Neuschwanstein

Medium: Screenprint on Arches 88 paper
Year: 1987
Sheet: 33 1/2 x 23 5/8 inches (85.1 x 60 cm)
Edition: 100
Artist’s Proofs: 25 AP
Other: 5 PP (Printer’s Proofs), 10 HC (Hors Commerce)
Trial Proofs: 25 TP signed in pencil lower left, and unnumbered with a different size
Sheet: 43 x 30 1/2 inches (109.2 x 77.5 cm)
Printer: Rupert Jasen Smith, New-York
Publisher: Editions Schellmann, Munich, Germany/New-York; Sabine Knust, Munich, Germany
Published to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Bavarian Reinsurance Company, Munich
Literature: Feldman & Schellmann II.372

Signed and numbered in pencil, lower left

Sat majestically above the serene Alpsee lake, surrounded by dense evergreen forest, the fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein is emblematic of the idyllic Bavarian countryside. With its spiraling towers, ivory façade and grandiose scale, the castle has inspired countless tales of magic and romance over the years. Famously, it graced the silver screen as the regal residence of King Stefan in Walt Disney’s timeless masterpiece, Sleeping Beauty (1959), and later became the iconic Disney logo. Today, Neuschwanstein reigns as one of Europe’s most renowned tourist attractions and has become the most photographed building in Germany. It is no wonder, then, that this instantly recognisable, widely-reproduced symbol of German history and culture captured the imagination of Andy Warhol.

Left: Neuschwanstein Castle. Image: © Album / Alamy Stock Photo 
Right: “E.Feuchtwanger” Margarine, Munich, circa 1910. Image: © INTERFOTO / Alamy Stock Photo

Andy Warhol’s Neuschwanstein was commissioned to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Bavarian Reinsurance Company in Munich in 1987. The castle was built just over a century earlier when King Ludwig II, who had recently been defeated by Prussia, sought to create a new Bavarian kingdom. He envisioned the enchanting castle of Neuschwanstein sitting at the centre, serving as a residence for the royal family and as a tribute to the renowned composer Richard Wagner. Yet, shortly after the king’s death in 1886, the gates of Neuschwanstein were opened permanently to the public. In 1971, Warhol made a visit to the castle whilst on a trip to Munich for the premiere of his film Trash (1970). Captivated by the fairytale castle, Warhol later requested that his friend, the interior designer Jed Johnson, stencil patterns from Neuschwanstein’s interior onto the walls and ceilings of his New York residence.

“I don’t know anybody who doesn’t have a fantasy.
Everybody must have a fantasy.”

Disneyland (entrance to Sleeping Beauty’s Enchanted Castle), 1857. Image: © Everett Collection / Bridgeman Images

Warhol’s Neuschwanstein screenprints transform the historic castle into a twentieth century Pop icon. Using a postcard-style photograph overlaid with bold planes of bright colors and cartoonish outlines, his compositions echo the extensive tourist memorabilia of the castle. The composition also resembles the flat shapes and vivid colors of Disney’s magical fairytale animations. By tapping into the profound historical and cultural significance of this German landmark, coupled with its role as a symbol for an iconic American corporation, Neuschwanstein becomes a captivating fusion of Warhol’s fascination with fame, mass media, and icons. In this fantastical reimagining, the castle transcends time and place, envisioning the fairytale kingdom dreamt of by King Ludwig II.

Source: Phillips

Auction Results

1. Regular Editions

Sotheby’s London: 19 March 2020
Estimated: GBP 12,000 – 18,000
GBP 21,250

ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
NEUSCHWANSTEIN (F. & S. II.372), 1987
Screenprint in colors on Arches 88 paper
Signed in pencil, numbered 85/100

Ketterer Kunst: 7 June 2019
Estimated: EUR 14,000
EUR 21,250 / USD 22,312

ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
Neuschwanstein (F/S II.372), 1987
Silkscreen in colors on firm wove paper
A Proof aside from the edition of 100
With the authentication stamp from the Estate of Andy Warhol on verso
Annotated ‘145S UT.002’

2. Trial Proofs

Phillips Hong-Kong: 14 June 2024
Estimated: HKD 200,000 – 300,000
HKD 355,600 / USD 45,531

Sotheby’s online: 20 March 2024
Estimated: GBP 30,000 – 50,000
GBP 31,750 / USD 40,323

ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
Neuschwanstein (see Feldman & Schellmann IIB.372), 1987
Screenprint in a unique color combination on Arches 88 paper
Signed in pencil
This impression is one of 25 trial proofs printed in a unique color combination aside from the numbered edition of 100

Phillips London: 17 January 2024
Estimated: GBP 20,000 – 30,000
GBP 33,020 / USD 41,708

Phillips London: 15 June 2022
Estimated: GBP 20,000 – 30,000
GBP 52,920