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The River - Signed Print by Roy Lichtenstein 1985 - MyArtBroker

The River
Signed Print

Roy Lichtenstein

Price data unavailable

AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.

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Medium: Planographic print

Edition size: 60

Year: 1985

Size: H 95cm x W 134cm

Signed: Yes

Format: Signed Print

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The River by Roy Lichtenstein, a signed Planographic Print from 1985, is estimated to be worth between £50,000 and £80,000. This artwork has an auction history of seven total sales since its entry to the market on 2nd November 2007. The edition size of this work is limited to 60.

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Auction Results

Auction DateAuction HouseLocation
Hammer Price
Return to Seller
Buyer Paid
October 2019Phillips New York United States
October 2018Christie's New York United States
October 2018Phillips New York United States
October 2017Christie's New York United States
April 2013Phillips New York United States
November 2012Sotheby's New York United States
November 2007Sotheby's New York United States

Meaning & Analysis

The River shows a highly traditional landscape portrait with sailboats drifting down a narrow river. Abstracted figures observe the voyage from the shore. A row of houses with smoking chimneys are set in the background of the work. The whole scene is composed of intersecting pastel-toned and primary coloured brushstrokes. The explosive hand-painted sweeps interact energetically with the mechanical aspects of the artist’s own style. Consequently, the layout of the print becomes similarly abstracted as Lichtenstein’s concurrent Brushstroke Faces and Seven Apple Woodcuts.

Lichtenstein cleverly translates his stylised brushstroke variations into the conventional language of the landscape genre. As such, his simulated sweeps appear more instinctive and integrated. While Lichtenstein’s imitated painterly gestures symbolise shifting light and nature in motion, the detached cartoon elements produce spatial ambiguities. These strokes seem to have been cut out and pasted on, steering attention toward the object quality of the work.

  • Roy Lichtenstein, born in New York, 1923, is a seminal figure in the Pop Art movement, renowned for his comic book and advertisement-inspired artworks. His transformative journey from classical painter to Pop Art pioneer began with his iconic piece, Look Mickey, marking the fusion of painting with pop culture. Lichtenstein’s works, including Whaam!, Drowning Girl, and Crying Girl, blend parody and satire, challenging the boundaries between popular culture and ‘high art’. With over 5,000 pieces to his name, Lichtenstein’s enduring influence resonates in contemporary art, his works celebrated in prestigious institutions worldwide.

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