Roy
Lichtenstein was an exceptionally versatile artist, who did not wish to confine
his visual language to his paintings, but sought to apply it in many other ways
as well. Thus he created the famous paper plates and original wallpaper for the
Bert Stern's celebrated, but shortlived On 1st gallery in New York in the late
sixties, made designs for ceramics, multiples and record covers.
Curiously
enough, Lichtenstein made only two original book covers, both for books by his
friend Frederic Tuten. The first was a portrait of Mao for The Adventures of Mao on the Long March (1971). Although there are
later reprints, Tuten was not exactly a bestselling author and first edition
copies have become very rare, even in the US.
The
second cover was especially made for Tin
Tin in the New World: a romance, published in 1993. It was based on a huge
painting (205 x 167 cms, now in a private collection). On the occasion of
Lichtenstein's retrospective exhibition in Brussels in 1995, an offset poster
(without text) was published by the Belgian firm Plaizier in an unspecified
edition. Although it appears to be out of stock there, the print is widely
available on the internet, suggesting there must have other subsequent editions
as well. But even so it is generally regarded as a collectors’ item, fetching
anything up to $500.
Frederic Tuten, Tin Tin in the New World: a
romance, 1993, first edition, with a very fine original cover design by Roy
Lichtenstein, and an altenative design reproduced as frontispiece. New York,
William Morrow, 1993. Boards, hardcover with mylar dustjacket, 22 x 15 cm,
239p.
Lit.: Mary Lee Corlett, The Prints of Roy
Lichtenstein, a catalogue raisonnée, nrs III.16 en III.17
EUR 150.00
