Mirrors 9, 1972: Lithograph and screenprint on paper

 

Mirror #9, 1972, presents a vertically structured composition that echoes the form of a standing mirror, divided into adjacent panels of varying density and tone. Lichtenstein uses fields of blue Ben-Day dots alongside flat white sections and narrow bands of colour to suggest shifts in light across a reflective surface. The composition feels fragmented yet controlled, with subtle irregularities in the edges reinforcing the illusion of distortion typically associated with reflection, despite the absence of any depicted image.

 

In this work, Lichtenstein pushes his exploration of reflection further into abstraction, relying entirely on graphic devices to communicate surface and depth. The interplay between dense and sparse dot patterns creates a sense of movement and luminosity, mimicking how light might disperse across glass. Through lithograph and screenprint, he achieves a precise, mechanical finish that aligns with his interest in reproduction and visual systems. Mirror #9 ultimately functions as both an image and a conceptual study, demonstrating how reflection can be constructed through visual language rather than material reality.