Hidden Gems: The Prints of Roy Lichtenstein

Most collectors are familiar with Lichtenstein’s major prints. But if you are willing to dig a little deeper, there are opportunities to acquire lesser-known images of the same high quality. The only difference is these prints might be a little smaller physically or perhaps have been created in a larger edition. For openers, look no further than the screenprint Red Barn (1969). In this writer’s opinion, it’s the artist’s most underrated print of the 1960s. The image itself represents Lichtenstein’s homage to a durable subject in art history; the barn. Red Barn was produced in a relatively large edition of 250. Yet, you don’t see them come up for sale very often; collectors tend to hang onto them.

Another Lichtenstein sleeper is Mao (1971), which superseded Andy Warhol’s famous Mao prints by one year. Although Warhol and Lichtenstein were friends and stablemates at the Leo Castelli Gallery, it’s hard to say whether Roy “getting there first” had any influence on Andy’s Maos. Warhol’s portrait was derived from the stoic photograph of Mao Zedong in his famous “Little Red Book.” Lichtenstein’s image was not based on a photo. Instead, he created a smiling, almost benevolent Mao appearing inside one of his signature “cartoon blurbs.” Mao was printed in an edition of 150.

In 1978, Roy Lichtenstein embarked on his Surrealist Series. Currently, Surrealism is undergoing an upward appraisal in the art market, led by Rene Magritte’s extraordinary prices. Among Lichtenstein’s finest Surrealist prints is Blonde. Here, the artist reprises his Blondes from the 1960s - which were largely responsible for making his reputation - only with a surreal twist. Blonde was released in a relatively small edition of 38. Although I wouldn’t quite refer to the print as neglected, it appears to have a ways to run as far as popularity and price.

With the dawn of the 1980s, Lichtenstein began his American Indian Theme Series. Paintings from this body of work never really caught on with collectors, which also held true for the prints. Now, with the overwhelming demand for “anything Lichtenstein,” these paintings are sought after and the prints probably won’t be far behind. Perhaps the standout from the group is the woodcut American Indian Theme III. Here, Lichtenstein featured Native American and Southwest icons, including a saguaro cactus, a bear claw, and geometric patterns from Navajo rugs. American Indian Theme III was executed in an edition of 50 and measures a generous 35” x 27.” If you’re in the market for a more modest-scale print from the series, you might want to explore Two Figures With Teepee, an etching in an edition of only 32.

Finally, I’ve always liked the print, Lamp. This minimal woodcut, from a 1981 edition of 30, is reminiscent of Lichtenstein’s great bronze sculptures from this era. In fact, the print Lamp relates closely to the Lichtenstein sculpture, Lamp I (1977, edition of 3). Lamp’s abstract qualities do a good job of conjuring up the essence of the sculpture but obviously can be acquired without the high price tag of a bronze.

Besides the previously mentioned Lichtenstein prints, there are certainly other examples ripe for re-evaluation. Bear in mind that Lichtenstein is one of those rare artists with demand for virtually everything he produced; from his early enamel jewelry multiples to his primary-colored paper plates. I’ve often been asked, if the art market ever experienced a disruption, whose work would you hang onto? I’ve consistently answered, “Andy Warhol, David Hockney…. and Roy Lichtenstein.”