Entablature IV, 1976: Screenprint and collage on paper

  • Roy Lichtenstein Entablature IV (1976), screenprint and collage with embossing, featuring layered horizontal bands of stylised architectural ornament in blue, beige, yellow and black, with rope motifs and linear detailing.
    Entablature IV, 1976
    Screenprint and collage with embossing on BFK Rives paper, sheet: 74.1 x 113.8 cm
    Edition of 30; plus 9 AP, 1 RTP, 1 PPI, 1 A
    ©The Estate of Roy Lichtenstein
     
    BACK TO: ENTABLATURE SERIES

     

    Entablature IV, 1976, continues Lichtenstein’s systematic exploration of architectural ornament, translating façade details into a refined, graphic composition. The work is organised into horizontal bands that echo classical entablatures, with repeating rope patterns, curved linear motifs and bold colour blocks creating a sense of rhythm and structure. The palette of deep blue, beige and yellow reinforces the balance between decorative elegance and industrial clarity.
     
    Through the use of screenprint, collage and embossing, Lichtenstein introduces subtle variations in surface and depth, despite the work’s precise, mechanical appearance. The repeated motifs appear both ornamental and manufactured, reflecting his interest in how traditional architectural forms can be reinterpreted through the lens of modern production. By isolating and standardising these elements, Entablature IV shifts the focus from historical reference to the visual language of repetition, texture and fabrication.

  • "I've never done an anguished painting." 

    - Roy Lichtenstein

    Lichtenstein’s Entablature series reflects his broader interest in elevating everyday, often overlooked visual elements into subjects of fine art. Drawing from photographs of architectural details on New York buildings, he isolates fragments of decorative façades that would typically go unnoticed and recontextualises them as monumental, self-contained compositions.