As I Opened Fire
As I Opened Fire
Signed Print
Roy Lichtenstein
£1,700-£2,550Value Indicator
$3,500-$5,500 Value Indicator
$3,150-$4,700 Value Indicator
¥16,000-¥25,000 Value Indicator
€1,950-€2,950 Value Indicator
$18,000-$27,000 Value Indicator
¥340,000-¥510,000 Value Indicator
$2,300-$3,400 Value Indicator
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61 x 50cm, Edition of 3000, Lithograph
Medium: Lithograph
Edition size: 3000
Year: 1966
Size: H 61cm x W 50cm
Signed: Yes
Format: Signed Print
Last Auction: June 2025
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Meaning & Analysis
Executed in 1966, Roy Lichtenstein’s As I Opened Fire is a spectacular printed triptych compiled out of three offset lithographs. The work pays tribute to the mass-produced perfection of its commercial source material. At the same time, As I Opened Fire also functions as a reaction against the pretensions of art history.
As I Opened Fire showcases three conjoined images that together constitute a coherent narrative. The story is reinforced by the added textual elements, announcing a fictitious soldier’s inner monologue. The print employs Lichtenstein’s striking formal vocabulary, making this work a typical example of Pop Art. The artist’s combination of vivid primary colours, harsh black outlines, and carefully plotted Ben Day dots mimic the appeal of cartoon imagery.
Similar to Lichtenstein’s explosive Whaam!, As I Opened Fire is a nod to the artist’s own years in the army. Lichtenstein refines and enlarges his shapes to fit a fine art context, obscuring the border between different modes and hierarchies of representation.
As I Opened Fire responds to idealised creative conventions by erasing the artist's hand. Instead, the work presents a composition that is as precise and calculated as a mechanical reproduction. Ultimately, Lichtenstein’s print criticises the futility of warfare, while also redefining the visual conventions of post-war American art.
Roy Lichtenstein, born in New York, 1923, is a seminal figure in the Pop Art movement, renowned for his comic book and advertisement-inspired artworks. His transformative journey from classical painter to Pop Art pioneer began with his iconic piece, Look Mickey, marking the fusion of painting with pop culture. Lichtenstein’s works, including Whaam!, Drowning Girl, and Crying Girl, blend parody and satire, challenging the boundaries between popular culture and ‘high art’. With over 5,000 pieces to his name, Lichtenstein’s enduring influence resonates in contemporary art, his works celebrated in prestigious institutions worldwide.
