Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) was a major figure of the Pop Art Movement, most famous for his paintings with a hard-edge, ironic style, influenced by comic book and advertising imagery of the period and employing his signature Benday dots. A prolific printmaker, Lichtenstein made more than 400 prints throughout his career.

Raised in New York City, Lichtenstein took his first art courses from the Art Students League under Reginald Marsh.  He eventually graduated with an MFA from Ohio State University, after leaving twice to serve in the US Army.

In 1960, he began teaching a Rutgers University in New Jersey, after a string of teaching positions around the eastern US, where he was heavily influenced by Allen Kaprow, another professor.  He began his first Pop paintings incorporating cartoon imagery and his signature Benday Dots in 1961.

By 1964 he was known worldwide, and he was given his first museum retrospective by the Pasadena Art Museum in CA in 1967. In 2010, The Morgan Library and Museum organized “Roy Lichtenstein: The Black-and-White Drawings, 1961–1968.” Most recently the Art Institute of Chicago and Tate Modern, London organized “Lichtenstein: A Retrospective,” which traveled to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, and Centre Pompidou, Paris. Lichtenstein is included in the collections of many major museums around the world including the Museum of Modern Art, NY, the Tate Modern, London, The National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, and Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam.