The River, 1985, is a print by Roy Lichtenstein from his Landscapes series that blends abstract brushwork with a more recognisable scene. At the top of the composition, a deep blue sky is formed from sweeping brushstrokes, while smaller marks of grey and yellow suggest the sun and passing clouds. Beneath this, loose gestural strokes create the outlines of small houses with chimneys, with soft plumes of smoke rising above them. Patches of green evoke grassy ground, adding depth and structure to the middle of the composition.
In the foreground, the river is depicted through short strokes of dark and light blue that create movement across the surface of the water. A strip of red pavement cuts across the lower section of the print, where a small figure stands to the right, adding a human presence within the landscape. Produced using lithograph, woodcut and screenprint on Arches 88 paper, The River demonstrates Lichtenstein’s ability to translate expressive brushstrokes into a stylised landscape while maintaining the graphic clarity characteristic of his work.