The Witch
from Myths
Medium: Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board with diamond dust
Year: 1981
Sheet: 38×38 inches (96.5 x 96.5 cm)
Edition: 200
Artist’s Proofs: 30 AP
Printer’s Proofs: 5 PP
Exhibitor’s Proofs: 5 EP
Hors Commerce: 10 HC
Trial Proofs: 30 TP in unique color combination, most with diamond dust
(see Feldman & Schellmann IIB.261)
Publisher: Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, New York
Printer: Rupert Jasen Smith, New-York
Literature: Feldman & Schellmann II.261
Each signed in pencil, and numbered with the artist’s copyright inkstamps on the reverse
The Witch is part of Myths
(Click on picture below to access the Catalogue Entry)
The Witch depicts a woman with vibrant green skin dressed entirely in black. For The Witch, Andy Warhol invited Margaret Hamilton, the actress who portrayed the Wicked Witch in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, to recreate her classic, frightening pose in his studio. Warhol uses her notorious green skin against a dark purple background to accentuate her features and the intimidation of her pose.
The Witch, 1980
four unique polaroid prints
Each: 4 1/4 x 3 3/8 inches (10.8 x 8.6 cm)
The Witch’s lips are curled back in a maniacal laugh. The plain purple background complements her lurid green complexion; additional traces of red and green outline her wide-brimmed hat and dark clothing, a technique Warhol used frequently to highlight the subject of his prints. The Witch is inlaid with diamond dust, tiny crystals that further enhance the artwork’s value and glamor.
The ‘celebrities’ to whom Warhol was now turning were figments of the public perception, strange ciphers of the modern consciousness. These had their origins in different sources. Garbo was here used as the archetype for the generic Hollywood star, an untouchable staple of modern life and the modern media. A comic-strip image of Superman, that all-American superhero, was used, while Warhol also managed to get his hands on a Howdy Doody puppet, adding a sense of portraiture to his depiction of the television character who had colored and shaped so many childhood memories for people of Warhol’s generation and later.
And for the witch, he managed to convince Margaret Hamilton, who had played the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz, to reprise her role four decades later, as he knew her from his neighborhood.
Auction Market Overview
The Witch sold twice at auction in 2024 at an average price of USD 39,615. Furthermore, a Trial Proof sold at Sotheby’s in New-York, on 22 October 2024, for USD 66,000.
The Witch sold 4 times at auction in 2023, at an average price of USD 44,815. Furthermore, a Trial Proof sold at Christie’s in New-York, on 20 April 2023 for USD 69,300.
The Witch sold twice at auction in 2022, at an average price of USD 45,942.
The Auction record for The Witch is USD 63,000, achieved at Sotheby’s in New-York on 22 October 2021.
Regular Editions
Clars Auction: 17 October 2025
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 30,000 (Hammer)
USD 37,800
ANDY WARHOL (American, 1928-1987)
“The Witch”, 1981
From “Myths” Series
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust
Pencil signed verso
Edition 135/200
Published by Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, Inc., New York
Estimated: USD 40,000 – 50,000
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil on the reverse and numbered 19/200 (there were also 30 artist’s proofs)
Sotheby’s New-York: 15 April 2025
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 40,640
ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
The Witch, from Myths (Feldman & Schellmann II.261), 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil and inscribed Michael and Deborah
Also signed in pencil on the verso and numbered 126/200
Christie’s online: 14 February 2025
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 52,920
ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
The Witch, from Myths (Feldman and Schellmann II.261), 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered 135/200 (there were also 30 artist’s proofs)
Phillips London: 19 September 2024
Estimated: GBP 20,000 – 30,000
GBP 24,130 / USD 31,345
ANDY WARHOL
The Witch, from Myths (F. & S. 261), 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Sheet: 96.4 x 96.5 cm (37 7/8 x 37 7/8 inches)
Signed and numbered 172/200 in pencil on the reverse (there were also 30 artist’s proofs)
LA Modern: 10 January 2024
Estimated: USD 40,000 – 60,000
USD 47,880
ANDY WARHOL (1928–1987)
The Witch (from the Myths series), 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed and numbered to verso ‘93/200 Andy Warhol’
Heritage Auctions: 14 November 2023
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 40,000
USD 38,750
ANDY WARHOL
The Witch (from Myths), 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed, numbered 93/200 and with printer’s chop mark on the reverse
Heritage Auctions: 24 October 2023
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 40,000
USD 50,000
ANDY WARHOL (1928–1987)
The Witch, from Myths, 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum board
Signed and numbered 47/200 in pencil, lower left
Rago: 12 October 2023
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 41,580
ANDY WARHOL (1928–1987)
The Witch (from the Myths series), 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum board
Signed and numbered to verso ‘19/200 Andy Warhol’
Christie’s London: 27 September 2023
Estimated: GBP 30,000 – 50,000
GBP 40,320 / USD 48,920
ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
The Witch, from: Myths, 1981
Screen-print in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil on the reverse, numbered 42/200
Sotheby’s New-York: 28 October 2022
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 40,320
ANDY WARHOL
The Witch, from Myths, 1981
Screen-print in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil on the verso and numbered 60/200
SBI Art Auction: 28 May 2022
Estimated: JPY 3,500,000 – 5,500,000
JPY 6,555,000 / USD 51,565
ANDY WARHOL
The Witch, from Myths (F. & S. Ⅱ.261), 1981
Screenprint with diamond dust
Signed, numbered and copyright stamp on the reverse
From the edition of 200
New Auction: 6 November 2021
Estimated: JPY 2,500,000 – 3,500,000
JPY 5,520,000 / USD 48,670
ANDY WARHOL
The Witch, from Myths (F. & S. Ⅱ.261), 1981
Screenprint with diamond dust
Signed and numbered on the verso
From the edition of 200
Sotheby’s New-York: 22 October 2021
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 63,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR THE WITCH
ANDY WARHOL
The Witch (F&S II.261), 1981
Signed in pencil on the verso and inscribed ‘AP 27/30’
An artist’s proof aside from the numbered edition of 200
Rago: 16 June 2021
Estimated: USD 50,000 – 70,000
USD 52,500
ANDY WARHOL (1928–1987)
Witch (from the Myths series) (Feldman/Schellmann II.261), 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox museum board
Signed and numbered to verso ‘Andy Warhol AP 17/30’
This work is number is number 17 of 30 artist’s proofs apart from the edition of 200
Trial Proofs
Rago: 5 June 2025
Estimated: USD 60,000 – 80,000
USD 82,550
AUCTION RECORD FOR A WITCH TRIAL PROOF
ANDY WARHOL (1928–1987)
The Witch (Trial Proof) (Feldman/Schellmann II.261), 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed and numbered to lower left ‘TP 16/30 Andy Warhol’
A trial proof 16 of 30 apart from the edition of 200
Sotheby’s New-York: 22 October 2024
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 66,000
ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
The Witch, from Myths (see Feldman & Schellmann IIB.261), 1981
Screenprint with diamond dust in a unique color combination on Lenox Museum Board
Sheet: 38×38 inches (96.4 x 96.7 cm)
Signed in pencil and inscribed TP 18/30
One of 30 unique trial proofs aside from the numbered edition of 200 plus 30 artist’s proofs
Christie’s New-York: 20 April 2023
Estimated: USD 40,000 – 60,000
USD 69,300
The Witch, from Myths, 1981
Unique screen-print in colors with diamond dust, on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered ‘TP 16/30’
A trial proof, the edition was 200
Sotheby’s New-York: 27 April 2018
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 68,750
ANDY WARHOL
The Witch (F. & S. IIB.261) from the Myths portfolio, 1981
Screenprint in a unique color combination with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil and inscribed ‘TP 17/30’
A trial proof aside from the numbered edition of 200 plus 30 artist’s proofs
Christie’s New-York: 31 October 2012
Estimated: USD 15,000 – 20,000
USD 21,250
ANDY WARHOL
Witch, from Myths (F. & S. II.261), 1981
Unique screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
A proof aside from the edition of 200 (there were also 30 artist’s proofs)
With the Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board, Inc. ‘Outside the Published Edition’ stamp on the reverse and annotated ‘108.089’
Christie’s New-York: 31 October 2012
Estimated: USD 40,000 – 60,000
USD 40,000
ANDY WARHOL
Witch, from Myths (see F. & S. IIB.261), 1981
Unique screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered ‘HC 4/10’
A unique hors-commerce color variant, the edition was 200 plus 30 artist’s proofs
Christie’s New-York: 26 April 2011
Estimated: USD 25,000 – 35,000
USD 56,250
ANDY WARHOL
The Witch, from Myths (F. & S. IIB.261), 1981
Unique screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered ‘HC 1/10’
A unique hors-commerce color variant, the edition was 200 plus 30 artist’s proofs
Christie’s New-York: 29 October 2008
Estimated: USD 35,000 – 45,000
USD 32,500
ANDY WARHOL
Witch, from Myths (see F. & S. IIB.261), 1981
Unique screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil on the reverse, numbered ‘HC 2/10’
A unique hors commerce color variant, the edition was 200 plus 30 artist’s proofs