Roy Lichtenstein
1923–1997
© Estate of Roy Lichtenstein
License this image
© Estate of Roy Lichtenstein
License this image
In Tate Modern
Media Networks: Beyond Pop
Free entry
In Tate Britain
Prints and Drawings Rooms
View by AppointmentBiography
Roy Fox Lichtenstein (; October 27, 1923 – September 29, 1997) was an American pop artist. During the 1960s, along with Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, and James Rosenquist among others, he became a leading figure in the new art movement. His work defined the premise of pop art through parody. Inspired by the comic strip, Lichtenstein produced precise compositions that documented while they parodied, often in a tongue-in-cheek manner. His work was influenced by popular advertising and the comic book style. He described pop art as "not 'American' painting but actually industrial painting". His paintings were exhibited at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York City.
Whaam! and Drowning Girl are generally regarded as Lichtenstein's most famous works, with Oh, Jeff...I Love You, Too...But... arguably third. Drowning Girl, Whaam! and Look Mickey are regarded as his most influential works. His most expensive piece is Masterpiece, which was sold for $165 million in January 2017.
This biography is from Wikipedia under an Attribution-ShareAlike Creative Commons License. Spotted a problem? Let us know.
Read full Wikipedia entryArtworks
Roy Lichtenstein Whaam!
1963
Roy Lichtenstein Explosion
1965–6
Artist as subject
Robert Mapplethorpe Roy Lichtenstein
1985, printed 1990
Film and audio
Behind The Scenes
Conserving Whaam!
Watch Tate's conservation team revive Roy Lichtenstein's pop masterpiece
TateShots
Allen Jones on Lichtenstein
Both artists are significant figures in the story of Pop Art and close friends
TateShots
Roy Lichtenstein: Pop, Parody and Play
Take a tour of some the the pop artist's most iconic works
>
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Listen
Lichtenstein and Pop Study Day: Other Worlds of British Pop – Part 2
Audio recording. This study day in March 2013 explored issues raised by the major Roy Lichtenstein retrospective at Tate Modern
Watch
Lichtenstein and Pop Study Day – Part 1
Video recording of Lichtenstein and Pop study day at Tate Modern - part 1
>
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Listen
Lichtenstein and Pop Study Day: Other Worlds of British Pop – Part 1
Audio recording. This study day in March 2013 explored issues raised by the major Roy Lichtenstein retrospective at Tate Modern
>
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Listen
Lichtenstein and Pop Study Day: Other Worlds of British Pop – Part 3
Audio recording. Richard Thomas offers a unique insight into the curatorial processes behind the Lichtenstein: A Retrospective exhibition at Tate ...
Watch
Global Pop symposium – Day 1, Part 18: third Q&A
Tate video: This two-day Global Pop symposium at Tate Modern explores Pop beyond the mainstream.
Watch
Global Pop symposium – Day 2, Part 1: Introduction
Tate video: Welcome and introduction to the second day of the Global Pop symposium, by Jessica Morgan. Tate Modern
Watch
Global Pop symposium – Day 2, Part 2: Walter Grasskamp
Tate video: Walter Grasskamp presents What We Talk About When We Talk About Pop; The Phantom of the Media. Global ...
Features
Art Term
Pop art
Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the 1950s and flourished in the 1960s in America and Britain ...
Art Term
Comic strip art
Comic strip art is art that imitates the style, commercial printing techniques and subject matter of comic strips
Tate Etc
WOW!: Lichtenstein: A Retrospective at Tate Modern II
Whaam! has been described as one of the most powerful monuments of 1960s Pop Art, and remains one of Tate ...
Tate Etc
Pop goes the past: Lichtenstein: A Retrospective at Tate Modern I
Roy Lichtenstein was widely regarded as one of the key figures of American Pop Art. A pioneer of a new ...
Tate Etc
Tate Etc. issue 27: Spring 2013
Tate Etc. issue 27, Spring 2013; online edition of Tate's magazine
Blog
Lichtenstein: Art about art
Curator Iria Candela talks about Lichtenstein's re-creation of other artists of the past such as Picasso, Matisse and Mondrian ...
Blog
Installing Lichtenstein’s film at Tate Modern
To coincide with our Lichtenstein retrospective, we will be showing the artist’s little-known triple-screen film installation. The only film ...
Blog
Lichtenstein: your views, stories and comments
Curator Iria Candela asks for your views, stories and comments on the Lichtenstein restrospective at Tate Modern in February
You might like
Donald Judd
1928–1994
Helen Frankenthaler
1928–2011
Ellsworth Kelly
1923–2015
Jim Dine
born 1935
Derrick Greaves
born 1927
Andy Warhol
1928–1987
Michael Rothenstein
1908–1993
Jasper Johns
born 1930
Sir Terry Frost
1915–2003
Larry Rivers
1923–2002
James Rosenquist
1933 – 2017
Robert Rauschenberg
1925–2008
Sol LeWitt
1928–2007
Harold Shapinsky
1925–2004
Ceri Richards
1903–1971