Roy Lichtenstein: Six Still Lifes Series (1974)
Throughout his career, Lichtenstein regularly returned to the theme of still life. His Still Lifes included a variety of traditional subjects, such as flowers, vases, and fruit; he also regularly used contents from his own home and studio. True to his style, Lichtenstein also frequently referenced his own previous works, as in Still Life with Portrait (Corlett 131). The woman in the portrait closely resembles Lichtenstein’s idealized beauties from the romance comic paintings and prints of the 1960s. The portrait is joined with items reminiscent of conventional old master still life paintings: a dish of fruit, lemon, and curtain. When naming his works, the term Still Life typically appeared in the titles, along with a matter-of-fact description of the contents of the image (such as Still Life with Lobster and Still Life with Figurine). The Six Still Life Series (1974) acts as a summary of the different types of still lifes, including object grouped thematically (Still Life with Lobster), food (Yellow Still Life), and objects d’art (Still Life with Figurine). The six prints were created using lithography and screenprint at Styria Studio, New York, and was published by Multiples, Inc. and Castelli Graphics.