Roy Lichtenstein 1923-1997

Overview
View works. Roommates, from the Nudes Series, 1994, by Roy Lichtenstein, Relief Print from an edition of 40, at Coskun Fine Art. London www.coskunfineart.com
Roommates, 1994
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Roy Lichtenstein (1923–1997) was a pioneering figure of American Pop Art, known for his bold, graphic style that redefined the relationship between fine art and mass culture. Alongside Andy Warhol, Lichtenstein emerged in the 1960s as one of the leading voices in a movement that challenged the dominance of Abstract Expressionism by embracing the language of consumerism, comic strips, and commercial printing.

 

Best known for his comic-inspired works, Lichtenstein elevated the visual clichés of mid-century American life into serious painterly investigations. His compositions are characterised by flat planes, primary colours, heavy outlines, and his signature use of Benday dots — a technique borrowed from commercial offset printing. Though often associated with parody, Lichtenstein’s work is rooted in formalism, irony, and art historical reference.

 

Today, Roy Lichtenstein’s paintings, prints, and multiples are among the most recognisable in post-war art. His influence extends across movements and generations, and his work remains highly sought after by collectors and institutions worldwide.

Biography
Roy Lichtenstein 1923-1997 Roommates 1994 Relief print on Rives BFK mold-made paper. From the Nude Series Sheet: 64⅛ x 51⅛ (162.9 x 129.9) Image: 57⅞ x 45 3/16 (147 x 114.8) Inscriptions: Numbered, signed (rf Lichtenstein), and dated (’94) in pencil, lowe

Roy Lichtenstein was born in New York City in 1923 and raised on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. He studied watercolour at the Art Students League and later enrolled at Ohio State University, where he pursued fine art before being drafted into military service during World War II. After the war, he completed his studies and briefly taught at Ohio State, balancing academic life with work as a commercial art instructor and industrial designer.

 

Throughout the 1950s, Lichtenstein experimented with abstraction while subtly incorporating cartoon imagery into his canvases. In 1957, he returned to New York and began embedding figures like Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny into his abstract paintings—prefiguring the shift that would define his breakthrough in the 1960s.

Lichtenstein’s first fully Pop works emerged in 1961, featuring direct appropriations of comic book panels and advertisements. By simplifying linework, mimicking mechanical printing, and isolating emotionally charged but generic scenes, Lichtenstein transformed disposable popular imagery into enduring art historical icons. His practice expanded beyond comics to include art historical pastiches, architectural compositions, and sculptural works.

 

In 1964, Lichtenstein became the first American Pop artist to exhibit at the Tate Gallery in London. His first museum retrospective followed in 1967 at the Pasadena Art Museum. Over the next three decades, his work was shown internationally to critical acclaim. In 1995, he received the National Medal of Arts from President Bill Clinton in recognition of his artistic legacy.

 

Following his death in 1997, the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation was established in 1999 to preserve and promote his work and legacy.

Works
  • Wallpaper with Blue Floor Interior, 1992 by Roy Lichtenstein, Screenprint from an edition of 300, at Coskun Fine Art
    Wallpaper with Blue Floor Interior, 1992
  • Nude Reading from the Nudes Series, 1994, by Roy Lichtenstein, Relief Print from an edition of 60, at Coskun Fine Art. London www.coskunfineart.com
    Nude Reading, 1994
  • Nude with Blue Hair from the Nudes Series, 1994, by Roy Lichtenstein, Relief Print from an edition of 40, at www.coskunfineart.com
    Nude with Blue Hair, 1994
  • Nude with Blue Hair State I, from the Nudes Series, 1994, by Roy Lichtenstein, Relief Print from an edition of 10, at www.coskunfineart.com
    Nude with Blue Hair, State I, 1994
  • Nude with Yellow Pillow, from the Nudes Series, 1994, by Roy Lichtenstein, Relief Print from an edition of 60, at www.coskunfineart.com
    Nude with Yellow Pillow, 1994
  • Reflections on Girl, from the Reflections Series, 1990, by Roy Lichtenstein, Screenprint from an edition of 68, at Coskun Fine Art
    Reflections on Girl, 1994
  • Roommates, from the Nudes Series, 1994, by Roy Lichtenstein, Relief Print from an edition of 40, at Coskun Fine Art. London www.coskunfineart.com
    Roommates, 1994
  • Thinking Nude, from the Nudes Series, 1994, by Roy Lichtenstein, Relief Print from an edition of 40, at Coskun Fine Art www.coskunfineart.com
    Thinking Nude, 1994
  • Thinking Nude State I, from the Nudes Series, 1994, by Roy Lichtenstein, Relief Print from an edition of 10, at www.coskunfineart.com
    Thinking Nude, State I, 1994
  • Two Nudes, from the Nudes Series, 1994 by Roy Lichtenstein, Relief Print from an edition of 40, at www.coskunfineart.com
    Two Nudes, 1994
  • Two Nudes State I, from the Nudes Series, 1994, by Roy Lichtenstein, Relief Print from an edition of 10, at www.coskunfineart.com
    Two Nudes, State I, 1994
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