Red and Yellow Apple, 1982: Woodcut from the Seven Apples series

  • Red and Yellow Apple, 1982 is a woodcut by Roy Lichtenstein from his Seven Apple Woodcuts

    Red and Yellow Apple, 1982

    Woodcut on handmade Iwano Kizuki Hosho paper, sheet: 73 x 95.5 cm (irregular)

    Edition of 60; plus 1 BAT, 14 AP, 4 CTP, 1 PP

    ©The Estate of Roy Lichtenstein

    BACK TO: SEVEN APPLE WOODCUTS SERIES
     
    Red and Yellow Apple, 1982 is a woodcut by Roy Lichtenstein from the Seven Apple Woodcuts series, in which the artist reinterprets the traditional still life through the visual language of Pop Art. The composition centres on a single apple outlined with bold, gestural black lines. The fruit itself is divided into two strong colour fields: the left side rendered in yellow and the right in red, simplifying the form into a graphic arrangement of colour rather than a naturalistic depiction.
     
    Behind the apple, the background is formed from soft grey brushstrokes that provide a neutral setting for the vibrant colours of the fruit. A small accent of bright blue appears near the top of the composition, adding a subtle focal point and contrast to the otherwise restrained palette. Through this minimal yet carefully balanced design, Lichtenstein transforms a familiar still life subject into a bold exploration of colour, gesture and graphic form.

  • "I don't have big anxieties. I wish I did. I'd be much more interesting."

     

    - Roy Lichtenstein

    Lichtenstein often relied on a limited palette built around strong primary colours, a hallmark of his Pop Art style. Rather than using complex shading or naturalistic tones, he favoured bold reds, yellows and blues to define form and structure within a composition. In the Seven Apple Woodcuts series, this approach becomes even more restrained. Lichtenstein reduces the colour palette to only a few carefully placed hues, allowing the simple forms of the apples and the expressive brushstrokes to dominate the image.