New York Photographer Finds Warhol Self-Portrait?

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By Gillian Reagan

January 23, 2008 | 12:40 p.m

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A photographer may have discovered an experimental self-portrait drawn by Andy Warhol. While rummaging through some framed paintings and drawings at an estate sale this fall, New York photographer Addison Thompson saw a drawing that looked like a Warhol from the 1950s. He sent an image of the sketch to a famous artist and friend of Mr. Warhol, who said it looked like the real deal. But Mr. Thompson won't be able to confirm its authenticity until March, when he can present it to the Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board.

The New York Sun reports:

The Sun e-mailed an image of the drawing to the director of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pa., Thomas Sokolowski, who also said he thought it looked like a Warhol. He said it resembled a piece in the museum's collection, which shows a woman "drawn in this sketchy mode" against a red backdrop, so that, as in the drawing in Mr. Thompson's possession, "the image of the sitter looks very ghostlike."

Mr. Thompson believes that the drawing is a self-portrait traced from a childhood photograph of Warhol. He pointed out to a reporter faint smudges of lead under the ink lines, which he believes resulted from Warhol's having traced the photograph on another piece of paper and then transferred the tracing onto this one.

Mr. Sokolowski said he knew of no other instances of Warhol doing a self-portrait from a childhood photograph, but "that's not to say it's impossible." He also said the boy looked "a little beefier" than Warhol.