THE owner of more than 100 iconic Andy Warhol images which have gone on display at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum has described the exhibition as “fabulous”.

Oxford University alumnus Andrew Hall has loaned 139 pieces of work created by the American pop art legend for a show which opened to the public on Friday.

They include famous multiple prints of celebrities and world figures, such as Chinese communist leader Mao Tse Tung, Persian princess Ashraf Pahlavi, entertainer Paul Anka, German statesman Willy Brandt and Jackie Kennedy Onassis, many rendered in lurid colours.

There are also pictures of fellow artists Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, Frank Stella, Joseph Beuys and, perhaps the most iconic of the collection, a blue self-portrait. The exhibition concludes with a display of work from the last months of Warhol’s life – including his pop art reproductions of religious iconography.

Herald Series:

Andy Warhol visits Oxford in 1980

Much of the work usually hangs in the home Mr Hall shares with his wife Christine.

“It is fabulous,” said Mr Hall, after inspecting the exhibition.

“I was asked by Norman Rosenthal, who’s a good friend, and reluctantly agreed to get involved,” he smiled.

“I am smitten by the place,” added the wealthy hedge fund manager – a former oarsman, who represented Oxford in the Boat Race for four years in the early 70s.

“It’s a fabulous museum.”

The show is curated by art historian and former exhibitions secretary of the Royal Academy Sir Norman Rosenthal, who worked with Warhol in the 80s, and the director of the Ashmolean, Alexander Sturgis.

“It’s a wonderful thing to completely lose yourself in the subject, and a great honour to have got involved with the Ashmolean Museum – the oldest public museum in the universe,” said Sir Norman. “I brought Andrew Hall here and am grateful to him for all eternity.”

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Catriona Pearson with ‘Twenty Fuschia Maos’ 1979

He added: “Warhol is one of the greatest artists that ever lived and is of his time, and no-one will take that away from him. And the further you get from the artist’s life, he gets better and better.”

Mr Sturgis said: “With exhibitions, I don’t think there’s a single one you don’t think will be marvellous, but I’ll be amazed if this isn’t a success.

“I’m thrilled by how good it is.”

He added: “An exhibition is only good if it reveals something unknown, and what this show does is reveal another Andy Warhol.”

Andy Warhol, Works from the Hall Collection, runs until May 15. Tickets are £10 (£9 concessions) from ashmolean.org/exhibitions