Andy Warhol Endangered Species (1983) – Complete Portfolio of Limited Edition Screenprints

Andy Warhol's Endangered Species portfolio (1983) is widely regarded as one of the most important and visually compelling print series of the artist's career. Consisting of ten vibrant screenprints depicting endangered animals, the portfolio combines Warhol's unmistakable Pop Art aesthetic with a rare environmental message, transforming threatened wildlife into enduring cultural icons.

Published by Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, Inc., New York, the series marked a significant departure from Warhol's celebrated portraits of celebrities and consumer brands. Instead, the artist turned his attention to conservation, producing a body of work that remains remarkably relevant more than four decades later.

Today, the Endangered Species portfolio occupies a prominent position within the market for Andy Warhol prints. Complete portfolios are exceptionally scarce, while individual impressions—particularly Orangutan, Siberian Tiger, Giant Panda, and Black Rhinoceros—are among the most sought-after works in Warhol's graphic oeuvre.

For collectors of blue-chip contemporary art, the Endangered Species series represents one of the defining achievements of late twentieth-century printmaking and an important opportunity to acquire museum-quality works by one of the most influential artists of the modern era.

About the Endangered Species Portfolio

Created in 1983, Endangered Species comprises ten screenprints on Lenox Museum Board, each portraying an animal listed as threatened or endangered.

The portfolio includes:

• Siberian Tiger (F. & S. II.291)

• African Elephant (F. & S. II.292)

• Pine Barrens Tree Frog (F. & S. II.293)

• Giant Panda (F. & S. II.294)

• Bald Eagle (F. & S. II.295)

• Black Rhinoceros (F. & S. II.296)

• Grevy's Zebra (F. & S. II.297)

• San Francisco Silverspot Butterfly (F. & S. II.298)

• Orangutan (F. & S. II.299)

• Bighorn Ram (F. & S. II.300)

The project was conceived in collaboration with Ronald Feldman and publisher Alexander Heinrici, who encouraged Warhol to address environmental conservation through his distinctive visual language.

Rather than creating naturalistic illustrations, Warhol elevated each animal into a bold Pop Art portrait. Through his signature screenprinting technique, fluorescent colours, dramatic cropping and expressive hand-drawn lines, the series celebrates both the beauty and fragility of the natural world.

Each work was produced in an edition of 150, signed and numbered by the artist, making the portfolio one of the most desirable limited edition print series of the twentieth century.

Artistic Significance

Although Andy Warhol built his reputation through portraits of celebrities and consumer products, Endangered Species demonstrates the remarkable versatility of his artistic vision.

The series reflects several defining aspects of Warhol's mature practice:

• mastery of screenprinting techniques

• experimentation with fluorescent colour

• use of photographic source imagery

• transformation of familiar subjects into contemporary icons

• exploration of social and cultural themes through Pop Art

Unlike many environmental artworks of the period, Warhol's prints avoid direct political messaging. Instead, they encourage viewers to engage emotionally with each animal through colour, scale and composition, creating portraits that possess the same visual presence as his celebrated images of Marilyn Monroe, Mao and Mick Jagger.

The result is a portfolio that remains both aesthetically powerful and culturally significant.

About Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol (1928–1987) fundamentally reshaped contemporary art by redefining the relationship between fine art, commercial imagery and popular culture. As the leading figure of the Pop Art movement, his work transformed everyday images into universally recognised artistic icons.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Warhol increasingly focused on limited edition screenprints, producing some of the most influential graphic works of the twentieth century. These editions allowed him to experiment with colour, composition and repetition while reaching an international audience of collectors.

The Endangered Species portfolio occupies a unique position within this period. While maintaining the bold visual language associated with Warhol's most celebrated works, it reflects an unusually personal engagement with environmental concerns and demonstrates the continuing evolution of his artistic practice.

Today, works from the series are represented in the collections of leading museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, Tate, Whitney Museum of American Art and numerous international private collections.

Why Collect the Endangered Species Portfolio

• One of Andy Warhol's most celebrated print portfolios.

• Produced during the artist's mature career.

• Includes ten of Warhol's most recognisable animal portraits.

• Signed and numbered limited edition screenprints.

• Strong museum and institutional representation worldwide.

• Exceptionally desirable among collectors of Andy Warhol prints.

• Complete portfolios are increasingly scarce.

• Individual works remain highly liquid on the international secondary market.

• Combines artistic significance with enduring environmental relevance.

• A cornerstone series within blue-chip contemporary art collections.

Andy Warhol Market & Collectability

The Endangered Species portfolio has become one of the strongest performing groups of works within the Andy Warhol print market.

While complete portfolios rarely become available, individual prints have developed distinct collector followings. Among them, Orangutan, Siberian Tiger, Giant Panda, Black Rhinoceros, and Bald Eagle consistently attract significant international demand due to their visual impact and relative scarcity.

Collectors increasingly appreciate the series not only for its aesthetic qualities but also for its historical significance within Warhol's career. The combination of limited edition sizes, exceptional production quality, and enduring cultural relevance has contributed to sustained market strength.

As interest in museum-quality Pop Art continues to grow, the Endangered Species prints remain among the most desirable Andy Warhol editions available. Works with strong provenance, excellent condition and original publication details continue to command considerable attention from collectors, institutions and advisors worldwide.

For those collecting Andy Warhol, the Endangered Species portfolio represents one of the defining acquisitions within his graphic oeuvre.

Portfolio Details

Artist: Andy Warhol

Portfolio: Endangered Species

Date: 1983

Medium: Screenprints in colours on Lenox Museum Board

Number of Prints: 10

Edition: 150

Publisher: Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, Inc., New York

Printer: Rupert Jasen Smith, New York

Catalogue Raisonné: Feldman & Schellmann II.291–300

Availability at Lougher Contemporary

Lougher Contemporary specialises in museum-quality editions by leading Post-War and Contemporary artists, including Andy Warhol.

We regularly source important examples from the Endangered Species portfolio, including individual signed screenprints and, when available, complete portfolios.

Collectors interested in acquiring works from this celebrated series are invited to enquire about current availability and explore our wider collection of Andy Warhol prints and blue-chip contemporary editions.