Mao

Andy Warhol's depiction of Mao was set in motion by President Richard Nixon's visit to China, an event which was widely publicised on the world's media stage in its quest to end years of diplomatic isolation between the two nations.

Sunday B. Morning

In the early 1970s, following the success of Andy Warhol’s original Marilyn Monroe screenprint portfolio from 1967, two European printers—close friends of Warhol—sought to reissue the iconic prints for a European audience. Although Warhol declined to collaborate at the time, the original screens were taken to Europe, and a new edition of Marilyn prints was produced without his formal authorization. These prints became known as the Sunday B. Morning edition.

The first series of Sunday B. Morning Marilyns mirrored the original Factory Editions in size and color. On the back, each print was stamped in black ink with the phrases “Published by Sunday B. Morning” and “Fill in Your Own Signature.” This black stamp became a signature of the edition and a clever commentary on Warhol’s fascination with mass production, authorship, and celebrity. In fact, Warhol himself, upon encountering some of these prints, is known to have inscribed a few with the phrase “This is not by me”—a gesture that, ironically, made those specific pieces even more collectible.

Over time, Warhol came to accept the existence of the Sunday B. Morning prints, viewing them as an extension of his own artistic commentary. The concept behind the edition aligned closely with his ideas: mass production as a form of art, and the idea that the signature itself could be replicated just like the artwork. The phrase “fill in your own signature” was intentionally provocative, suggesting that the viewer or owner could insert themselves into the narrative of the artwork.

The original black ink stamped Sunday B. Morning prints from the 1970s are considered collectible today and are officially recognized in Andy Warhol Prints: A Catalogue Raisonné 1962–1987 (specifically on page 213). Their value, while not equal to the Factory Editions, has steadily increased due to their historical significance and rarity.

In the late 1990s, Sunday B. Morning resumed publishing Warhol’s prints, including Marilyns, Flowers, Soup Cans, and others like Golden Marilyn, Mao, and Dollar Sign. These newer editions are stamped in blue ink on the reverse, still bearing the “fill in your own signature” and “published by Sunday B. Morning” marks. While these modern editions are more widely available and not recognized in the Warhol catalogue raisonné, they are still created using the original photo negatives, preserving the accuracy and integrity of the image.

Today, Sunday B. Morning prints offer collectors an opportunity to own a visually faithful Warhol image, produced with the same techniques and tools, at a more accessible price point. While they do not carry the same market value as the original Factory Editions, they remain a respected and iconic part of the Warhol legacy.