Sweet Dreams Baby!
from 11 Pop Artists Portfolio, Volume III
Medium: Screenprint in colors on smooth wove paper
Year: 1965
Image: 35 3/4 x 25 3/4 inches (90.5 x 64.8 cm)
Sheet: 37 3/4 x 27 3/4 inches (95.6 x 70.2 cm)
Edition: 200
Artist’s Proofs: 50 AP (numbered in Roman numerals)
Publisher: Original Editions, New-York
Printer: Knickerbocker Machine and Foundry, Inc., New-York
Literature: Corlett 39, RLCR 1172
Sweet Dreams, Baby!, 1965 (RLCR 1172) | Catalogue entry | Roy Lichtenstein: A Catalogue Raisonné
Signed and numbered in pencil
Sweet Dreams Baby! is probably one of Lichtenstein’s most iconic and powerful prints. It is a quintessential example of his Pop Art style, transforming a fleeting moment of comic-book violence into a monumental, ironic fine art statement. The image captures an explosive moment of violence in a highly graphic, cropped format. A large, muscular fist, rendered with heavy black outlines and yellow Ben-Day dots for shading, is shown hitting an unseen figure or object (the edge of a face is just visible). The point of impact is signified by a burst of graphic energy lines and the bold, onomatopoeic word “POW!” rendered in vivid yellow and black. The phrase “SWEET DREAMS, BABY!” floats in a speech bubble above the action. The text is ironically affectionate, providing a jarring and humorous contrast to the aggressive visual act below.
This print is a masterclass in Lichtenstein’s signature style, utilizing: (1) Ben-Day Dots to simulate commercial printing processes and mass-reproduction shading; (2) Bold Black Outlines to delineate forms with the punch and clarity of a cartoon panel; and (3) Primary Colors using the limited, flat palette of cheap comic books.
The juxtaposition of the visual act (an aggressive punch) with the verbal text (“Sweet Dreams, Baby!”), with sharp, dark humor is a defining characteristic of Pop Art. It can be interpreted in multiple different ways, for example as a commentary on how violence, melodrama, and aggressive communication were often sensationalized or glamorized in mass media (comics, movies, pulp fiction) during the 1960s. By isolating the action, removing the narrative context, and rendering it in a mechanical, commercial style, Lichtenstein drains the image of genuine emotion. The figures cease to be people and become “crystallized symbols” of a violent act, reflecting a cool, detached view of modern life.
Sweet Dreams, Baby! was created for the three-volume print portfolio, “11 Pop Artists, Volume III”, published in 1966 by Original Editions, New York. The portfolio was sponsored by Philip Morris (a major corporation) and involved several galleries, including Leo Castelli. The project’s goal was explicitly to bring greater international attention to the primarily American Pop Art movement through exhibitions across Europe.
The 11 Pop Artists portfolios were a new center of gravity in America’s art history. These edgy compilations of fresh prints from then-emerging artists like Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and Tom Wesselmann, among others, launched new dialogues as artists engaged printmaking as a way to broadcast novel ideas more broadly. From 11 Pop Artists Volume II and III respectively, Reverie, and Sweet Dreams Baby!, signaled the meteoric rise of Roy Lichtenstein and endured as two of the greatest prizes in all Post-War printmaking.
Along with works like Whaam! (1963) and Crying Girl (1963), Sweet Dreams, Baby! is considered one of Lichtenstein’s most definitive prints of the 1960s, embodying the energy, irony, and aesthetic of the entire Pop Art movement. It showcased the power of screenprinting (serigraphy) as a sophisticated fine art medium capable of achieving the flat, vibrant, and precise colors required to replicate the look of mass-production. This was a critical step in establishing the medium as equal to traditional lithography or etching. Furthermore, The print cemented the graphic vocabulary of explosion, violence, and irony that Lichtenstein would continually revisit throughout his career, often using the bold, comic-strip aesthetic to comment on everything from Abstract Expressionism (his Brushstrokes) to nudes and still lifes.
Auction Market Overview
2025 Auction Highlights
Sweet Dreams Baby! sold 3 times at auction in 2025 at an average price of USD 122,868. A print from The Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein sold at Sotheby’s in New-York on 26 September 2025 for USD 190,500, its highest price in 2025.
Sweet Dreams Baby!, 1965
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 26 September 2025
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 190,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Sweet Dreams, Baby!, from the 11 Pop Artists, Volume III portfolio (Corlett 39), 1965
Screenprint in colors on heavy smooth wove paper
Signed (lower right); inscribed artist’s proof (lower left)
This impression is one of 50 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 200
2024 Auction Highlights
Sweet Dreams Baby! sold 3 times at auction in 2024 at an average price of USD 97,060. It sold at Grisebach in Berlin on 31 May 2024 for EUR 101,600 (USD 110,340), its highest price in 2024.
Sweet Dreams Baby!, 1965
Grisebach Berlin: 31 May 2024
Estimated: EUR 80,000 – 120,000
EUR 101,600 / USD 110,340
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – New York – 1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby!, from the portfolio 11 Pop Artists, Volume III, 1965
Color silkscreen on heavy paper
Signed. One of 200 numbered copies, from a total edition of approx 255
2023 Auction Highlights
Sweet Dreams Baby! sold once at auction in 2023, at Forum Auctions in London, on 12 October 2023 for GBP 83,440 (USD 101,895).
Sweet Dreams Baby!, 1965
Forum Auctions: 12 October 2023
Estimated: GBP 55,000 – 65,000
GBP 64,000 (Hammer)
GBP 83,440 / USD 101,895
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Sweet Dreams Baby!, from 11 Pop Artists Portfolio, Volume III, 1965
Screen-print in colors on heavy smooth wove paper
Signed and numbered in pencil from the edition of 200
2022 Auction Highlights
Sweet Dreams Baby! sold twice at auction in 2022 at an average price of USD 93,688. It sold at Ketterer Kunst in Munich on 10 June 2022 for EUR 106,250 (USD 111,775), its highest price in 2022.
Sweet Dreams Baby!, 1965
Ketterer Kunst: 10 June 2022
Estimated: EUR 80,000 – 120,000
EUR 106,250 / USD 111,775
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Sweet Dreams Baby!, 1965
From the portfolio “11 Pop Artists”, vol. III
Silkscreen in colors on firm wove paper
Signed and numbered
From an edition of 200 copies
2021 Auction Highlights
Sweet Dreams Baby! sold 10 times at auction in 2021 at an average price of USD 136,834. It sold at Phillips in New-York on 21 October 2021 for USD 189,000, its highest price in 2021.
Sweet Dreams Baby!, 1965
Phillips New-York: 21 October 2021
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 189,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Sweet Dreams Baby!, from 11 Pop Artists Volume III (C. 39), 1965
Screen-print in colors, on wove paper, with full margins.
Signed and numbered 198/200 in pencil
Record Price
Sweet Dreams Baby! sold for its record price of USD 269,000, at Christie’s in New-York on 26 October 2015, with an exceptional provenance from the Estate of Nica Castelli.
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ILEANA SONNABEND AND THE ESTATE OF NINA CASTELLI SUNDELL
Christie’s New-York: 26 October 2015
Estimated: USD 70,000 – 90,000
USD 269,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR SWEET DREAMS BABY!
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby! from 11 Pop Artists, Volume III, 1965
Screenprint in colors on smooth wove paper
Signed in pencil, numbered 83/200
2026 Auction Results
Pop Impressions: Prints from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 15 April 2026
Estimated: USD 60,000 – 80,000
USD 83,200
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby!, from the 11 Pop Artists portfolio, vol. 3 (Corlett 39; RLCR 1172), 1965
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Signed in pencil and inscribed Artist’s Proof
This impression is an artist’s proof aside from the numbered edition of 200 plus 50 proofs in Roman numerals
Published by Original Editions
2025 Auction Results
Christie’s online: 19 November 2025
Estimated: USD 40,000 – 60,000
USD 82,550
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Sweet Dreams, Baby! (Corlett 39; Roy Lichtenstein Catalogue Raisonné 1172), 1965
from 11 Pop Artists Portfolio, Volume III
Screenprint in colors on heavy smooth wove paper
Signed in pencil
Numbered ‘VI’ from the edition of 50 in Roman numerals
There was also an edition of 200 in Arabic numerals
Published by Original Editions, New York
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 26 September 2025
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 190,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Sweet Dreams, Baby!, from the 11 Pop Artists, Volume III portfolio (Corlett 39), 1965
Screenprint in colors on heavy smooth wove paper
Signed (lower right); inscribed artist’s proof (lower left)
This impression is one of 50 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 200
Karl & Faber: 5 June 2025
Estimated: EUR 80,000 – 120,000
EUR 83,820 / USD 95,555
ANDY WARHOL
Sweet Dreams, baby! (Corlett 39), 1965
Color serigraph on firm wove paper
One of 200 numbered copies
Signed lower right
2024 Auction Results
Ketterer Kunst: 7 December 2024
Estimated: EUR 60,000
EUR 88,900 / USD 97,790
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Sweet Dreams Baby! from the portfolio “11 Pop Artists“, vol. III (Corlett 39), 1965
Silkscreen in colors on firm wove paper
Signed and numbered
From an edition of 200 copies
Grisebach Berlin: 31 May 2024
Estimated: EUR 80,000 – 120,000
EUR 101,600 / USD 110,340
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – New York – 1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby!, from the portfolio 11 Pop Artists, Volume III, 1965
Color silkscreen on heavy paper
Signed. One of 200 numbered copies, from a total edition of approx 255
Bonhams LA: 26 March 2024
Estimated: USD 60,000 – 90,000
USD 83,050
Screenprint in colors on heavy wove paper
Signed in pencil and numbered XXI (from the edition of 50 in Roman numerals)
2023 Auction Results
Forum Auctions: 12 October 2023
Estimated: GBP 55,000 – 65,000
GBP 64,000 (Hammer)
GBP 83,440 / USD 101,895
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Sweet Dreams Baby!, from 11 Pop Artists Portfolio, Volume III, 1965
Screen-print in colors on heavy smooth wove paper
Signed and numbered in pencil from the edition of 200
2022 Auction Results
Christie’s New-York: 27 October 2022
Estimated: USD 70,000 – 100,000
USD 75,600
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby!, from 11 Pop Artists Portfolio, Volume III, 1965
Screen-print in colors, on heavy smooth wove paper
Signed in pencil, numbered ‘XIX’
One of 50 artist’s proofs, the edition was 200
Ketterer Kunst: 10 June 2022
Estimated: EUR 80,000 – 120,000
EUR 106,250 / USD 111,775
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Sweet Dreams Baby!, 1965
From the portfolio “11 Pop Artists”, vol. III
Silkscreen in colors on firm wove paper
Signed and numbered
From an edition of 200 copies
2021 Auction Results
Sotheby’s New-York: 11 November 2021
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 151,200
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby! (Corlett 39), 1965
Screen-print in colors on paper
Signed rf Lichtenstein (lower right) and inscribed artist’s proof (lower left)
Bonhams New-York: 2 November 2021
Estimated: USD 75,000 – 125,000
USD 87,812
Screen-print in colors on heavy smooth white wove paper
Signed in pencil, an unnumbered proof
(aside from the edition of 200, there were also 50 Roman numeral proofs)
Phillips New-York: 21 October 2021
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 189,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Sweet Dreams Baby!, from 11 Pop Artists Volume III (C. 39), 1965
Screen-print in colors, on wove paper, with full margins.
Signed and numbered 198/200 in pencil
Sotheby’s New-York: 21 October 2021
Estimated: USD 70,000 -100,000
USD 163,800
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby! (Corlett 39), 1965
Screen-print in colors
Signed in pencil and numbered 106/200 (total edition includes 50 proofs in Roman numerals)
Sotheby’s New-York: 21 September 2021
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 176,400
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby! (Corlett 39), 1965
Screen-print in colors on wove paper
Signed in pencil and numbered 11/200
Forum Auctions: 21 July 2021
Estimated: GBP 70,000 – 90,000
GBP 68,000 (Hammer)
GBP 84,640 / USD 115,875
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby! (Corlett 39), 1965
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Signed and numbered from the edition of 200 in pencil
As included in the portfolio 11 Pop Artists Volume III
Van Ham: 16 June 2021
Estimated: EUR 80,000
EUR 109,650 / USD 132,940
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby! (Corlett 39), 1965
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Signed in pencil and numbered 44/200
Bonhams New-York: 26 May 2021
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 125,312
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby!, from 11 Pop Artists Portfolio, Vol. III (Corlett 39), 1965
Screenprint in colors on heavy, smooth white wove paper
Signed in pencil and numbered 32/200
Sotheby’s New-York: 22 April 2021
Estimated: USD 40,000 – 60,000
USD 126,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby! (Corlett 39), 1965
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Signed in pencil and numbered 48[?]/200
Christie’s New-York: 16 April 2021
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 100,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby!, from 11 Pop Artists Portfolio, Volume III, 1965
Screenprint in colors on heavy smooth wove paper
Signed in pencil
Annotated ‘A/P’
An artist’s proof, the edition was 200)
Bonhams Los Angeles: 26 May 2021
Estimated: USD 60,000 – 80,000
PASSED
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby!, from 11 Pop Artists, Volume III (C. 39), 1965
Screenprint in colors, on heavy, smooth wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated and with spurious numbering
Aside from the numbered edition of 200
There was also an edition of 50 in Roman numerals plus 5 artist’s proofs
Prior Years Auction Results
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ILEANA SONNABEND AND THE ESTATE OF NINA CASTELLI SUNDELL
Christie’s New-York: 26 October 2015
Estimated: USD 70,000 – 90,000
USD 269,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR SWEET DREAMS BABY!
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Sweet Dreams Baby! from 11 Pop Artists, Volume III, 1965
Screenprint in colors on smooth wove paper
Signed in pencil, numbered 83/200