Lichtenstein, Roy [key], 1923–97, American painter, b. New York City. A master of pop art, Lichtenstein derived his subject matter from popular sources such as comic strips, the imagery of which he used until the early 1970s. His paintings reflect modern typographic and printing techniques such as Ben-Day dots and make innovative use of commonplace imagery. Among Lichtenstein's sophisticated and ironic works are Flatten … sandfleas (1962; Mus. of Modern Art, New York City) and Preparedness (1968; Guggenheim Mus.). His works of the 1970s and 80s largely consist of ironic reinterpretatons of cubist still lives and of other well-known paintings by famous painters. His paintings of the 1980s and 90s, which often include both real and simulated brush strokes, are typified by the large canvas Figures in a Landscape (1986). Liechtenstein is also noted for his brightly colored Pop graphics.
See studies by E. Sussman (1978), L. Alloway (1983), and B. Rose (1987); catalogue raisonné of his prints ed. by M. L. Corlett and R. E. Fine (2002).
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