Roy Lichtenstein

Step into the cartoon world of Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997), a groundbreaking American artist best known for his iconic contributions to the Pop Art movement. Born in 1923, Lichtenstein drew inspiration from comic strips, advertising, and popular culture, transforming everyday imagery into high art.

Roy Lichtenstein Pop artwork is characterised by a bold use of primary colours, thick black outlines, and Ben-Day dots—mimicking the printing techniques used in mass media – and which became his signature style. Lichtenstein's work often blurred the boundaries between fine art and commercial design, making art more accessible and relatable to the public. Through his playful yet critical approach, Lichtenstein explored themes of romance, war, and consumerism, leaving an indelible mark on the evolution of modern art.

Roy Lichtenstein's auction record was set in 2015, when his painting Nurse (1964) sold for $95.4 million at Christie's in New York. This sale marked the highest price ever achieved for a Lichtenstein artwork at auction.

Explore our available collection of Roy Lichtenstein art and dive into the playful and graphic world of this iconic artist.

Roy Lichtenstein Biography

Renowned for his paintings inspired by comic strips, Roy Lichtenstein is recognised as one of the preeminent pioneers of American Pop art.

Born in New York, Lichtenstein went on to receive a Masters of Fine Arts from Ohio State University in 1949.

Whilst much of his early work was derived from Cubism and then Abstract Expressionism, it was in 1961 that Lichtenstein’s star began to rise with his first pop canvas, Look Mickey, and debut exhibition at Leo Castelli’s New York Gallery.

Lichtenstein’s practice was revolutionary at the time as it brought what was understood as ‘commercial art’ – advertisements, comics, everyday imagery – into the realm of fine art at a time when Abstract Expressionism was the prevailing artistic style. Lichtenstein recreated the commercial printing aesthetic by meticulously imitating the single-colour Ben-Day dots used by newspaper printing presses with stencils to construct his compositions.

Whilst Lichtenstein’s pop art was initially dismissed as “empty” and “vulgar”, famously forming the subject of a Life magazine article titled, “Is He the Worst Artist in the U.S.?”, he went on to represent the U.S. at the Venice Biennale in 1966 and received the National Medal of the Arts (U.S.A.) in 1995.

Lichtenstein’s seminal contribution is reflected in his presence in major museum collections, with arguably his most famous double canvas, Whaam!, 1963, hanging at the Tate Modern, London.