Early art forms made history by being an influential and unique representation of various cultures and religions as well as playing a fundamental role in society. However, with the new era of postmodernism, art slowly moved away from both the religious context in which it was created and its ritual function. Walter Benjamin, a German literary critic and philosopher of the 1900s, firmly believed that the mass production of works of art had freed art from the confines of tradition: "For the first time in world history, reproduction mechanics frees the work of art from its parasitic dependence. on ritual” (Benjamin 1992). This particular excerpt has a direct correlation to the work of Andy Warhol, particularly "Silver Liz as Cleopatra." Andy Warhol's rendition of Elizabeth Taylor is a great example of the shift in art history that Benjamin is referring to because the value of this particular piece lies in its mass production and appropriation of images and emblematic characters. “Silver Liz as Cleopatra” is a piece completed by Warhol in 1963 and is currently on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. This specific painting depicts actress Elizabeth Taylor in the lead role of Cleopatra, the highest-grossing film of 1963. Silver paint, screen-printed ink, and pencil on linen were all used in union to achieve the final result . Here, the recurring images of the silver screen queen look like a strip of film or a series of quick, inexpensive shots taken in a photo booth. The representation of Hollywood stars in his works was not an uncommon subject for Warhol as he was enamored with the world of celebrities. His ability to use methods and techniques... middle of paper ... the era of postmodernism changed the face of art, moving it away from both the religious and ritual context for which it was created in the origin. Warhol managed to create a sense of value in his art by connecting the illusion of rarity and inimitability of brand names and famous faces to pop art. Through works such as “Silver Liz as Cleopatra,” Warhol had single-handedly given new meaning to art by exploiting a recognized figure in mass culture for societal consumption. To be more specific, the value of “Silver Liz as Cleopatra” lies in its mass production and the authentic, authentic appeal of a media icon. Warhol's view of Elizabeth Taylor defines the transformation in art history that Walter Benjamin alludes to. The value of “Silver Liz as Cleopatra” lies not in its adherence to tradition, but in its mass production in pop culture and its iconic existence..