ROY LICHTENSTEIN, AMERICAN INDIAN THEME V, AMERICAN INDIAN THEME SERIES, SIGNED WOODCUT ON HANDMADE SUZUKI PAPER, EDITION OF 50, 1980
Roy Lichtenstein’s American Indian Theme V is of the artist’s American Indian Theme series of the late 1970s and early 1980s. This series follows up on the artist’s first engagement with Native American heritage, explored by Lichtenstein in his pre-pop oeuvre 20 years prior.
A single carved wooden figure, interlaced by the familiar yellow braided rope recurring in the series, is seated in what appears to be a deep blue body of water. In this sense, American Indian Theme V mirrors the centralised layout of others works from the same series, like American Indian Theme III and American Indian Theme IV.
The sharp tonal contrasts present in this work are achieved through a specific relief process. The image is first gouged into a block of wood and inked with a roller. The indentations are then covered with paper and compressed with a rubbing tool, transferring the imprint onto the paper.
The aforementioned technique is first and foremost used to accentuate the patterned background of American Indian Theme V. The main motifs covering the majority of the surface behind the figure are clearly extracted from quilts and other similar textiles attributed to Native American culture.
Find out more about American Indian Theme series by Roy Lichtenstein.
ABOUT ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Born in Manhattan in 1923, Roy Lichtenstein was a leading figure in the Pop Art movement during the second half of the 20th century. His distinctive artistic style is inspired by the visual language of consumerism and advertising that pervaded American popular culture at the time, and his work recalls a society of widespread commercialism that has remained powerfully relevant to this day. Learn more about Roy Lichtenstein.
