ROY LICHTENSTEIN, PISTOL, FELT BANNER, EDITION OF 20, 1964
The late 1960s were transformative and violent years in American history. The assassination of both Martin Luther King Jr. and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy unleashed a heated debate on weapons possession. Roy Lichtenstein’s Pistol was initially commissioned by TIME magazine and featured as the cover of their issue advocating for better gun control.
The 1964 edition of Pistol is a riveting artwork, showing a gun pointed directly at the viewer. Lichtenstein’s print mimics the layout of famous 20th century war recruitment posters. The composition is rendered in bold outlines and a vibrant red, black and white colour palette. Similar to Foot And Hand of the same year, Pistol uses partial cropping to invoke a sense of danger and tension. In other editions, yellow smoke is rising from the gun’s barrel, making it appear as if it has already been fired.
Lichtenstein’s use of a felt banner technique, later also applied in his Banner IV of 1968, ensures the superbly gesture-free finish of his print. Pistol is powerfully resonant. The print alludes to the myth of the Wild West, demonstrating just how ingrained gun culture is in America. It is a masterful depiction of an era and a crucial contribution to Pop Art.
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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.
