Andy Warhol - Muhammad Ali Complete Portfolio (Signed by Ali and Warhol) (FS II.179-182)

Original Muhammad Ali Complete Portfolio by Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol published his Muhammad Ali portfolio of 4 prints in 1978, just one year after completing his Athletes series of paintings, which also included the boxer. The work is notable for being the first series Warhol printed featuring an athlete, and also as the first depiction of a black figurehead in Warhol’s work.

This particular set of four prints, acquired by Revolver Gallery in October of 2022, are signed by both Andy Warhol and Muhammad Ali, making them especially rare. Unlike some other series in which Warhol’s subject would sign the prints alongside him, such as Warhol’s Mick Jagger Complete Portfolio, Ali did not sign the prints as they were published. According to Harlan Werner, who was Ali’s memorabilia agent for over 30 years, there are only 6 known complete editions of the portfolio that are signed by both Ali and Warhol. These were signed on July 13th, 1999 in Los Angeles, California, where Werner was present for the signing. Ostensibly, some individual prints have been signed by Ali—still, only 6 full series include both Warhol’s and Ali’s signatures. There is thus an unknown number of individual “double-signed” Muhammad Ali prints, only signed by the boxer on rare occasions after the series was published in 1978.