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Explosion - Signed Print by Roy Lichtenstein 1967 - MyArtBroker

Explosion
Signed Print

Roy Lichtenstein

£28,000-£40,000Value Indicator

$60,000-$80,000 Value Indicator

$50,000-$70,000 Value Indicator

¥270,000-¥390,000 Value Indicator

€30,000-€45,000 Value Indicator

$300,000-$420,000 Value Indicator

¥5,560,000-¥7,940,000 Value Indicator

$40,000-$50,000 Value Indicator

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56 x 43cm, Edition of 100, Lithograph

Medium: Lithograph

Edition size: 100

Year: 1967

Size: H 56cm x W 43cm

Signed: Yes

Format: Signed Print

Last Auction: June 2025

Value Trend:

19% AAGR

AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.

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Auction Results

Auction Date
Auction House
Location
Return to Seller
Hammer Price
Buyer Paid
June 2025
Koller Zurich
Switzerland
$40,000
$45,000
$60,000
March 2023
Bonhams Los Angeles
United States
October 2022
Phillips New York
United States
April 2021
Phillips New York
United States
October 2019
Freeman's
United States
April 2018
Phillips New York
United States
September 2016
Christie's New York
United States
MyPortfolio
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Track auction value trend

The value of Roy Lichtenstein’s Explosion (signed) is estimated to be worth between £28,000 and £40,000. This lithograph print, created in 1967, has shown consistent value growth, with an average annual growth rate of 5%. This work has an auction history of 15 total sales since its entry to the market in November 2008. In the last 12 months, the average selling price was £33,668, across a total of 1 sale. Over the past five years, the hammer price has ranged from £13,774 in March 2023 to £33,668 in June 2025. The average return to the seller during this period was £23,520. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 100.

Created with Highcharts 11.4.8Sep 2016Mar 2018Aug 2019Jan 2021Jul 2022Dec 2023Jun 2025$35,000$40,000$45,000$50,000$55,000$60,000$65,000© MyArtBroker

Meaning & Analysis

Beginning in the early 1960s, Roy Lichtenstein began borrowing images of explosions from popular war comics for use in his paintings. He was interested in the way dynamic events like explosions were depicted in the stylised format of cartoon illustrations. On the one hand, the subject matter embodies the revolutionary nature of Pop Art. At the same time, the topic suggests the very real threat of annihilation by a nuclear explosion that was prevalent at that time.

Executed as part of Portfolio 9 in 1967, Explosion pays tribute to the mass-produced perfection of its commercial source material. Lichtenstein refines and enlarges his shape to fit a fine art context, obscuring the border between different modes and hierarchies of representation. The artist combines vivid primary colours, harsh black outlines, and carefully plotted Ben Day dots in his portrayal of a perfectly calculated explosion.

The work functions as a reaction against the pretensions of art history and as a critical reflection on warfare. Similar to Lichtenstein’s explosive Whaam! and As I Opened Fire, the work is also a nod to the artist’s own years spent in the army. Explosion showcases the artist’s striking formal vocabulary, making this work a typical example of his creative oeuvre.

  • 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.

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