The Mask, 1989: Print by Roy Lichtenstein from Brushstroke Figures series

  • The Mask, 1989 is a print by Roy Lichtenstein depicting a face consisting of brushstrokes

    The Mask, 1989

    Lithograph, waxtype, woodcut, screenprint, and collage on 638-g/m² cold-pressed Saunders Waterford paper, 117 x 79.4 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 The Mask, 1989,is a striking and more abstract work from the Brushstroke Figures series, focusing primarily on a simplified portrait rather than a full figure. Set against a background of black Ben-Day dots, the composition is dominated by darker, cooler tones that give the image a dramatic, graphic presence. A large black and blue brushstroke anchors the lower portion of the print, while a brown stroke sits across the upper edge, framing the central face. Within this structure, the facial features are reduced to a few expressive marks: two eyes formed from short brushstrokes, a thin stroke suggesting the nose and a tight red gesture indicating the mouth.

     

    Executed in lithograph, waxtype, woodcut, screenprint and collage on heavy Saunders Waterford paper, The Mask demonstrates the layered complexity of Lichtenstein’s late printmaking. By combining multiple printing techniques, he recreates the texture and movement of painted brushstrokes while maintaining the crisp clarity characteristic of his Pop Art prints. Issued in a limited edition of 60 and published by Waddington Graphics in collaboration with Graphicstudio, the work exemplifies Lichtenstein’s exploration of abstraction, portraiture and the brushstroke as both subject and structure.

  • "I'm trying to make paintings like giant musical chords, with a polyphony of colours that is nuts but works." 

     

    - Roy Lichtenstein

    Roy Lichtenstein frequently combined strong, saturated colours with Ben-Day dots to create the distinctive visual language of his Pop Art. Bright reds, yellows and blues are often placed against black outlines and dotted patterns, allowing colour to exaggerate form and guide the viewer’s eye across the composition. The Ben-Day dots, originally taken from commercial comic printing, introduce texture and tonal variation while maintaining a mechanical precision. Together, these elements create a balance between bold graphic simplicity and subtle visual depth, giving Lichtenstein’s works their instantly recognisable impact.