Entablature XA, 1976: Screenprint, lithograph and collage on paper

  • Roy Lichtenstein Entablature XA (1976), screenprint, lithograph and collage with embossing, featuring pale “JVSTITIA” lettering set within layered horizontal bands of classical architectural ornament.
    Entablature XA, 1976
    Screenprint, lithograph, collage with embossing on BFK Rives paper, sheet: 74.1 x 114.1 cm
    Edition of 18; plus 9 AP, 2 CTP, 1 RTP, 1 PPI, 1 A
    ©The Estate of Roy Lichtenstein
    BACK TO: ENTABLATURE SERIES
     
    Entablature XA, 1976, continues Lichtenstein’s exploration of architectural language through the integration of text and ornament. The central inscription “JVSTITIA” appears softened and subdued, blending into the surrounding field rather than dominating the composition. This creates a more restrained and atmospheric effect, where typography becomes part of the architectural structure rather than a focal point. The layered bands above and below maintain the rhythmic repetition of classical motifs, reinforcing the work’s connection to façade design.
     
    Through screenprint, lithograph, collage and embossing, Lichtenstein introduces subtle shifts in surface and tone that enhance the work’s material presence. The softened palette and reduced contrast emphasise his interest in perception and reproduction, where familiar architectural elements are transformed into controlled, abstract compositions. As with the wider series, Entablature XA reflects his ability to balance historical reference with modern precision, translating urban ornament into a refined visual system.
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  • "Art doesn't transform. It's just plain forms." 

    - Roy Lichtenstein

    New York played a central role in Lichtenstein’s practice, not only as the city where he lived and worked, but as a constant visual source. Its architecture, advertising, signage and layered urban surfaces informed his approach to image-making, providing a vocabulary of forms that he could isolate, simplify and reconstruct. In series such as the Entablatures, Lichtenstein drew directly from photographs of New York buildings, transforming overlooked façade details into structured compositions.