CODY — The latest acquisition at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West is a famous portrait of an icon painted by another icon.
The Whitney Western Art Museum unveiled a recently acquired serigraph portrait of Gen. George Armstrong Custer created by pop artist Andy Warhol.
The image is part of Warhol’s “Cowboys and Indians” portfolio, but this 40-by-40-inch print in Cody is one-of-a-kind and uniquely appropriate to hang in the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
“When Warhol worked on his print portfolios, he experimented with a lot of different versions before the final works for the portfolio were chosen. This is one of those experiments,” said Susan Barnett, the Margaret and Dick Scarlet curator of Western American Art at the Whitney Museum.
Cowboys And Indians
Warhol’s “Cowboys and Indians” portfolio included 10 images representing the authentic and legendary history of the American West. Along with Custer, Western figures like Teddy Roosevelt, Annie Oakley, John Wayne and Geronimo were depicted in Warhol’s distinctive style.
Barnett said she was more intrigued by the Western figures not included in the 10-image portfolio.
“Warhol wanted Sitting Bull to be in it,” she said. “He did a print of Sitting Bull, but that didn't make the final cut. Neither, surprisingly, did Buffalo Bill.”
The serigraph portrait acquired by the Whitney Western Art Museum is one of Warhol’s color experiments for Custer, ultimately deciding to depict the calvary commander with a white jacket and a neon orange hat.
Barnett says she prefers the experiment to the finished work. Intentional or not, the experimental serigraph is a more historically accurate representation of Custer.
“It’s more representational of the actual uniform,” she said. “There may have been symbolism with the white shirt, maybe tying into him being almost like a saintly figure or something along those lines. The blue is more historically accurate, and I think it's visually compelling with the gold hair.”
Pop Goes The West
Warhol’s experimental portrait of Custer is on display at the Whitney Western Art Museum, but in a place where it’s not getting much attention. Yet.
Barnett says they’re saving “the big bang” of the museum’s latest acquisition for an upcoming exhibit. “Pop! Goes The West” will highlight 20 artists working at the intersection of pop art and Western art.
“We're showcasing many artists who have used the idiom of pop art to update ideas about the West and Western imagery,” she said. “It will showcase the intersection between Western art, popular culture, and pop art.”
Warhol’s experimental serigraph of Custer will be the exhibit's centerpiece, along with five other images from Warhol’s “Cowboys and Indians” portfolio.
“We’ve been offered a very generous loan from someone who has the portfolio,” Barnett said. “We’re going to feature quite a bit of work from our collection and will be getting regional and national loans to supplement our very strong collection.”
A Colorful Tribute
The Custer serigraph is a permanent addition to the Whitney Western Art Museum and the first Warhol piece in its vast collection of Western art. Barnett said the museum acquired the serigraph in memory of William D. Weiss, a dedicated and long-serving board member.
“He and his family have been incredible, generous supporters over the years, helping us support and develop our collection,” she said. “We wanted to purchase something very special in his memory, and my board of advisors and I decided on this work.
“Pop! Goes The West” will open at the Whitney Western Art Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in May 2025. Until then, the colorful Custer is on display in the main gallery.
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
