A Rare Behind-the-Scenes Peek into Roy Lichtenstein’s Creative Process
Roy Lichtenstein’s comics-inspired Pop Art works—filled with emotional blonde bombshells and handsome men named Brad—have become the artist’s legacy. But his vast oeuvre actually includes more than 5,000 paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings, including pieces that are far from his iconic style. Art historian and writer Avis Berman took on the challenging task of choosing 100 pieces from his six-decade career for a new volume of his work, Roy Lichtenstein: The Impossible Collection (Assouline, $895). While the book includes some of his most famous paintings, such as Drowning Girl, In the Car, and Girl with Ball, it also traces his evolution as an artist, going year by year from his days as an MFA student at The Ohio State University. Readers can see his paintings and drawings from the early 1940s and watch as he begins to incorporate the stylistic elements that would become his calling cards. Read on for a preview of the comprehensive volume celebrating one of America’s modern masters.
Photo: Lichtenstein holds a dot screen with Frolic (1977), Nude on Beach (1977), and La La La! (1977) behind him, 1977. Artwork © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein © Photographer Unknown, Courtesy The Roy Lichtenstein Foundation Archives1/12Roy Lichtenstein was inspired by the work of Matisse and Picasso and paid homage to the artists through his own signature style. Here, he holds one of the benday dot screens used to create a pointillistic effect.
Photo: The Musician (1948) Oil and graphite pencil on canvas, 18 x 16.25 in. © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein2/12The Musician was one of the seven pieces that Lichtenstein submitted for his MFA at The Ohio State University. The painting features a figure playing the clarinet, a nod to Lichtenstein’s own time playing the instrument.
Photo: Portrait of a Woman (1951) Charcoal on paper, 24.75 x 19 in. © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein3/12Lichtenstein’s charcoal drawings were usually studies for later works on canvas. This portrait, which may be of his first wife, is one of his rare drawings that was a finished product in itself.
Photo: WHAAM! (1963) Oil and Magna on canvas, 68 x 166 in. © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein4/12WHAAM! is Lichtenstein’s largest diptych and was conceived as “two almost separate paintings.” The piece depicts a fighter plane hitting an enemy target.
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Photo: Look Mickey (1961) Oil on canvas, 48 x 69 in. Gift of Roy and Dorothy Lichtenstein in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art © Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.5/12Look Mickey (1961) is one of the first paintings Lichtenstein did in his Pop style. He used benday dots to show texture and color gradients.
Photo: Coup de Chapeau (1996) Painted and patinated bronze, 26.5 x 26.63 x 7 in. © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein6/12The title of Lichtenstein’s bronze sculpture Coup de Chapeau could refer to a physical blow or the tip of a hat. The piece seems to evoke both meanings.
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Photo: Girl in Mirror (1964–65) Porcelain enamel on steel, 42 x 42 x 2 in. © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein7/12Girl in Mirror was painted with porcelain enamel on steel. Lichtenstein was inspired by the surfaces of Good Humor trucks and the glossiness of white subway tiles. The artist would explore depictions of mirrors throughout his career.
Photo: Lichtenstein and Leo Castelli with Mr. Bellamy (1961), Girl with Ball (1961), and Step-on Can with Leg (1961) © Courtesy The Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Paul Berg Collection8/12Lichtenstein was represented by famed gallerist Leo Castelli. His first solo show at the gallery in 1962 completely sold out and raised his profile in the art world. Girl With a Ball, shown here, sold to architect Philip Johnson.
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Photo: Estate of Roy Lichtenstein9/12The artist’s 1964 painting Nurse appears on the cover of the volume. The painting sold for over $95 million in 2015.
Photo: Bedroom at Arles (1992) Oil and Magna on canvas, 320 cm × 420 cm (130 in × 170 in) © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein10/12Lichtenstein reinterpreted Vincent van Gogh’s The Bedroom with modern updates, including tubular chairs and crisp white shirts.
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Photo: Preparedness (1968) Oil and Magna on Canvas, 120 X 216 in (304.8 X 548.6 cm) © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein11/12Preparedness depicts machinery and soldiers, and references the work of WPA artists from the 1930s and Fernand Léger.
