Haystack #6, 1969: Lithograph on paper by Lichtenstein

  • Haystack #6, 1969 is a print by Lichtenstein depicting Monets haystack
    Haystack #6, 1969
    Lithograph on BFK Rives paper, sheet: 52.4 x 78.1 cm
    Edition of 100; plus 10 AP, 1 RTP, 1 PPII, 3 GEL, 1 C
    ©The Estate of Roy Lichtenstein
    BACK TO: HAYSTACK & CATHEDRAL SERIES
     
    Roy Lichtenstein’s Haystack #6, 1969, presents one of the most dramatic tonal shifts within the Haystack series, reinterpreting Claude Monet’s motif through a dense red and black palette. The composition is constructed using Ben-Day dots, with black dominating the surface while red dots emerge across the ground and within the haystack forms, creating a subtle yet powerful reversal of figure and background.
     
    This inversion of colour intensifies the visual weight of the image, producing a darker, more compressed atmosphere compared to earlier prints in the series. Rather than relying on light to define form, Lichtenstein uses contrast and repetition to structure the composition, demonstrating how shifts in colour alone can dramatically alter mood and perception. The result is a highly controlled, graphic interpretation of Monet’s subject, where depth and structure are conveyed through mechanical precision rather than painterly gesture.

  • “Organised perception is what art is all about.”

     

    - Roy Lichtenstein

    Lichtenstein deliberately restricts the composition to just two colours, using red and black to emphasise structure over decoration. By limiting the palette, he removes any distraction of painterly nuance and instead focuses the viewer’s attention on contrast, pattern, and repetition. The image is built entirely through the interaction of Ben-Day dots, where shifts between red and black define form, depth, and shadow. This reduction intensifies the visual impact of the work, demonstrating how a minimal colour range can still produce complexity, atmosphere, and a strong sense of presence without relying on a broader spectrum.