Cathedral
Roy Lichtenstein's Cathedral series draws inspiration from Claude Monet's 1894 oil paintings of the Rouen Cathedral. In direct contrast to Monet, who explored the mutability and ephemerality of the Cathedral in different lights, Lichtenstein investigates the repetitiousness of commercial production, and the variations possible by different reproduction techniques.
Roy Lichtenstein Cathedral For sale
Cathedral Value (5 Years)
With 38 auction appearances since 19/10/2004, Roy Lichtenstein's Cathedral series is one of the most actively traded in the market. Prices have varied significantly – from £2,079 to £14,181 – reflecting a range linked to work characteristics and a premium placed on rare-to-market examples. Peak hammer prices have reached £14,181 for top-performing works. Over the past 12 months, the average selling price was £6,451, with an average annual growth rate of 8.0% across the series. Factors that enhance value include condition, rarity, edition size and signature status, and signed examples typically command a premium; auction data show these attributes influence valuations. There is qualitative private market activity supporting demand for specific variants, and the market view is one of growth with potential for further appreciation.
Cathedral Market value
Auction Results
| Artwork | Auction Date | Auction House | Return to Seller | Hammer Price | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cathedral 6 Roy Lichtenstein Signed Print | 19 Mar 2025 | Forum Auctions London | 8,500 | 10,000 | 12,500 |
 Cathedral 4 Roy Lichtenstein Signed Print | 16 Oct 2024 | Rago | 9,350 | 11,000 | 14,500 |
 Cathedral 5 Roy Lichtenstein Signed Print | 8 Jun 2023 | Swann Galleries | 10,200 | 12,000 | 16,000 |
 Cathedral 2 Roy Lichtenstein Signed Print | 26 Feb 2020 | Wright | 8,500 | 10,000 | 13,000 |
 Cathedral 1 Roy Lichtenstein Signed Print | 7 Jan 2020 | K Auctions | 3,315 | 3,900 | 4,550 |
 Cathedral 6, State I Roy Lichtenstein Signed Print | 23 Oct 2019 | Christie's New York | 8,075 | 9,500 | 12,500 |
 Cathedral 3 Roy Lichtenstein Signed Print | 24 Oct 2017 | Bonhams Los Angeles | 4,675 | 5,500 | 7,000 |
Cathedral (complete set) | 30 Mar 2010 | Sotheby's London | 22,100 | 26,000 | 35,000 |
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Meaning & Analysis
Inspired by Claude Monet’s impressionist oil paintings of Rouen Cathedral, Lichtenstein’s Cathedral series is characteristic of his bold colour use. His creations are housed in many of the world's prestigious art museums.
Lichtenstein is primarily known for skilfully launching comic book style and mechanically reproduced artworks into the world of fine art. He reconsiders artistic genres by presenting wry social commentary and satirical accounts of art history on his canvases. Moreover, he also demonstrates how the images of art are codified for public consumption through advertising and printing. The artist offers a complex vision of modern art’s tendency to borrow and alter works, styles and techniques of the past.
Lichtenstein’s Cathedral series of 1969 was inspired by photos depicting impressionist Claude Monet's 1894 oil paintings of the historic cathedral in Rouen. Monet painted at the site of the cathedral, in the Normandy region of France, at various points of the day, over the course of two years. His main purpose was to capture the transient movement of light against the building’s facade. His repetition of the same theme demonstrates a quintessentially painterly approach. The evocative brushwork employed in his series of oil paintings reaffirms the magnificence of the Rouen Cathedral.
Therein lies the main difference between the cathedral pictures of Monet and Lichtenstein. Monet explored the interchangeability and ephemerality of one motif. Meanwhile, Lichtenstein’s commercially influenced style in his Cathedral series of 1969 investigates mass-media systems and reproduction techniques.
