Warhol's manipulated representations of a well-known studio still of Marilyn Monroe were conceived as commentary on the reality of celebrities as cultural commodities. Published as a series of ten prints, these larger than life portraits of the tragic American icon were produced using the quick and relatively inexpensive printing method of screenprinting, commonly used by commercial presses for signs and advertisements. Warhol's garish colors and off-register printing reinforce the appearance of a mass-produced object. Presented in an art context, these powerful portraits become a self-reflective critique on the values and priorities of modern society.