The Den, 1990: Published 1991, by Roy Lichtenstein

  • Stylised image of a domestic interior scene.
    The Den, 1990, published 1991
    Woodcut and screenprint on 4-ply Paper Technologies, Inc., Museum Board
    Sheet: 146.1 x 182 cm
    Edition of 60; plus 14 AP, 1 RTP, 2 PP, 3 GEL, 6 SP, 1 C

    © The Estate of Roy Lichtenstein

    BACK TO: INTERIOR SERIES

     

    In The Den, 1990, Lichtenstein presents us with a glimpse into a cosy domestic interior scene, emptied of human inhabitants and visitors. At the forefront, a patterned floor leads the eye diagonally toward a curation of modernist decor, including a glass‑topped coffee table holding a vase of flowers and a yellow key, suggesting an inhabitant’s presence without depicting a figure directly.

     

    Luminous yellow light shines in through expansive glass windows on the far wall of the den. Lichtenstein uses black lines in alternating thickness to create the effect of shine on reflective surfaces like windows, glass, and mirrors. A wooden cabinet and a red lamp sit against the wall, accompanied by a framed abstract work that adds a visual rhythm, hinting at art within art. The juxtaposition of the patterned floor with simplified furniture forms and carefully placed objects creates an organised, almost serene space.

  • "I’m never drawing the object itself, I’m only drawing a depiction of the object - a kind of crystallized symbol of it."
     
    - Roy Lichtenstein

    The composition presents a domestic interior with carefully structured furnishings and spatial geometry, where everyday objects are distilled into graphic forms. For instance, the table in the top-right corner has the comic-like effect of a natural woodgrain texture, as well as a mirrored top. The Den also evokes an underlying sense of cohesion and unity by threading the same shade of buttery yellow throughout the scene.