Andy Warhol – Turtle, 1985

New York, 1985. Andy Warhol was already a living legend. After revolutionizing the very concept of art by transforming soup cans and Hollywood icons into immortal symbols, he continued to experiment with new collaborations and subjects throughout the 1980s. It was in this context that Turtle (F. & S. II.360A) was born—a color screenprint on Lenox Museum Board, originally created to accompany the film Turtle Diary but which quickly became a stand-alone artwork. The turtle, a symbol of slowness and resilience, is transformed by Warhol into a pop icon, a psychedelic image bursting with saturated colors and bold outlines.

Turtle is a masterful balance of subject and form. The vibrant pinks, greens, blues, and red accents turn a simple animal into a magnetic visual symbol. The turtle emerges from a neutral background, perfectly crystallizing Warhol’s unmistakable style of rendering even the humblest subject into something iconic. The piece is conceptually linked to his Endangered Species series from 1983, where Warhol celebrated the beauty and fragility of the natural world, though Turtle stands on its own in terms of concept and commission.

Turtle, 1985: Art, Cinema, and Pop Culture

Commissioned as part of the promotional materials for the film Turtle Diary—a story about animal and human liberation written by Harold Pinter—Warhol’s Turtle immediately freed itself from its promotional function to become a fully-fledged artwork. Signed and numbered by the artist, it was printed by the renowned Rupert Jasen Smith studio in New York in an edition of 250 plus 50 AP, 10 PP, 2 BAT, and 10 TP. The subject, reinterpreted by Warhol with his signature flat graphics and bold colors, becomes a symbol of freedom and resilience, further amplified by its cinematic origin.

The turtle is the undisputed protagonist, rendered in strong red and blue outlines that launch it into a near-psychedelic pop dimension. It’s not just an animal; it’s a pop icon, embodying the paradox between the natural slowness of the subject and the rapid, serial execution characteristic of Warhol’s practice. This tension is what makes Turtle such a powerful and fascinating work.

Provenance and Market Performance

Turtle has seen a resurgence in interest among collectors and institutions in recent years. In May 2025, a copy sold at auction at Phillips for $107,950, well above its initial estimate, underscoring the strong demand for this iconic subject. Currently, the average market price for a copy in excellent condition ranges between £95,000 and €126,000, depending on provenance, condition, and print quality.

Warhol remains one of the most collected artists worldwide, with Turtle achieving an average annual value growth of +16% over the past five years and a +61% increase in auction results since 2019. The work, listed in the Feldman & Schellmann catalogue raisonné (II.360A), is a guarantee of authenticity and prestige. The Andy Warhol Foundation continues to promote and certify his works, further reinforcing their collectible value.

Institutional Recognition and Collectible Importance

Andy Warhol’s works—including Turtle—are housed in the world’s most important museums: MoMA, Whitney Museum, Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou. Warhol has had over 2,500 solo and group exhibitions internationally, cementing his status as a universal and cross-generational artist. Turtle reflects his interest in nature, pop culture, and serial communication, perfectly capturing his artistic vision.

Owning Turtle, 1985 means adding to one’s collection one of the rarest and most original images from Warhol’s late period—an artwork that embodies the fusion of art, cinema, and society, retaining an undiminished appeal even forty years after its creation. An essential piece for any collector looking to connect with the beating heart of Pop Art.