Portrait, 1989: Roy Lichtenstein print from his Brushstroke Figures series

  • Portrait, 1989 is a print by Roy Lichtenstein from his brushstroke series

    Portrait, 1989

    Lithograph, waxtype, woodcut, and screenprint on 638-g/m² cold-pressed Saunders Waterford paper, Sheet: 133.5 x 87 cm (irregular)

    Edition of 60; plus 1 BAT, 2 PP, 2 Presentation Proofs, 1 NGA archive proof, 1 Graphicstudio Proof, 1 USFP, 2 SP, 8 AP

    ©The Estate of Roy Lichtenstein

    BACK TO: BRUSHSTROKE FIGURE SERIES
     
    Roy Lichtenstein’s Portrait, 1989, is a striking print from the Brushstroke Figures series, where the human figure is constructed entirely from expressive painterly marks. Set against a pale pink background, the figure emerges from a thick dark green brushstroke that forms the central structure of the body. A light teal curved stroke defines the head, while a sweeping red brushstroke arcs from the top of the composition to suggest the ear and continues down through the body. Additional strokes of green and yellow sit at the crown of the head, evoking stylised hair, while red Ben-Day dots and warm reddish-orange tones flow across the lower portion of the figure, adding movement and colour contrast.
     
    Executed in lithograph, waxtype, woodcut and screenprint on heavy Saunders Waterford paper, Portrait demonstrates the technical complexity of Lichtenstein’s late printmaking practice. Published by Waddington Graphics, London, and Graphicstudio at the University of South Florida, Tampa, and issued in a limited edition of 60 with additional proofs, the work highlights Lichtenstein’s exploration of the brushstroke as both subject and structure within his Pop Art printmaking.
  • “Use the worst colour you can find in each place – it usually is the best.”
     
    - Roy Lichtenstein
    Roy Lichtenstein uses colour as one of the most powerful tools in his visual language, often selecting bold, highly saturated tones to exaggerate form and structure. Rather than modelling figures with subtle shading, he relied on strong contrasts between reds, blues, yellows and greens to define facial features, bodies and objects. This approach flattened the image while simultaneously heightening its graphic impact, allowing colour itself to carry the weight of form and emotion.