proof-set aside from the edition of 25