Julia Warhola
Encyclopedia
Júlia Varcholová, born Júlia Justína Zavacká, (November 17, 1892—November 22, 1972) was the mother of the American
artist Andy Warhol
.
village of Miková
, Austria-Hungary
(now in northeast Slovakia
) and married Ondrej Varchola (americanized as Andrej Warhola) there in 1909. He emigrated to the United States
soon after, and in 1921 she followed him to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. The couple had three children: Paul (Pavol), John (Ján), and Andy. The family lived at several Pittsbugh addresses, but beginning in 1932 at 3252 Dawson Street in the Oakland
neighborhood of the city. The family was Byzantine Catholic
and attended St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church
. Her husband died in 1942.
Julia enjoyed singing traditional Rusyn folk songs and was artistic. She loved to draw. Her favorite subjects were angels and cats. She also did embroidery and other crafts, such as bouquets of hand-made flowers made from tin cans and crepe paper. During the Easter season she decorated eggs in the Pysanka
tradition.
As a widow, she moved to New York City
in 1951 to take care of Andy. He often used her decorative handwriting to accompany his illustrations. She won awards for her lettering, including one from the American Institute of Graphic Arts
for an album cover for The Story Moondog
, featuring the musician Louis Thomas Hardin in 1958. In 1957 she illustrated a small book called Holy Cats and she also worked on 25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy
.
In 1966, Andy made a movie called Mrs. Warhol (black-and-white, 66 minutes). It features Julia in her basement apartment
in Andy's house playing “an aging peroxide movie star with a lot of husbands,” including the most current spouse, played by Richard Rheem. Andy follows her about with his camera as she goes about her daily domestic routines.
In 1971, she returned to Pittsburgh and died a year later. She is buried, alongside her husband and near her son Andy, in St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cemetery
in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
, a south suburb of Pittsburgh.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
artist Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
.
Life
She was born to a peasant family in the RusynRusyns
Carpatho-Rusyns are a primarily diasporic ethnic group who speak an Eastern Slavic language, or Ukrainian dialect, known as Rusyn. Carpatho-Rusyns descend from a minority of Ruthenians who did not adopt the use of the ethnonym "Ukrainian" in the early twentieth century...
village of Miková
Miková
Miková or Mikó in Hungarian, is a village and municipality in the former Eperjes County of the Kingdom of Hungary. The area was transferred to the newly formed Czechoslovakia in 1920 following the Treaty of Trianon...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
(now in northeast Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
) and married Ondrej Varchola (americanized as Andrej Warhola) there in 1909. He emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soon after, and in 1921 she followed him to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The couple had three children: Paul (Pavol), John (Ján), and Andy. The family lived at several Pittsbugh addresses, but beginning in 1932 at 3252 Dawson Street in the Oakland
Oakland (Pittsburgh)
Oakland is the academic, cultural, and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's third largest "Downtown". Only Center City Philadelphia and Downtown Pittsburgh can claim more economic and social activity than Oakland...
neighborhood of the city. The family was Byzantine Catholic
Ruthenian Catholic Church
The Ruthenian Catholic Church is a sui iuris Eastern Catholic Church , which uses the Divine Liturgy of the Constantinopolitan Byzantine Eastern Rite. Its roots are among the Rusyns who lived in the region called Carpathian Ruthenia, in and around the Carpathian Mountains...
and attended St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church
St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church (Pittsburgh)
St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church is a historic Eastern Catholic church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the neighborhood of Four Mile Run, which is an isolated section of Greenfield at the bottom of Junction Hollow. Its address is 506 Saline Street.Today it...
. Her husband died in 1942.
Julia enjoyed singing traditional Rusyn folk songs and was artistic. She loved to draw. Her favorite subjects were angels and cats. She also did embroidery and other crafts, such as bouquets of hand-made flowers made from tin cans and crepe paper. During the Easter season she decorated eggs in the Pysanka
Pysanka
A pysanka is a Ukrainian Easter egg, decorated using a wax-resist method. The word comes from the verb pysaty, "to write", as the designs are not painted on, but written with beeswax...
tradition.
As a widow, she moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1951 to take care of Andy. He often used her decorative handwriting to accompany his illustrations. She won awards for her lettering, including one from the American Institute of Graphic Arts
American Institute of Graphic Arts
AIGA is an American professional organization for design. Organized in 1914, AIGA currently has more than 22,000 members throughout 66 chapters and more than 200 student groups nationwide...
for an album cover for The Story Moondog
Moondog
Moondog, born Louis Thomas Hardin , was a blind American composer, musician, poet and inventor of several musical instruments. Moving to New York as a young man, Moondog made a deliberate decision to make his home on the streets there, where he spent approximately twenty of the thirty years he...
, featuring the musician Louis Thomas Hardin in 1958. In 1957 she illustrated a small book called Holy Cats and she also worked on 25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy
25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy
25 Cats Name Sam and One Blue Pussy is a privately printed, limited edition artist's book by the American artist Andy Warhol.It was printed in 1954 by Seymour Berlin with Charles Lisanby credited as the author, as he suggested the title, yet there is no text in the book...
.
In 1966, Andy made a movie called Mrs. Warhol (black-and-white, 66 minutes). It features Julia in her basement apartment
Basement apartment
A basement apartment is an apartment located below street level, underneath another structure—usually an apartment building, but possibly a house or a business. Rent in basement apartments is usually much lower than it is in above-ground units, due to a number of deficiencies common to basement...
in Andy's house playing “an aging peroxide movie star with a lot of husbands,” including the most current spouse, played by Richard Rheem. Andy follows her about with his camera as she goes about her daily domestic routines.
In 1971, she returned to Pittsburgh and died a year later. She is buried, alongside her husband and near her son Andy, in St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cemetery
St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cemetery
St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Cemetery is an Eastern Catholic cemetery in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb approximately south of downtown Pittsburgh. It is situated on a hillside in the southwest corner of the intersection of Connor Road and Pennsylvania State Route...
in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
Bethel Park is a home rule municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area, approximately 7 miles southwest of Pittsburgh...
, a south suburb of Pittsburgh.