Roy Lichtenstein

Lichtenstein's oeuvre can be be seen as an extended investigation into the creative possibilities of imitation. Sourcing his early material from comic books and advertisements, he gradually expanded his scope to include everyday objects, landscape and the history of art itself. Under his homogenising gaze, each subject became a wider rumination upon our visual experience of the world. "My art isn't about form" he once said, "it's about seeing. I'm excited about seeing things, and I'm interested in the way I think other people see things."

His most iconic aesthetic device was the appropriation of Benday dots, a mechanical patterning used in commercial printing to suggest colour and texture. The first solo exhibition of his mature style in 1962 sold out, and his work quickly found an international audience. In 1966 Lichtenstein was the first American artist to be honoured with an exhibition at the Tate Gallery in London. During the next three decades his work was the subject of frequent international exhibitions and he became a household name. 

The often tongue-in-cheek nature of his images belies the profound seriousness and focus Lichtenstein brought to his work. His ambition expanded as his career progressed and he sought constantly to refine his techniques. His output boasts a remarkable consistency in terms of quality; according to art dealer Ivan Karp, "Every artist falters from time to time - except for Roy Lichtenstein." This is particularly true of his work as a printmaker. 

Printmaking was a natural progression for an artist so keen to explore the aesthetics of mechanical reproduction while creating original art by hand. Lichtenstein collaborated with some of the finest print studios in North America; his work with master printer Kenneth Tyler achieved new heights of complexity and redefined the technical possibilities of lithography and screenprinting.  

Lichtenstein's market has been buoyant in recent years and his prints represent a fabulous entry point to one of the most exciting and iconic bodies of work produced during the 20th century. 

If you would like more information on investing in Lichtenstein, why not take a look at some of our most recent articles featuring his prints. 

ARTICLES