In the 1980s, Pop Art founder Andy Warhol’s (1923 – 1987) returned to one of his primary motifs from the 1950s with paintings like “Diamond Dust Shoes,” setting glittering, multi-colored arrangements of women’s shoes against black backgrounds. Starting his career as a successful commercial artist, Warhol’s acclaim escalated when he drew imaginative images of shoes for retail store I. Miller. Warhol, who adored jewels, intended to use a powder made from real diamond dust to create the “Diamond Dust Shoes” series. However, the diamond dust was too chalky, so Warhol embedded sparkling, pulverized glass in its place.

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