Pendant
Pendant
Mixed Media
Roy Lichtenstein
POA
This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
Mixed Media, 1965
Mixed Media Edition of 6
H 9cm x W 5cm
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Meaning & Analysis
Towards the mid-1960s, Roy Lichtenstein’s aesthetic developments became increasingly characterised by innovation. This period in the artist’s oeuvre marked the beginning of his notorious material experimentation. Additionally, the mid-1960s also saw a major turning point in his thematic content.
Among these early creative forays were Lichtenstein’s cartoon heroines, which took the form of dramatic portraits showing women in emotional distress. Pendant of 1965 is a teardrop-shaped medallion depicting a crying girl clutching a phone close to her ear.
The artist uses the ancient technique of cloisonné to decorate the perforated metal base of his pendant. The vivid yellow and red pigments forming the girl’s Ben Day dotted profile are held in place by delicate gold wire. It is a little known fact that Lichtenstein embarked upon various ceramic and glassware collaborations throughout his career. Pendant was created concurrently with a limited edition of rare brooches and a collection of enameled prints featuring sunrises on porcelain.
This rare piece of jewelry has a dual function. Firstly, it manifests the progressive nature of Lichtenstein’s artistic practice. Simultaneously, it also embodies an entirely new aesthetic language developed by the artist. Pendant transforms the visual culture of everyday life into a subject matter for high art.
