The drawings by artist Robert Longo are a sensory experience: They are monumental, detailed and hard-hitting in their subject matter, which often includes critiques of power, social unrest and consumer capitalism.
Longo has spent his career exploring mediums as varied as the Photorealistic charcoal drawings for which he is best known and film direction. In all of his work, however, he draws inspiration from his deep background in sculpture. “I always think that drawing is a sculptural process. I always feel like I’m carving the image out rather than painting the image. I’m carving it out with erasers and tools like that,” he once said.
The Long Island, New York, native attended high school with a man who was shot at Kent State University while protesting the U.S. invasion of Cambodia during the Vietnam War in 1970, and the famous image of this man lying dead on the ground influenced Longo so deeply that he began to consider all art political. Longo attended Buffalo State College, where he met and became friends with artist Cindy Sherman, and later the two moved to New York City together.
Longo’s revered work includes his charcoal and graphite “Men in the Cities” drawings. The Photorealist series, which debuted at Metro Pictures gallery in Manhattan in 1981, depicted people in formal business clothing. Posing in suspended animation in unusual contortions, the figures take on a choreographic quality and represent the career-minded “yuppies” of the era.
“Men in the Cities” was inspired by punk rock music and decades later has been cited as a visual reference for the opening sequence of the popular television drama Mad Men. The work was among the most recognizable and iconic of the Pictures Generation — the movement by artists who came of age in the 1970s and were disillusioned by the social and political conditions of the time. In 2014, Longo created 12 charcoal drawings for a series titled “Gang of Cosmos,” which were black-and-white depictions of famous Abstract Expressionist works by artists like Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Lee Krasner.
Through his provocative, detailed and highly precise prints, drawings, photography and sculpture, Longo continues to challenge traditional sources of power and authority.
Find original Robert Longo art on 1stDibs.
Robert Longo 'Frank & Glenn' Hand Signed and Framed, 1991
By Robert Longo
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Lithograph in colors on wove paper. Artist proof signed and numbered in pencil out of 10 by Robert Longo, published by Brooke Alexander from the Men in the Cities. Frank and Glen st...
Lithograph
Cindy & Max Lithograph Print, Minimalist Style, Circa 2000-2009
By Robert Longo
Located in New York, NY
The specific information regarding edition will be provided at the time of sale. Please contact the seller for more details. 'Cindy' and 'Max' are two separate prints from Robert Lo...
Lithograph
$8,566Sale Price|20% Off
Rumi by Robert Longo, Contemporary, 21st Century, Limited Edition
By Robert Longo
Located in Zug, CH
Robert Longo Rumi 2019 Archival pigment print 71.1 × 55.8 cm (28 × 22 in) Signed and numbered Edition of 40 In excellent condition PLEASE NOTE: Edition numbers could vary from the o...
Archival Pigment
$3,106Sale Price|20% Off
Eric, NYC -Longo, Contemporary, 21st Century, C-Print, Limited Edition, Portrait
By Robert Longo
Located in Zug, CH
Robert Longo, Eric, NYC Contemporary, 21st Century, C-Print, Limited Edition, Portrait, Man C-Print Edition of 100, plus 20 APs 25,5 x 18,5 cm (10 x 7.2 in.) Signed and numbered, a...
C Print
$14,685Sale Price|20% Off
Bruce by Robert Longo, Contemporary, 21st Century, Print, Edition
By Robert Longo
Located in Zug, CH
Robert Longo Bruce 2014 Archival pigment print 50.8 × 76.2 cm (20 × 30 in) Signed and numbered Edition: PP of 5 In excellent condition PLEASE NOTE: Edition numbers could vary from t...
Pigment
Untitled (Janet)
By Robert Longo
Located in New York, NY
An iconic and highly collectible image from Robert Longo’s, Men in the Cities series, this color print was taken in 1981 and print again by the artist in 2016. A chromogenic print o...
C Print
$9,790Sale Price|20% Off
Rippling Water by Robert Longo, Contemporary, 21st Century, Limited Edition
By Robert Longo
Located in Zug, CH
Robert Longo Rippling Water 2016 Archival pigment print 71.1 × 55.8 cm (28 × 22 in) Signed and numbered Edition of 30 In excellent condition PLEASE NOTE: Edition numbers could vary ...
Archival Pigment
$6,118Sale Price|20% Off
Small Earth by Robert Longo, Contemporary, 21st Century, Limited Edition
By Robert Longo
Located in Zug, CH
Robert Longo Small Earth 2012 Archival pigment print 43.1 × 43.1 cm (17 × 17 in) Signed and numbered Edition: PP of 5 In excellent condition PLEASE NOTE: Edition numbers could vary ...
Archival Pigment
$6,118Sale Price|20% Off
Earth by Robert Longo, Contemporary, 21st Century, Print, Edition
By Robert Longo
Located in Zug, CH
Robert Longo Earth 2017 Archival pigment print 45.7 × 45.7 cm (18 × 18 in) Signed and numbered Edition of 15 In excellent condition PLEASE NOTE: Edition numbers could vary from the ...
Pigment
$9,225Sale Price|20% Off
White Snow Trees of the Black Forest by Robert Longo
By Robert Longo
Located in Zug, CH
Robert Longo White Snow Trees of the Back Forest 2020 Archival pigment print 71.1 × 55.8 cm (28 × 22 in) Signed and numbered Edition of 30 In excellent condition PLEASE NOTE: Editio...
Archival Pigment
Arena Brains (framed, large hand signed lithograph)
By Robert Longo
Located in Aventura, FL
Lithograph in colors on Arches paper. Hand signed and dated lower right by Robert Longo. Hand numbered AP 14/15 lower left (there is main edition of 75). Published by Brooke Alexa...
Paper, Lithograph
$9,225Sale Price|20% Off
Wall of Ice by Robert Longo, Contemporary, 21st Century, Limited Edition
By Robert Longo
Located in Zug, CH
Robert Longo Wall of Ice 2017 Archival pigment print 71.1 × 55.8 cm (28 × 22 in) Signed and numbered Edition of 30 In excellent condition PLEASE NOTE: Edition numbers could vary fro...
Archival Pigment
Price Upon Request
Barbara & Rafael
By Robert Longo
Located in New York, NY
From Robert Longo's iconic Men in the Cities portfolio, Barbara and Rafael were created in 1998 and 1999 respectively, as individual lithographs on Rives BFK paper. Each is hand-sign...
Lithograph
Price Upon Request
Cindy & Max
By Robert Longo
Located in New York, NY
From the artist's iconic Men in the Cities series, Cindy & Max were created in 2002 as a paired set of two individual original lithographs on wove paper. Each is hand-signed, dat...
Lithograph
Price Upon Request
Larry
By Robert Longo
Located in New York, NY
From the artist's iconic Men in the Cities series, Larry was created in 1983 as an original lithograph on Arches paper. Hand-signed, dated, and numbered, from the edition of 48, the ...
Lithograph
"Self Portrait" original lithograph
By Marc Chagall
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. Reference: Mourlot 282. Printed in Paris in 1960 at the Mourlot atelier for the frontispiece of the "Chagall Lithographe I" catalogue. Sheet size: 12 1/2...
Lithograph
$300
H 21.5 in W 21.5 in D 2.5 in
Dream of Saint Sebastian framed giclee Paula Craioveanu
By Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
“ Dream of Saint Sebastian “ giclee print On Hahnemuhle paper, edition 3 of 20 Artist Statement "I started by painting interiors, being interested in space and perspective through m...
C Print
Cowboy and Horse - Blue
By Kate Boxer
Located in Deddington, GB
Cowboy and Horse - Blue is a handmade drypoint and chine colle print by artist Kate Boxer. Featuring a Cowboy racing through a blue composition on a wild rearing horse. If you would ...
Drypoint
Miss Spring
By Yoshitomo Nara
Located in London, GB
Digital pigment print on Takeo Deep PV Hakou paper and hardback book 27.9 x 22.9 cm Edition of 100 + 5 APs It was produced in Tokyo under the direction of the artist. Each print com...
Digital Pigment
Amazon framed giclee Paula Craioveanu 3/20
By Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
“ Amazon “ giclee print On Hahnemuhle paper, edition 3 of 20 Artist Statement "I started by painting interiors, being interested in space and perspective through my studies. These s...
C Print
$9,500
H 28.5 in W 20 in
THE LANTERN Hand Signed Lithograph 1979, Collage Portrait, Rural Landscape Scene
By Romare Bearden
Located in Union City, NJ
THE LANTERN is an original, handmade limited edition lithograph printed in 13 colors from hand drawn lithography plates using traditional hand lithography methods on archival Somerse...
Lithograph
$2,234
H 33.46 in W 25.59 in D 1.9 in
Dame Limited Edition Abstract Expressionist Print on Paper
By Anastasia Aureum
Located in London, London
limited edition print on paper All custom charges are included in the final price agreed
Paper, C Print, Digital
$4,400
H 30 in W 40 in D 0.01 in
Jake Chessum 'Amy Winehouse Camden Town Launderett' Signed Limited Edition Print
By Jake Chessum
Located in London, GB
Kate Moss Amy Winehouse Camden Town Launderette III by Jake Chessum ‘In a now closed launderette on Camden Parkway. This was at the end of the day as it was getting dark. We didn’t ...
C Print, Color
$2,213
H 24 in W 24 in D 1 in
We Are the Jocular Clan (6) Hand Signed Lithograph, Framed, 122/300
By Takashi Murakami
Located in Aventura, FL
Offset lithograph in colors on smooth wove paper. Hand signed lower right by Takashi Murakami. Hand numbered 122/300 lower right. Published by Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd., Tokyo. Artwo...
Paper, Lithograph, Offset
"Self Portrait" original lithograph
By Marc Chagall
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. Reference: Mourlot 282. Printed in Paris in 1960 at the Mourlot atelier for the frontispiece of the "Chagall Lithographe I" catalogue. Sheet size: 12 1/2...
Lithograph
Jean Cocteau (after) - Carmen - Lithograph
By Jean Cocteau
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Lithograph after a drawing by Jean Cocteau Title: Carmen 1971 Dimensions: 38 x 28 cm Lithograph made for the portfolio "Gitans et Corridas" published by Société de Diffusion Artistique
Lithograph
$5,000
H 24 in W 30 in
Tyler Shields - Kodachrome Dream, Photography 2022, Printed After
By Tyler Shields
Located in Greenwich, CT
Series: Historical Fiction Chromogenic Print on Kodak Endura Luster Paper All available sizes and editions: 24" x 30" 32" x 40" 48" x 60" 57" x 72" 67" x 84" Editions of 3 + 2 Artist...
Luster, Paper, Archival Paper, C Print, Digital, Inkjet, Archival Pigmen...
Sold
H 31.97 in W 23.98 in
Parzival by Robert Longo, Contemporary, 21st Century, Limited Edition
By Robert Longo
Located in Zug, CH
Robert Longo Parzival 2015 Archival pigment print 81.2 × 60.9 cm (32 × 24 in) Signed and numbered Edition of 30 In excellent condition PLEASE NOTE: Edition numbers could vary from t...
Archival Pigment
Sold
H 43.5 in W 23.5 in D 0.5 in
Men In the Cities - Gretchen Hand Signed By Robert Longo Limited Edition, Framed
By Robert Longo
Located in New York, NY
Robert Longo (Wo)Men In the Cities - Gretchen (Hand Signed), 1991 Limited Edition Offset Lithograph Frame included Edition of 100 Hand signed lower right front; unnumbered Published by Amnesty International and Act-Up This offset lithograph is based upon Longo's 1982 untitled work featuring one of his models, Gretchen, a charcoal and graphite on paper. Robert Longo’s “Men in Cities...
Lithograph, Offset
Sold
H 10.04 in W 7.29 in
Eric, NYC -Longo, Contemporary, 21st Century, C-Print, Limited Edition, Portrait
By Robert Longo
Located in Zug, CH
Robert Longo, Eric, NYC Contemporary, 21st Century, C-Print, Limited Edition, Portrait, Man C-Print Edition of 100, plus 20 APs 25,5 x 18,5 cm (10 x 7.2 in.) Signed and numbered, accompanied by Certificate of Authenticity In mint condition, as acquired from the publisher PLEASE NOTE: Edition numbers could vary from the one shown in the images. The pictures are only for illustrative reasons, the work is offered unframed. The present Eric, NYC, 1980 c-print is one of the precious photographic source material to Robert Longo’s iconic Men in the Cities drawings...
C Print
Sold
H 17.92 in W 13.94 in
Cindy and Eric (portfolio) - Contemporary, 21st Century, Print, Edition
By Robert Longo
Located in Zug, CH
Robert Longo, Cindy and Eric (portfolio) Contemporary, 21st Century, Print, Edition Pigment print (set of 2) Edition of 75 Each 45,5 x 35,4 cm (17.9 x 13.9 in.) Signed, dated, and nu...
Pigment
Sold
H 18 in W 14.02 in
Untitled (Janet), Archival Pigment Print, Contemporary by Robert Longo
By Robert Longo
Located in London, GB
ROBERT LONGO Untitled (Janet from the Men in the Cities series), 1981-2016 Archival pigment print in colours, on wove Signed, dated and numbered from the edition of 100 in black ink ...
Archival Pigment
Cindy (Cindy Sherman)
By Robert Longo
Located in New York, NY
Cindy, 2002 (Cindy Sherman) Lithograph 46 x 30 inches, the full sheet Signed & numbered edition of 120. Certificate of Authenticity from the publisher
Lithograph