Blonde, 1978: Lithograph on paper by Roy Lichtenstein

  • Roy Lichtenstein, Blonde (1978) lithograph on Arches 88 paper, stylised close-up of a blonde woman in bold comic-strip style surrealism, 75.6 x 68.6 cm, edition of 38
    Blonde, 1978
    Lithograph on Arches 88 paper, sheet: 75.6 x 68.6 cm
    Edition of 38; plus 7 AP, 1 TP, 1 RTP, 1 PPII, 1 SP, 3 GEL, 1 C, 1 Change, Inc
    ©The Estate of Roy Lichtenstein 
     
    BACK TO: SURREALIST SERIES
     
    Blonde, 1978, by Roy Lichtenstein presents a disembodied female head gazing directly towards the viewer. The figure’s wide, alert eyes and parted red lips create a sense of immediacy and tension, while her bright yellow hair frames the face and appears to support it against the flat white surface below. A diagonal section of red hatching cuts across the face, contrasting with the otherwise smooth, pale skin and reinforcing Lichtenstein’s use of pattern to define form.
     
    Set against a black and white striped background resembling wallpaper, the composition flattens space and removes any sense of depth, placing emphasis on graphic structure over realism. The simplified features, bold outlines, and controlled colour palette reflect Lichtenstein’s signature Pop Art style, while the fragmented presentation of the head introduces a Surrealist edge. The result is a carefully constructed image that blends emotional expression with mechanical precision.
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  • "I'm trying to make paintings like giant musical chords, with a polyphony of colours that is nuts but works." 

     

    - Roy Lichtenstein

    Roy Lichtenstein’s engagement with Surrealism centres on its visual language rather than its psychological intent. Instead of exploring dreams or the subconscious, he reworks Surrealist motifs such as fragmented bodies, disjointed spaces, and symbolic objects into clean, graphic compositions. Using bold outlines, flat colour, and pattern, he transforms the spontaneity of Surrealism into a controlled and reproducible system, highlighting his broader interest in structure, perception, and the mechanics of image-making.