History
Born on October 27, 1923 to Milton and Beatrice Lichtenstein, Robert Lichtenstein grew up in the Manhattan’s Upper West Side. In New York, Lichtenstein indulged in comic books and the natural sciences as a child and art later in his teenage years. Lichtenstein attended Franklin School for Boys in Manhattan until 1940. Meanwhile, the future-artist took classes at the Parsons School and Arts Student League while studying under realist painter Reginald Marsh.
Following graduation, Lichtenstein attended Ohio State University to study fine arts. His education, however, was interrupted in 1943 with the onset of World War II. Returning in 1946 after his duty, he finished his education with an Undergraduate and Master’s in Fine Arts. Lichtenstein married his first wife, Isabel Wilson, in 1949, divorcing in 1965 and remarrying Dorothy Herzka in 1968. His children David and Mitchell Lichtenstein were born in 1954 and 1956, respectively.
After college, Lichtenstein worked as an assistant professor of art, an industrial designer, and a display designer at a department store. Throughout the 50’s, he displayed much of his art throughout Manhattan and Cleveland. By 1961, Lichtenstein finished his first pop art painting, “Look Mickey!”. The experimenting artist developed his characteristic style of Ben-Day dots, solid and bold colors, and dramatic American commercial imagery while teaching at Rutgers University in this period. Lichtenstein was influenced by Abstract Expressionist movement, surrealism, as well as the comic books he had been exposed to as a youth. His art often mimicked the inexpensive mass-produced commercialism prevalent in Post-World War II while however requiring painstaking attention to details. Such famous paintings included “Whaam!” and “Drowning Girl” in 1963 and “Oh Jeff” in 1964. His paintings were often criticized, though, as "detached from emotion" and "impersonal", especially "Whaam!" which treated the violent subject with a comic and unemotional attitude. This pop art form coincided with such contemporary modern artists as Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, and James Rosenquist.
Lichtenstein continued his trademark style while receiving major accolade including multiple honorary fine arts doctorates from universities including California Institute of Arts, Southampton College in New York, and the Royal College of Art and an Order of Arts and Letter for cultural work from France in 1992. After receiving great success as well as criticism, Roy Lichtenstein refocused his works to reflect notable 20th century artists. However, his life-long artistic fervor ended on September 29, 1997 due to complications from pneumonia.
During his life and after his death, his paintings sold for massive amounts of money. During his life, Lichtenstein's painting, "Kiss II", sold for the highest amount of 6.0 million. He was one of the few artists who saw massive monetary success within their lifetime.His highest grossing painting, "Woman with Flowered Hat", sold for 56.1 million in 2013. The irony in this is that his paintings often employed a style playing upon cheap manufacturing techniques such as Ben-Day dots, solid colors, and thick lines however amassing large auction prices.
Image Source: http://blog.saatchigallery.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Roy-Lichtenstein-Showing-in-Milan-at-the-Triennale-Museum-11.jpg
Following graduation, Lichtenstein attended Ohio State University to study fine arts. His education, however, was interrupted in 1943 with the onset of World War II. Returning in 1946 after his duty, he finished his education with an Undergraduate and Master’s in Fine Arts. Lichtenstein married his first wife, Isabel Wilson, in 1949, divorcing in 1965 and remarrying Dorothy Herzka in 1968. His children David and Mitchell Lichtenstein were born in 1954 and 1956, respectively.
After college, Lichtenstein worked as an assistant professor of art, an industrial designer, and a display designer at a department store. Throughout the 50’s, he displayed much of his art throughout Manhattan and Cleveland. By 1961, Lichtenstein finished his first pop art painting, “Look Mickey!”. The experimenting artist developed his characteristic style of Ben-Day dots, solid and bold colors, and dramatic American commercial imagery while teaching at Rutgers University in this period. Lichtenstein was influenced by Abstract Expressionist movement, surrealism, as well as the comic books he had been exposed to as a youth. His art often mimicked the inexpensive mass-produced commercialism prevalent in Post-World War II while however requiring painstaking attention to details. Such famous paintings included “Whaam!” and “Drowning Girl” in 1963 and “Oh Jeff” in 1964. His paintings were often criticized, though, as "detached from emotion" and "impersonal", especially "Whaam!" which treated the violent subject with a comic and unemotional attitude. This pop art form coincided with such contemporary modern artists as Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, and James Rosenquist.
Lichtenstein continued his trademark style while receiving major accolade including multiple honorary fine arts doctorates from universities including California Institute of Arts, Southampton College in New York, and the Royal College of Art and an Order of Arts and Letter for cultural work from France in 1992. After receiving great success as well as criticism, Roy Lichtenstein refocused his works to reflect notable 20th century artists. However, his life-long artistic fervor ended on September 29, 1997 due to complications from pneumonia.
During his life and after his death, his paintings sold for massive amounts of money. During his life, Lichtenstein's painting, "Kiss II", sold for the highest amount of 6.0 million. He was one of the few artists who saw massive monetary success within their lifetime.His highest grossing painting, "Woman with Flowered Hat", sold for 56.1 million in 2013. The irony in this is that his paintings often employed a style playing upon cheap manufacturing techniques such as Ben-Day dots, solid colors, and thick lines however amassing large auction prices.
Image Source: http://blog.saatchigallery.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Roy-Lichtenstein-Showing-in-Milan-at-the-Triennale-Museum-11.jpg