Illustration For Passage Du Nord-Ouest
Illustration For Passage Du Nord-Ouest
Signed Print
Roy Lichtenstein
£2,900-£4,350Value Indicator
$6,000-$9,000 Value Indicator
$5,500-$8,000 Value Indicator
¥28,000-¥40,000 Value Indicator
€3,350-€5,000 Value Indicator
$30,000-$45,000 Value Indicator
¥580,000-¥860,000 Value Indicator
$3,950-$6,000 Value Indicator
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48 x 35cm, Edition of 80, Intaglio
Medium: Intaglio
Edition size: 80
Year: 1992
Size: H 48cm x W 35cm
Signed: Yes
Format: Signed Print
Last Auction: July 2025
Value Trend:
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Meaning & Analysis
Two decades after the publication of Allen Ginsberg’s 1972 poetry collection, The Fall Of America, Roy Lichtenstein was entrusted with illustrating a selection of poems from the book. Ginsberg was a central member of the Beat Generation, a literary movement responding to changes in American culture and politics in the post-war era.
Passage Du Nord-Ouest iIllustrates Ginsberg’s poem “Northwest Passage”, which details the harrowing consequences of local pollution and industrial reach. To this day, the Northwest Passage represents centuries of effort to find a route westward from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean. Ginsberg’s poem calls to attention the inherent financial and materialistic passage that this endeavour imposed across the North American continent.
Lichtenstein’s Passage Du Nord-Ouestdraws on Ginsberg’s spontaneous and prophetic style of expression for its main composition. It is the only black and white work in the series, compiled out of broken black lines set against an off-white background. It is also the only print depicting a figure, showing Ginsberg himself drawn as a guru, floating in the centre of the canvas in lotus position. Lichtenstein’s Passage Du Nord-Ouest appropriates the long standing tradition of saint portraiture, presenting a minimalistic depiction of Ginsberg as a divine spiritual leader.
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.
