This September in New York, Sotheby’s will present over 90 works from the personal collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein in a dedicated sale titled Reflections on Pop.
This selection of works offers a rare insight into Lichtenstein’s creative process, offering the opportunity to see one of the most celebrated artists of the twentieth century anew, through a grouping that spans four decades of his career and every facet of his practice. Encompassing painting, sculpture, drawing, collage, and prints, the collection is retrospective in nature, showcasing Lichtenstein as both a Pop icon and an inventive, ever-evolving artist.
Reflections on Pop: Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein centralizes work that reveals how images were conceived, layered, and refined, countering the notion that Pop Art removes the artist’s hand. A trove of studies,collages, and exploratory works chart the genesis of iconic motifs, capturing the artist’s moments of decision as he tested compositions, sketched gestures, and experimented with media.
As such, they offer the public an extraordinary chance to acquire artwork from the artist’s studio that documents the very spark behind Lichtenstein's most celebrated works. Presented alongside major paintings and sculpture, the collection both captures the raw immediacy of experimentation and offers touchstones of Lichtenstein’s mature practice, connected to the great canvases that redefined Pop.
Following the strong results for works from the collection in New York and London earlier this year—both 100% sold with nearly 70% of works exceeding their high estimates—the September auction is expected to achieve in excess of $15 million. Price points in the upcoming sale span from $3,000 to $2.5 million, reflecting both the depth and accessibility of the offering, and continuing to engage a new generation of collectors, with Sotheby’s under-30 bidders more than tripling over the past five years.
Main Image: Interior Study Circa 1991