Two Apples
Signed Print

In Two Apples Lichtenstein transforms fundamental painterly gestures into the main protagonists of his artwork. Energetic marks occupy most of the canvas, as Lichtenstein reflects on how simple changes to the alignment of his brushstrokes can have a major influence on his composition. The print is constructed out of olive green, dark blue, black, brownish red and bright yellow streaks of colour. Imitating the mannerism of the abstract expressionists, the artist applies the pigments in bold sweeps, as if done subconsciously.

Two Applesis imbued with irony, ridiculing the inimitability granted to brushwork throughout art history. The simplified forms in this print also showcase a revision of traditional modes of portraiture, as the expressive brushstrokes underline the formal concerns of the subject matter. Lichtenstein keenly embraces a sense of technical finesse, with which he engages in a simulated process of still life painting. As a result, the beholder forgets that the print was in fact executed as a woodcut.