Andrew Warhola, born on the 6th of August, 1928, was an American artist, author and television and fashion personality famously known as the man behind the art movement of Pop Culture.
So how much was Warhol’s net worth? Before his death in 1987, it was estimated to be $220 million, gained from the sales of his artworks and books, including commission.
Andy Warhol Net Worth $220 Million Dollars
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Warhol was the youngest son of Slovakian immigrant parents Ondrej and Julia. Although Warhol was raised in a poor family, his love for art started to emerge at the young age of nine when he received a camera as a birthday gift. While attending Holmes Elementary School, he also honed his art skills for free at the Carnegie Institute. Later he attended Schenley High School, and got his college education at the prestigious Carnegie Institute of Technology, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Pictorial Design.
Right after college, Warhol moved to New York and changed his family name from Warhola to just Warhol, and started his pursuit of finding a job. He first worked at Glamour Magazine in 1949, and with his unique illustrations he immediately received a lot of buzz and recognition. He became one of the most sought after artist of the 50s because of his innovative ideas, even incorporating his mother’s hand writing into some of his works. Although he was new to the art scene, his talent emerged, catapulting him to success and starting to build his net worth.
Warhol’s career really took-off in the 60s, when he introduced his pop paintings to the world of art. His ‘Pop Arts’ consisted of everyday, mass-produced goods, turning them into modern painting; some of his most memorable artworks are the iconic Campbell’s Soup Cans, Coca-Cola bottles and even hamburgers that are still popular today. He also created portraits of celebrities like Mao Zedong, Mick Jagger and Marilyn Monroe, using bright obscene colors. The commissions for his pieces made him a very wealthy artist.
Aside from painting, Warhol also ventured into making films and videos; some of the popular ones include “Sleep”, “Empire”, “Kiss” and “Chelsea Girls”. He also wrote books and even co-founded a magazine entitled “Interview”. Another venture he took on was television, starring in his own show “Andy Warhol’s TV”, and then “Andy Warhol’s Fifteen Minutes”. His innovativeness and inventiveness continuously changed the world of art, and tremendously increased his net worth.
In 1987, at the age of 58 Warhol died in his sleep, after a recent gallbladder operation resulted in cardiac arrhythmia that claimed his life. Though his time was cut short, his art and legacy still lives on. His masterpieces and extensive art collection are displayed in The Andy Warhol Museum, located in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The museum is the largest one in the entire country devoted to just one artist.
In terms of his personal life, Warhol lived openly as a gay man, but although apparently having many lovers, was never involved in any long-term or serious romantic relationship.
