Many artists have used the printing press to experiment with various forms and create works at a faster rate. From Miró to Warhol, artists have made prints so that their works could be accessible to a more diverse audience. Collecting prints is a strategic way to acquire works by blue chip artists at lower costs and a great opportunity to own an edition of a masterpiece. In short, there’s a lower financial risk and a greater reward.
Our October Prints & Multiples Sale offers a diverse group of Modern and Contemporary Art editions. Here are our favorites.
Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997)
Reflections on Girl (from the Reflections series), 1990
Lithograph, screenprint, relief, and metalized PVC collage with embossing
38-1/2 x 48-1/2 inches (97.8 x 123.2 cm) (image)
45-1/8 x 54-3/4 inches (114.6 x 139.1 cm) (sheet)
A.P. 13/16
Estimate: $100,000 – $150,000.
Reflections on Girl, 1990 is in the iconic style of Roy Lichtenstein with punchy primary colors, ben-day dots, and heavy black outlines. Lichtenstein used a cliché image of a 1960s female beauty that he found in a comic book titled “Falling in Love.” Rather than copying the image outright, Lichtenstein made the woman even more “stereotypical” by changing her hair color to blonde and adding his own thought-bubble text. By removing the original context and hiding his subject behind glass, Lichtenstein leaves his heroine confined and conflicted. The viewer must guess at the events in the narrative and can’t fully grasp what is taking place. This creates an intentional emotional distance between the viewer and the melodrama of the scene. The artist draws attention to the image as a flat and somewhat meaningless construction. By cleverly reworking the original comic illustration, Lichtenstein symbolically underscores the manner in which all stereotypes are constructed.
Inspired by Japanese woodblock prints and impressionist paintings, David Hockney sought to depict a range of atmospheric conditions in Los Angeles and illustrate the relationship between Snow, Mist, Sun, Rain, and Wind.
“I loved the idea of the rain as it hit the ink [and] it would make the ink run. The moment I thought of the idea I couldn’t resist it.”
A classic lithograph print from the legendary pop artist, Andy Warhol. The gradient brushes and paints that escape their spaces demonstrate Warhol’s concern with color. Also noticeable is the outline of the watercolor kit and brushes duplicated above. Watercolor Paint Kit with Brushes is an accessible opportunity to own a work by Warhol.
This work was imagined by Joan Miró for a book of poems titled Espriu-Miró. Written by Salvador Espriu, the book drew inspiration from the author and the artist’s homeland of Spain. One can see a red car driving down a street in Miró’s work, with bright colors adding life to the natural background. Created in 1975, this is one of nine color etchings created for the book.