Art and Campbell's Soup

Eccentric artist Andy Warhol managed to turn a mundane staple of middle American cupboards into one of the most famous images in 20th century art. At the same time, his Campbell's soup art portraits catapulted the artist to success nearly overnight.

Still life meets consumer brand

A background in commercial illustration is evident in Andy Warhol's iconic depiction known as "32 Campbell's Soup Cans." That background supplied an appreciation for the simple yet seductive graphic imagery Campbell's uses to such great sales success. In his soup portraits, still life converges with consumer branding and high and low art intersect. Warhol's revolutionary incorporation of the silkscreen process in his soup painting is another way that this famous image combines plebeian mass-production with painterly skill.

A controversial blend of high and low art

Created in 1962, Warhol's soup portraits debuted at a one-man exhibit in Los Angeles that same year. The 32 cans are an identical series with one small difference - the soup flavor emblazoned on Campbell's familiar red and white label. At the time of its unveiling, Warhol's soup painting was met with controversy. Critics were polarized in reactions that ranged from ridicule to high praise. Just as Warhol transformed a homey household mainstay into an art form, his painting that brought high art down to Earth launched the eccentric artist into instant fame.

The most iconic image

Today, Warhol's "32 Campbell's Soup Cans" is part of the Museum of Modern Art collection in New York. The artist revisited the Campbell's soup theme throughout his professional life, and it is the signature image that he has been most identified. Likewise, Warhol's Campbell's soup cans are among the most famous of all poster images.

Ultimately, Warhol will always be inextricably associated with the cheery Campbell's product that he whimsically elevated to a position among the masterpieces of the 20th century.