Red Apple, 1982: Woodcut on paper by Roy Lichtenstein

  • Red Apple, 1982 is a woodcut on paper by Roy Lichtenstein depicting a singluar red apple

    Red Apple, 1982

    Woodcut on handmade Iwano Kizuki Hosho paper, sheets: 77.2 x 93 cm (irregular)

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

    ©The Estate of Roy Lichtenstein

     

    BACK TO: SEVEN APPLE WOODCUTS

     

    Red Apple, 1982, is a woodcut by Roy Lichtenstein from the Seven Apple Woodcuts series and represents one of the most pared-back compositions within the group. The image focuses on a single apple positioned at the centre of the composition, defined by a thick black outline that gives the fruit a strong graphic presence. Inside the form, loose red brushstrokes suggest the surface of the apple, while a small black mark indicates a natural indentation, and another short stroke represents the stem.
     
    The shadow beneath the apple is formed from energetic red brushstrokes, grounding the fruit within the composition. Behind it, a muted grey-brown background is subtly broken by hints of yellow and pink, creating a soft contrast with the bold central form. Through this minimal arrangement, Lichtenstein transforms a traditional still life subject into a highly stylised composition, emphasising line, colour and brushstroke rather than naturalistic detail.

  • "I'm not interested in the subject matter to try to teach society anything, or to try to better our world in any way." 

     

    - Roy Lichtenstein

    In the 1980s, Lichtenstein increasingly used brushstrokes as a central visual motif across several of his print series, including the Seven Apple Woodcuts, Brushstroke Figures and the Landscapes. Rather than representing spontaneous painterly gestures, these strokes are carefully designed and reproduced through printmaking, turning what appears to be expressive marks into controlled graphic elements. In the Apple Woodcuts, broad strokes define simple still life forms, while in the Brushstroke Figures they construct entire bodies from layered marks.