In the Bottom of My Garden

Before Warhol became the famous American Pop Artist we know him as today, he spent his early career working as a commercial artist creating graphic designs for magazines and ad campaigns. In the latter half of the 1950s, Warhol created and self-published a number of charming, illustrated books, including the present work. 'In the Bottom of My Garden' is adorned with cheerful cherubs and plump fairies frolicking across the pages in a whimsical fashion and the elaborate calligraphy was written by his mother Julia Warhola, who had won awards for her handwriting. Each image is created using the artist's trademark blotted-line technique and is beautifully hand coloured by Warhol with a bright, limited palette of watercolours. By collaborating with his Mother, this work becomes an important autobiographical work for Warhol, who notoriously tried to hide all evidence of the artist's hand in his later Pop creations.

Complete set, c. 1956, 21 offset lithographs (including title page), 19 coloured by hand, on thin wove paper, with 'The Estate of Andy Warhol' and 'Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts' ink stamps and numbered in pencil 'PM 13.0074' on the back paper board, each sheet: 22 x 28 cm. (8 3/4 x 11 in.)

Feldman & Schellmann IV.86A-105A