Entablature II, 1976

Roy Lichtenstein’s Entablature series is a homage to the architectural grandeur of New York City, reimagined through the lens of Pop Art. Lichtenstein used photographs of architectural ornament he had taken in New York as the starting point for his compositions, focusing in particular on intricate and decorative elements of classical architecture often found on the facades of the city´s historic buildings.

Lichtenstein’s approach transforms the architectural language of New York into a modern visual dialogue, where classical elements like cornices, friezes, and pediments are distilled into sleek, minimalist forms and arranged in bold abstract compositions.  The precise lines and structured compositions reflect the artist’s skill in balancing abstraction with recognizable motifs, all while maintaining a clear reference to the grandeur and elegance of the city’s architecture.

The “Entablature” prints are intimately concerned with texture, as reflected in their meticulous production quality.   Utilizing a combination of screen printing, embossing, and metallic inks, Lichtenstein creates complex prints that are not only visually dynamic but also texturally rich. The use of metallic and pearlescent surfaces, in particular, evokes the gleam of sunlit stone and the reflective quality of urban materials, enhancing the connection to the architectural inspiration behind the series.