Campbell's Soup Cans facts for kids

Campbell's Soup Cans can be seen today at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City

Campbell's Soup Cans, also known as 32 Campbell's Soup Cans, is a famous work of art by Andy Warhol. He created it between November 1961 and April 1962. This artwork is made up of thirty-two separate paintings. Each painting shows a different flavor of Campbell's Soup can. These were all the flavors the company sold at that time. It is one of the most important pieces of pop art in the United States.

What is Pop Art?

Pop art is a type of art that became popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Artists like Andy Warhol used everyday objects and images from popular culture in their work. Think of things like advertisements, comic books, and common products. Pop artists wanted to show that art could be found everywhere, not just in traditional subjects.

Why Soup Cans?

Andy Warhol chose Campbell's Soup cans because they were a very common item. Almost everyone knew what a Campbell's Soup can looked like. By painting these everyday objects, Warhol made people think differently about art. He showed that art could be about things we see every day, not just fancy landscapes or portraits.

How the Art Was Made

Each of the thirty-two paintings is the same size: about 51 centimeters (20 inches) tall and 41 centimeters (16 inches) wide. Warhol used a special method called silkscreen printing. This allowed him to make many copies of the same image. However, each painting was still done by hand. This mix of machine-like printing and hand painting was new and exciting for art at the time.

The Different Flavors

The artwork includes all 32 flavors of Campbell's Soup that were available in 1962. Each canvas shows a different flavor, like Tomato, Chicken Noodle, or Cream of Mushroom. Even though they look similar, each one is unique because of the different flavor names.

Where to See the Art

Today, the Campbell's Soup Cans artwork is a very famous piece. You can see it at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. It helps us understand the history of modern art and how artists like Andy Warhol changed the way we look at the world.

Images for kids

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  Campbell's Soup Can (Tomato), 1962. Stencils such as this are the basis for silkscreening.

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  Black font coloring is visible in Clam Chowder and Beef canvases from Campbell's Soup Cans, 1962.

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  Golden banners make the Cheddar Cheese canvas from Campbell's Soup Cans, 1962 unique.

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  100 Cans, 1962. Example of the variations that Irving Blum saw when determining to introduce him by exhibit. Currently in the collection of the Albright–Knox Art Gallery.

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  Small Torn Campbell's Soup Can (Pepper Pot), 1962. In May 2006 the painting sold for $11.8 million.

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  Example of varied coloring

See also

In Spanish: Latas de sopa Campbell para niños