Though Goldsmith did not initially intend to seek legal action, she filed a countersuit after the peremptory challenge from the foundation, stating: “I know that some people think that I started this, and I’m trying to make money. Though Warhol’s reproductions became an iconic part of his portfolio, Goldsmith alleges that she had not known about Warhol’s reproduction of her photograph until it was published in a 2016 Vanity Fair article following Prince’s death. Warhol continued to use the image for his portfolio of Prince paintings, taking his own spin on the vulnerable black and white photo of the artist. Though Goldsmith’s photographs were never published, Andy Warhol was commissioned by Vanity Fair in 1984 to produce a pop art recreation of one of the images, after licensing it for $400. In 2017, the Andy Warhol Foundation launched a preemptive lawsuit against photographer Lynn Goldsmith, who captured photos of the late musician Prince in 1981 for Newsweek. Though Warhol died over thirty years ago, the Andy Warhol Foundation continues to battle for image rights.
However, his reproduction of other photographers’ images has always been a topic of great contest for the artist.
Andy Warhol’s Prince illustration based on the Lynn Goldsmith photograph as it appeared in Vanity Fair, here reproduced in court documents.Īndy Warhol is venerated for his pop art, particularly his vibrant depictions of iconic celebrities.