Roy Lichtenstein is one of the principal figures of the American Pop art movement, along with Andy Warhol, James Rosenquist, Claes Oldenburg and Robert Rauschenberg.
Drawing inspiration from comic strips, Lichtenstein appropriated techniques commercial printing in his paintings, introducing a vernacular sensibility to the visual landscape of contemporary art. He employed visual elements such as the halftone dots that comprise a printed image, and a comic-inspired use of primary colors gave his paintings their signature “Pop” palette.
Born and raised in New York City, Lichtenstein enjoyed Manhattan’s myriad cultural offerings and comic books in equal measure. He began painting seriously as a teenager, studying watercolor painting at the Parsons School of Design in the late 1930s, and later at the Art Students League, where he worked with American realist painter Reginald Marsh. He began his undergraduate education at Ohio State University in 1940, and after a three-year stint in the United States Army during World War II, he completed his bachelor’s degree and then his master’s in fine arts. The roots of Lichtenstein’s interest in the convergence of high art and popular culture are evident even in his early years in Cleveland, where in the late 1940s, he taught at Ohio State, designed window displays for a department store and painted his own pieces.
Working at the height of the Abstract Expressionist movement in the 1950s, Lichtenstein deliberately eschewed the sort of painting that was held in high esteem by the art world and chose instead to explore the visual world of print advertising and comics. This gesture of recontextualizing a lowbrow image by importing it into a fine-art context would become a trademark of Lichtenstein’s artistic style, as well as a vehicle for his critique of the concept of good taste. His 1963 painting Whaam! confronts the viewer with an impact scene from a 1962-era issue of DC Comics’ All American Men of War. Isolated from its larger context, this image combines the playful lettering and brightly colored illustration of the original comic with a darker message about military conflict at the height of the Cold War. Crying Girl from the same year featured another of Lichtenstein’s motifs — a woman in distress, depicted with a mixture of drama and deadpan humor. His work gained a wider audience by creating a comic-inspired mural for the New York State Pavilion of the 1964 World's Fair, he went on to be represented by legendary New York gallerist Leo Castelli for 30 years.
In the 1970s and ’80s, Lichtenstein experimented with abstraction and began exploring basic elements of painting, as in this 1989 work Brushstroke Contest. In addition to paintings in which the brushstroke itself became the central subject, in 1984 he created a large-scale sculpture called Brushstrokes in Flight for the Port Columbus International Airport in Ohio. Still Life with Windmill from 1974 and the triptych Cow Going Abstract from 1982 both demonstrate a break from his earlier works where the subjects were derived from existing imagery. Here, Lichtenstein paints subjects more in line with the norms of art history — a pastoral scene and a still life — but he has translated their compositions into his signature graphic style, in which visual elements of printed comics are still a defining feature.
Lichtenstein’s work is represented in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, Tate Modern, and many others. He was awarded National Medal of Arts in 1995, two years before he passed away.
Find a collection of Roy Lichtenstein prints, drawings and more on 1stDibs.
$2,400
H 51.19 in W 59.06 in D 0 in
Museum of Modern Art Original Poster, 'I'd Rather Drown' by Roy Lichtenstein
By (after) Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Museum of Modern Art original poster, 'I'd Rather Drown' by Roy Lichtenstein Artist: Roy Lichtenstein Year: 1980 Dimensions: 150 x 130 cm Condition: Excellent ...
Paper
$875
H 25 in W 33 in D 0.1 in
After Roy Lichtenstein-Brushstrokes-Original Poster
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Designed by Roy Lichtenstein for exhibitions at the Pasadena Art Museum (April 18–May 28, 1967) and the Walker Art Center (June 23–July 30, 1967), this original poster (Corlett cat. ...
Screen
$400
H 27 in W 26 in
Yale University Art Gallery (Thinking of Him) Poster /// Roy Lichtenstein Pop
By (after) Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: (after) Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923-1997) Title: "Yale University Art Gallery (Thinking of Him)" Series: Yale University Art Gallery Posters Year: 1991 Medium: Original Offset-Lithograph, Poster on smooth wove paper Limited edition: Unknown Printer: Springdale Graphics, Springdale, CT Publisher: Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT Sheet size: 27" x 26" Image size: 22.25" x 22.5" Condition: Never framed, has been professionally stored away for decades. In excellent condition Notes: Provenance: acquired directly from the printer Springdale Graphics, Springdale, CT. Comes from the 1991 "Yale University Art Gallery" series of three offset-lithograph, posters: "Thinking of Him", "Blam", and "Washing Machine". The image featured on this poster is Lichtenstein's 1963, 68" x 68", magna on canvas painting "Thinking of Him" which is part of the Yale University Art Gallery's permanent collection. GIA Gallery Poster Disclaimer: Not to be confused with thousands of contemporary inkjet/giclée/digital reproductions ignorantly or deliberately passed off as originals on the market today. The examples we offer here are the original period vintage (exhibition) posters, created and designed by, or under the supervision and authorization of the artist or their respective estate (posthumously), for various exhibitions and events in which they participated. If applicable, this poster is also fully documented within its respective artists' official catalogue raisonné of authentic graphic works, prints, and or posters. Biography: American artist Roy Lichtenstein was born in New York City on October 27, 1923, and grew up on Manhattan's Upper West Side. In the 1960s, Lichtenstein became a leading figure of the new Pop Art movement. Inspired by advertisements and comic strips, Lichtenstein's bright, graphic works parodied American popular culture and the art world itself. He died in New York City on September 29, 1997. Lichtenstein was committed to his art until the end of his life, often spending at least 10 hours a day in his studio. His work was acquired by major museum collections around the world, and he received numerous honorary degrees and awards, including the National Medal of Arts in 1995. In 2013 the painting "Woman with Flowered Hat" set another record at $56.1 million as it was purchased by British jeweler Laurence Graff...
Lithograph, Offset
$200Sale Price|20% Off
H 30.25 in W 20 in
Shipboard Girl Exhibition Poster, Offset Print, Pop Art, 20th Century
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Paper Size: 30.25 x 20 inches ( 76.835 x 50.8 cm ) Image Size: 22 x 16 inches ( 55.88 x 40.64 cm ) Framed: No Condition: B: Very Good Condition, with signs of handling or age Additi...
Offset
![Roy Lichtenstein Exhibit at The Aspen Institute (Girl in Mirror) [Signed] Poster](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/archivesE/upload/a_1212/a_181904321786325186057/d3c3a098-348c-44d7-947e-e140a217426f/20260625_161935.jpg?width=240)
$8,500
H 33.75 in W 26.75 in
Roy Lichtenstein Exhibit at The Aspen Institute (Girl in Mirror) [Signed] Poster
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: (after) Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923-1997) Title: "Roy Lichtenstein Exhibit at The Aspen Institute (Girl in Mirror)" *Signed by Lichtenstein in silver felt pen lower righ...
Lithograph, Offset, Felt Pen
$100Sale Price|20% Off
H 8.5 in W 11 in D 0.1 in
Roy Lichtenstein 'Thinkng Nude' 1997 Vintage Pop Art
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Brooklyn, NY
From the Nudes portfolio, single sheet titled "Thinkng Nude" by Roy Lichtenstein published by Tyler Graphics. Not numbered and unsigned. Paper Size: 8.5 x 11 inches ( 22 x 28 cm ) I...
Offset
$750
H 28.75 in W 28.75 in D 0.1 in
Roy Lichtenstein Guggenheim Museum Screen Print, Pop Art, 1969
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This original poster, designed by Roy Lichtenstein for his first solo exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum in New York (September 19–November 16, 1969), is a screen print on white glo...
Screen
$200Sale Price|20% Off
H 38.5 in W 26.75 in
Nudes with Beach Ball Offset Print, Pop Art, 2007 Exhibition Poster
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This exhibition poster, featuring Nudes with Beach Ball, was created for a show held in Madrid, Spain, in 2007. This first edition includes text and show information, capturing the e...
Offset
Brushstroke (Exhibition Poster)
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) was one of the most successful and influential artists of the 20th century, helping pioneer and define Pop Art in the 1960's. Lichtenstein's signature s...
Lithograph, Offset
Price Upon Request
H 25 in W 26 in
Mermaid, Signed Lithograph by Roy Lichtenstein
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Long Island City, NY
The print was created in conjunction with Lichtenstein's first public sculpture project, Mermaid, for the Miami Beach Theater of Performing Arts. The print is hand-signed and numbere...
Lithograph
1999 Roy Lichtenstein - Chiostro del Bramante Original Vintage Poster
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Winchester, GB
A beautiful and rare piece, this poster was produced for Roy Lichtenstein's exhibition at the Chiostro del Bramante in Rome, Italy. The exhibition was held between December 1999 and April 2000...
Paper
1969 Roy Lichtenstein - Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Original Vintage Poster
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Winchester, GB
This beautiful poster is for Roy Lichtenstein's exhibition at the iconic Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York in 1969 and features an original artwork by Lichtenstein for the pos...
Paper
1975 Roy Lichtenstein - Leo Castelli Original Vintage Poster
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Winchester, GB
A beautiful and extremely rare piece, this poster is for Roy Lichtenstein's exhibition at the Leo Castelli Gallery on West Broadway in New York in 1975 and features Lichtenstein's ar...
Paper
1982 Roy Lichtenstein - Sweet Dreams Baby - Colorado State Original Poster
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Winchester, GB
Featuring the beautiful artwork "Sweet Dreams Baby!" from 1965, this gorgeous poster was created to promote Pop-Artist Roy Lichtenstein's exhibition at Colorado State University in F...
Paper
1983 Andy Warhol - Galerie Borjeson Original Vintage Poster
By Andy Warhol
Located in Winchester, GB
Stunning poster, created in promotion of the legendary Andy Warhol's exhibition at the Galerie Borjeson in Malmo, Sweden held between December 3rd to 23rd 1983. Featuring a screen pr...
Paper
1968 Roy Lichtenstein - Merton of the Movies Original Vintage Poster
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Winchester, GB
Stunning screen print on silver foil paper designed by the iconic Roy Lichtenstein. Created in 1968, this poster promoting a showing of "Merton of the Movies" at the Tyrone Guthrie T...
Paper
