Multiple Polaroid Photographs of Princess Caroline of Monaco Taken by Andy Warhol, 1983

Andy Warhol captured several Polaroid photographs of Princess Caroline of Monaco in 1983. These images were part of his extensive series of celebrity portraits, often serving as preliminary studies for his iconic silkscreen paintings.

Princess Caroline, daughter of Hollywood star Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco, was only twenty-six when Warhol took these Polaroids. Her very fast life had been filled with yachts, discotheques, costly resorts, designer clothes, an early marriage to an older man, and a fairly swift divorce. As the oldest of the prince’s three children, she had served as “first lady” of Monaco since her mother’s tragic death in an automobile accident the previous fall. Warhol portrayed her in the same aloof style that had been her mother’s hallmark.

Andy Warhol considered royalty another element of the Pop scene. His representations of Princess Caroline, however, were more in the tradition of Hollywood studio photographers than that of court painters. Warhol posed Caroline in profile, as if he were photographing a legendary star, with her long, soft, wavy hair hanging loose on her bare neck. The lighting on her face cast a deep shadow, creating strong chiaroscuro in 1940s film noir style; along with her downward gaze, the lighting made her appear remote and imperious.

Warhol’s Polaroids were instrumental in his artistic process, allowing him to experiment with composition and lighting before creating larger works. These images not only highlight his fascination with fame and beauty but also offer a candid glimpse into the personalities of his subjects. Princess Caroline’s portraits exemplify Warhol’s unique ability to capture the allure of high-profile figures through the immediacy of instant photography.