"Playboy" bringt zum 100. Geburtstag von Marilyn Monroe eine Edition heraus
German Playboy has released a limited edition of 100 artworks by pop artist Michael Möbius to mark the 100th birthday of Marilyn Monroe. The pop-art pieces, featuring Möbius's signature bubblegum-blowing portraits, reference Monroe's iconic imagery. The edition coincides with the publication of previously unseen photographs and letters by Sam Shaw in the book "Dear Marilyn" by Schirmer/Mosel Verlag. Monroe famously appeared on the cover and centerfold of Playboy's very first issue in 1953, and Hugh Hefner, the magazine's founder, was a known admirer of Möbius's Monroe portrait, which hung in his private gallery for years.
The article matters because it highlights the enduring commercial and cultural power of Marilyn Monroe's image, now a century after her birth. It also illustrates how contemporary pop artists like Michael Möbius continue to engage with and monetize her legacy through limited-edition collectibles, bridging the worlds of fine art, publishing, and celebrity branding. The collaboration between Playboy and a living artist to create a numbered edition underscores the ongoing intersection of art, pop culture, and the market for exclusive, high-end merchandise.