National Galleries of Scotland

This image by the celebrated American photographer Richard Avedon shows Warhol?s torso mutilated by surgical scars. These were the result of life-saving surgery after being shot and critically injured by Valerie Solanas in 1968. The following year he posed for this powerful photograph. Avedon has composed the image so that any identifiable features of the artist, such as his iconic silver wig, are removed. In turn attention is focused entirely on the detail of the torso. With the black leather jacket there is a hint of aggression and violence, yet there is also something very tragic about the almost tangible wounds. Including Warhol?s hand across his fleshy abdomen highlights our own notion of skin and the pain such injuries would cause.