Andy Warhol painted Hammer and Sickle after a 1975 visit to Italy, where the communist symbol appeared in graffiti throughout Milan and Rome. He realized the symbol had become a Pop image on its own. Even though he denied any political ties to his work, he was aware of the power of the communist emblem he painted during the Cold War. The symbol’s long, menacing shadows, rough outlines, and large size make this painting appear to be an ironic commentary on communism. Warhol later produced different silkscreen variations of the hammer and sickle, demoting the symbol to an everyday consumable object.