This is a pristine example of this book, having never before been exposed to sunlight. The pages are in very fine, fresh, and original condition-showing no signs of aging. It depicting childish flowers and androgynous pink cherubs, who are not quite what they appear to be. The cover sketch is one by Warhol’s mother, Julia Warhol, and encompasses her distinctive, almost whimsical, spirit. In fact, these same cherubs first appeared in Julia’s “Holy Cats,” but return more slender and languid in this Warhol set. This set seems to be one of several attempts to use his mother’s innocence as a cover for his double entendre (as seen in his use of the word “bottom” in the title). And also unlike his mother’s fantastical drawings, Warhol continually had a more grounded approach to his work, even when dealing with faeries.

Unlike prior works in this period, Warhol relies solely on imagery to depict his meaning in this work. This widely expressive account of faeries and putti, as they cavort in a garden, includes two references to J.J. Grandeville’s 1884 work, “Les Fleurs Animée.” Grandeville was one of the most important illustrators of Warhol’s time, specializing in surrealist drawings that featured anthropomorphic interpretations of animals and flowers.

One of the most important things to note, when studying these exuberant baroque-like drawings, is how Warhol’s personality seems to shine through more than with his iconic pop art. His encoded sexuality and fey sensibility seem to shine through as Warhol fights to discover himself, as an artist, without the limitations of being micro-managed by some art directors. (This was especially difficult in a period so addicted to the rise of abstract expressionism.) The most obvious outpouring of Warhol’s sexuality can be found in the title alone. “In the Bottom of My Garden” was named after a song by Rose Fyleman and Liza Lahmann entitled, “There are Fairies in the Bottom of My Garden.” This song was popularized by Beatrice Lillie, the woman who Warhol depicted in one of his gold shoe collages and who also served as one of the leading gay icons of her time. This process foreshadows the processes he used in 1974’s “Flowers (Hand-Colored)” and in the trial proofs of the 1980’s.