Name: Still Life (C. 310)
Brand: Roy Lichtenstein
Rating: 5 (236 reviews)

Track auction value trend

The value of Roy Lichtenstein’s Still Life (C. 310) is estimated to be worth between £16,000 and £24,000. This signed screenprint from 1997 has shown consistent value growth, with an average annual growth rate of 11%. This work has an auction history of 8 total sales since its entry to the market in November 2007. In the last 12 months, the hammer price has ranged from £13,776 in November 2022 to £21,611 in February 2023. The average return to the seller over the past five years has been £15,039. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 75.

Meaning & Analysis

Roy Lichtenstein’s Still Life (C. 310) of 1997 was commissioned for The Geldzahler portfolio, honouring curator and critic Henry Geldzahler. The project was undertaken after Geldzahler’s premature death and in support of the Estate Project for Artists with AIDS.

Still Life (C. 310) showcases a similarly abstracted layout as Still Life With Red Jar from a few years prior. Examining the long-standing tradition of still lifes, the print was inspired by Lichtenstein’s previous Six Still Lifes and Seven Apple Woodcuts of the 1970s and 1980s. Focusing on the elementary characteristics of still life painting, the artist crops close on his depicted subject matter. He reduces his still life rendition to a minimalist portrait of apples, a cutting board and a vase.

Imbuing his scene with an underlying comedy, Lichtenstein coats his forms in unexpected pigments and bends them out of shape. The artist’s use of vivid stripes and graduated dots supply volume and dimension to his otherwise flattened canvas. Still Life (C. 310) actively exploits the inherent abstract qualities of Lichtenstein’s own pictorial language. With this print, Lichtenstein reflects on the enduring influence of a principal art historical genre, while also showcasing his own pop spin on it.

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.