The American Man (quadruple Portrait of Watson Powell)

Label TextThe American Man is a serial portrait of Watson Powell, Sr., a former insurance executive at American Republic Insurance. American Republic commissioned the portrait based on a publicity photo of Powell. Initially, 32 images were made, one for each year of service Powell dedicated as president of American Republic. With the title The American Man, Warhol seems to present his subject as the quintessential American businessman. The artist’s interest in a successful businessman is understandable, and connects this work thematically with his groundbreaking series of Campbell’s soup cans and Coca-Cola bottles, which had appeared just two year earlier than this work in 1962. Dating from early in Warhol’s career, The American Man also relates to the serial portraits of celebrities and society figures that would become his signature.
Exhibition History"Andy Warhol: Dark Star". Museo Jumex, Mexico City, June 2 - September 17, 2017.

"Commitment, Community and Controversy: The Des Moines Art Center Collections," Des Moines Art Center, Jan. 24, 1998 - May 10, 1998

"Andy Warhol: Print Portfolios," Ancillary Exhibition, Des Moines Art Center, Nov. 20, 1993 - Feb. 20, 1994

"Andy Warhol: Fifteen Minutes of Fame," Grand Rapids Art Museum, Sept. 15 - Oct. 22, 1989; Northern Michigan University, Oct. 29 - Nov. 26, 1989; Midland Center for the Arts, Dec. 2, 1989 - Jan. 7, 1990; Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Jan. 12 - Feb. 11, 1990; Kresge Art Museum, Michigan State University, Feb. 17 - April 1, 1990; Art Center of Battle Creek, April 7 - May 6, 1990; The Detroit Institute of Arts, May 27 - June 22, 1990

"Selected Works from the Des Moines Art Center's Permanent Collection," organized by the Waterloo Municipal Galleries, sponsored by the National Bank of Waterloo, Oct. 24 - Nov. 20, 1983; (Circulated to: Charles H. MacNider Museum, Mason City, Jan. 15 - Feb 26, 1984; Muscatine Art Center, April 1 - May 13, 1984; Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, May 27 - July 1, 1984; Sioux City Art Center, July 15 - Aug. 26, 1984)
Published ReferencesAN UNCOMMON VISION: THE DES MOINES ART CENTER, Des Moines Art Center, 1998, ref. p.279, color ill. p.278

Jacobson, Karen ed. Andy Warhol: Dark Star. Mexico City: Fundacion Jumex Arte Contemporaneo and DelMonico Books, 2017. pg. 60

DMAC Bulletin, July/Aug. 1971, cover ill.

"Selected Works from the Des Moines Art Center's Permanent Collection," Waterloo Municipal Galleries, 1983, exh. cat. no.38

DES MOINES ART CENTER: SELECTED PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES AND WORKS ON PAPER, Des Moines Art Center, 1985, ref. pp.210 & 211, b/w ill. pl.141, p.211

DimensionsFrame: 32 3/4 × 32 3/4 × 1 in. (83.2 × 83.2 × 2.5 cm)
Canvas: 16 × 16 in. (40.6 × 40.6 cm)

Accession Number 1971.11

Classificationspainting

ProvenanceWatson Powell, Jr., Des Moines [commissioned from the artist, 1964]; Des Moines Art Center [gift of the previous, 1971]

Collections

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