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One of the leading names in Pop Art, and indeed one of the 20th Century’s very best artists, is Roy Lichtenstein. His groundbreaking ‘comic’ works like Whaam! changed what art could be, and explored a very American sense of mass market consumerism with pulpy satires about war and sex.
What is rarely discussed is the influence of Europe on his work. But in an upcoming auction at Sotheby’s in London on June 24th and 25th (following on from one in New York last month where the works all sold for a combined $54m), the works are very much reflective of his European experience. He was stationed in London during World War 2, and would sketch trees in Hampstead Heath, as well as visit the capital’s galleries. He spent important time in Paris too, and even attempted to visit his hero Picasso’s studio but chickened out at the last minute.
David and Mitchell, Lichtenstein’s sons, commented, “Thinking about our father’s time in London and Europe brings back many memories and stories. One of our favorites is when he actually managed to find Picasso’s studio in Paris – he’d been so influenced by him. He once told us he stood outside the door for ages but couldn't bring himself to knock, because he felt he hadn’t yet done anything worth disturbing Picasso for! That was so him: bold on the canvas, but humble in front of the artists he admired most. It says a lot about how deeply he revered the artists he grew up admiring, and how seriously he took measuring up to that legacy in his own way.”
The works under the hammer demonstrate this influence, and include Lichtenstein’s Purist Still Life with Pitcher, references the mostly French art movement Purism, whilst his Seductive Girl (Study) can be read as a tribute to art history’s most enduring subject, the nude, and Water Lilies – Pink Flower (Study), pays tribute to Monet’s Nymphéas.
Ottilie Windsor, Co-Head of Contemporary Art, Sotheby’s London says, “To bring this outstanding group of Lichtenstein works to London in the wake of the remarkable success we saw for the artist in New York, feels really exciting. Europe played a quiet but profound role in shaping his artistic vision: from sketching London’s parks while stationed here during the war, discovering Cézanne and Toulouse-Lautrec in Paris, and later drawing inspiration from the likes of Picasso and Matisse. The British public were early supporters of Lichtenstein’s work, and there’s a lovely symmetry in seeing these works return to a city that helped nurture his acclaim.”
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Of course while Lichtenstein drew upon the influence of the greats in Europe, he later inspired so many British artists across the creative spectrum. David Bowie was a huge and one wrote a profile about Lichtenstein for Interview magazine.
For Allen Jones, his first encounter of Lichtenstein’s work drastically changed the course of his own career. He told the Tate, “It was just so exciting to see this work. It was a kind of release because I realised I'd been leading this sheltered life under the umbrella of what was considered fine art... Roy’s work was very rigorous, quite conceptually based and tough. You had to take it or leave it…There was no decorative hiding place and, boy, that’s terrific.”
Zandra Rhodes was another to be influenced, saying “When I first started designing, the energy of Pop Art was electric. It was absolutely everywhere, and Roy Lichtenstein’s bold, graphic style struck an immediate chord with me. He not only showed me that art could be playful and powerful all at once, but helped shaped my vision of what fashion and textiles could become: deliciously daring and deeply of the moment.”
As such, this auction feels like a nice warm homecoming for Lichtenstein’s work, which may influence a whole new generation of artists.
For more information on the auction visit https://www.sothebys.com/en/artists/roy-lichtenstein
