Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987)
Mobil (Mobilgas), 1985
Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board
38 × 38 inches
This print is from Warhol’s celebrated Ads Portfolio (1985), one of the final major print projects completed during his lifetime.
PRICE: on request
Now available through Robin Rile Fine Art.
Before Instagram. Before influencers. Before the algorithm. There was Andy Warhol.
Warhol understood something most people didn’t: advertisements aren’t just selling products—they become part of our culture. We remember the logos long after we’ve forgotten the commercials. The Nike Swoosh. The Apple. Phrases like, “He likes it,” introduced the world to Mikey. United Airlines introduced a new generation to Gershwin.
In his Ads portfolio (1985), Warhol celebrates the images that shaped America, elevating everything from Chanel and Apple to Mobil’s legendary Flying Red Pegasus into the realm of fine art.
The Pegasus wasn’t chosen by accident. In Greek mythology, it symbolized inspiration and the ability to rise above the ordinary. For generations of Americans, it also became one of the most recognizable corporate emblems ever created—a symbol of speed, progress, and optimism that has endured since the 1930s.
Nearly forty years after Warhol created this print, we’re surrounded by more advertising than ever before. The brands have changed. The screens have changed.
Warhol’s question hasn’t.
When does advertising stop being commerce… and become culture?
