‘The Shadow’ was one of several popular, American fictional characters that Warhol drew inspiration from for a series of prints called ‘Myths’ in 1981. This figure (The Shadow) first appeared on the radio in the 1930s before the stories were developed into a comic-strip. For other prints in the series Warhol had models dress up as different characters but for this photo, which was a basis for a print, he dispensed with The Shadow’s broad-rimmed hat, black cloak and red scarf and simply had himself photographed with a strong, cast shadow of his profile. Warhol identified with this character which had no substance. As he said in 1967: “If you want to know about Andy Warhol, just look at the surface of my paintings and films and me, and there I am. There’s nothing behind it”.