Dracula by Andy Warhol (Interpretation and Analysis)

Dracula
Source: Guy Hepner

Legends of vampires have existed throughout human culture for centuries. However, the modern obsession with vampires in Western culture emerged in the nineteenth century with the publication of John William Polidori’s novel The Vampyre and Bram Stoker’s later novel Dracula. 

Since then, vampires have become a staple of modern pop culture and have entered the collective imagination on a grand scale. Vampires have also become a classic symbol of Halloween (and the spooky season more generally), so today I want to introduce you to Andy Warhol’s classic depiction of Dracula.

This print is part of Warhol’s myth collection, which he used to explore and interrogate twentieth century American pop culture. Warhol was deeply interested in the idea of fame and the recognizability of widespread images in pop culture, and he used the myth series to dissect and examine these ideas. This collection is Warhol’s modern take on the classical imagery of ancient mythology, touching on the universality of myth and shared narrative.

Warhol was also fascinated by the Dracula story, and he even was listed as a producer on the 1974 film Blood For Dracula, which was a comical and joking take on the Dracula legend. According to my research, Warhol’s friends often joked that his pale skin made him look like a vampire, a personal connection to the subject which may have inspired his print Dracula.

For Dracula, Warhol started with a photograph of an old-Hollywood style vampire, which he embellished with garish pinkish-purple lines. While the photograph itself is classic horror, Warhol’s embellishments turn it into something lighter, less scary and almost humorous. To put it simply, the print takes the fangs out of Dracula, while also celebrating the cultural power of his bloodlust. As I understand it, the print may perhaps represent the way that pop culture can turn even death and gore into something palatable and entertaining.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.