Thinking Nude, State I (1994) offers a pared-back variation of the final Thinking Nude composition, highlighting Roy Lichtenstein’s process of visual refinement. Issued as part of the Nudes series and published by Cohen Taylor, this relief print strips the scene to its essentials—emphasising spatial structure, silhouette, and graphic rhythm.

In this earlier state, Lichtenstein’s figure remains frontally composed and formally controlled, but rendered with greater restraint. Elements of the background are minimised or omitted entirely, allowing the geometry of the pose and the balance of positive and negative space to carry the image. The absence of interior detail invites closer attention to the spatial relationships between the figure’s curved form and the edge of the frame.

Like the finished Thinking Nude, this print draws from comic source material and mid-century visual tropes. But here, the tone is quieter, more architectural. It’s a rare opportunity to observe Lichtenstein’s formal decision-making as he calibrates clarity, flatness, and compositional weight.

Signed and dated ’94, Thinking Nude, State I is offered by Coskun Fine Art in excellent condition, with full authentication and provenance available upon request.