Roy Lichtenstein: a retrospective

Abstract

The most iconic works of Lichtenstein (1923-1997) are widely known, reproduced, copied, and even parodied. However, the true diversity and complexity of his oeuvre is little understood, and the full scope of his career is largely absent from the existing literature. Presenting over 130 paintings and sculptures, as well as over thirty seldom or never-before-seen drawings and collages, this book examines all periods in Lichtenstein's career, going well beyond his brushstrokes and the classic Pop romance and war cartoon paintings that made him famous. Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective features exciting new scholarship by an international team of distinguished curators, critics, and art historians. Essays by Yve-Alain Bois, Chrissie Iles, and Stephen Little, among others, give special consideration to Lichtenstein's historical influences, from Picasso and Cubism through Surrealism, Futurism, and British Pop. Contributions from the accompanying exhibition's curators James Rondeau and Sheena Wagstaff evaluate the artist's abstract work and late nudes. Complemented by photographs of the artist and his seminal exhibitions, the authors examine the various styles and subjects featured in paintings created throughout his lifetime. The inclusion of a complete chronology of Lichtenstein's life and work - compiled by Clare Bell of the Lichtenstein Foundation - makes this retrospective the most authoritative publication on the artist since his death.