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This Trial Proof of Karen Kain, created by Andy Warhol in 1980, offers a subtly distinct variation on the artist’s celebrated screenprint of the Canadian ballet icon. Based on a Polaroid taken at Warhol’s studio, The Factory, the portrait captures Kain with a poised, sculptural elegance. With her hands framing her face, her eyes are fixed with quiet intensity.
While the overall composition remains consistent with the regular edition, this Trial Proof features unique selection of colors in the geometric overlays that hover around and behind the figure. Slight shifts in hue—most notably in the positioning and tone of the yellow, blue, and violet shapes—introduce a different rhythm to the visual field. These color variations, though restrained, subtly influence the way Kain’s face emerges from the composition, underscoring Warhol’s sensitivity to balance and color harmony in even his most serialized works.
Karen Kain 236Â (Trial Proof)Â by Andy Warhol as Part of His Larger Body of Work
As with the rest of the edition, Warhol finished this screenprint with diamond dust on Lenox museum board. This glittering texture echoes Warhol’s ongoing fascination with glamour and celebrity. The contrast between the flat, graphic color fields and the precise black contour lines gives the portrait a sharp, iconic quality, while the more naturalistic rendering of Kain’s skin tone draws the viewer toward her calm, graceful gaze—direct and composed, yet quietly expressive.
Reportedly, Kain admitted that it took her many years to fully embrace the portrait. Today, however, the print hangs proudly in her dining room.
Signed by both Warhol and Kain, this Trial Proof is a rare variation within a celebrated series, offering insight into Warhol’s working process and the nuanced decisions behind his vibrant exploration of contemporary icons.
