Superman

At eight years old, Andy Warhol found a new idol: Superman. Diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, the young artist was bedridden for months after episodes of involuntary shaking led to bullying at school. At home, Warhol escaped into the world of comic books, especially the tale of Clark Kent. As an insecure young boy, Warhol found hope in Kent’s transformation from underdog to superhero. Decades later, he created his own rendition of Superman, portraying the character flying through the sky as part of his “Myths” portfolio. Warhol’s silkscreen Superman (1981) reached a new auction record in 2017, selling for over $200,000 at Phillips. But this isn’t the only Warhol motif inspired by his childhood illness—while bedridden, Warhol’s mother also fed him lots of Campbell’s Soup.