Roy Lichtenstein’s Nudes Series was the final major series the artist produced before his death in 1997. The nine prints consider the traditional art historical genre of the female nude through the lens of Pop Art and mark Lichtenstein’s return to his iconic 1960s comic book style, consisting of Benday dot patterns, bright colors, and bold lines. Published and printed by Tyler Graphics Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York, Lichtenstein referenced his own oeuvre, integrating motifs found in earlier works from the Reflections, Imperfect, Water Lily, and Interiors Series. After four decades of radically probing fundamental questions of art and artmaking, it was apt for him to select the female nude as a symbol of returning to the beginning of both his oeuvre and art history.
Introduction
Lichtenstein composed his nude figures from printed sources, taking comic book characters and removing their clothing. Removing the forms of his heroines from the confines of reality, Lichtenstein used the minimalistic detail of the nude figures as a foil to his more involved domestic interiors. The emphasis on background rather than human subject highlights his interest in in the genre of the nude as a space for further refining his color and pattern applications.
“with my nudes there’s so little sense of body flesh or skin tones – they’re so unrealistic – that using them underscored the separation between reality and artistic convention.”
Although innovative, Lichtenstein was deeply aware of his art within the context of the Western cannon, drawing inspiration from Modern movements, such as Cubism and Impressionism and masters like Picasso and Matisse. Referencing his own oeuvre as well, Lichtenstein integrated motifs found in earlier works from the series’ Mirrors, Waterlilies, Interiors and Imperfects. As a final series, Lichtenstein’s Nudes reflect a maturity of style which perfectly integrates the elements of his earlier work, imparting layered references and myriad meanings to each composition.
Roy Lichtenstein using a light box to cut a Rubylith stencil for his color relief print Roommates, from the Nudes Series, Tyler Graphics Ltd. artist’ studio, Mount Kisco, New York, 1994. Photograph by Kenneth Tyler.
Following in the footsteps of many of his forebearers, including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Paul Cezanne, Lichtenstein rendered the classic theme of the nude later in life. Since antiquity, when Praxiteles carved the first monumental female nude, The Aphrodite of Knidos, in c. 350 BC, the female nude has been of unwavering importance as a subject in the history of art. Closely associated with notions of ideal beauty, mythology, sexuality and the study of anatomy, it has been a source of endless inspiration. In the modern period, artists such as Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Paul Gauguin utilized its association with beauty to combine it with their own visual language. Unlike their predecessors, their aim was not to render female form in as naturalistic a way as possible, but rather to explore their own formal concerns. In Two Nudes, by applying his distinctive aesthetic idiom to what is arguably the canon’s most persistent trope, Lichtenstein successfully indexes art history itself. Much alike those that came before him, for Lichtenstein this timeless subject matter creates an arena for him to further refine his interest in color and pattern applications, pushing perceptions of what art is and what art can be.
“My nudes are part light and shade, and so are the backgrounds, with dots to indicate the shade, the dots are also graduated from large to small, which usually suggests modeling in people’s minds, but that’s not what you get with these figures. I don’t really know why I chose nudes. I’d never done them before, so that was maybe something, but I also felt chiaroscuro would look good on a body. And with my nudes there’s so little sense of body flesh or skin tones–they’re so unrealistic–that using them underscored the separation between reality and artistic convention”
John Hutcheson using a brayer to ink the woodblock on the lithography offset press bed for the black print run of Roy Lichtenstein’s color relief print Roommates, Tyler Graphics Ltd. workshop, Mount Kisco, New York, 1994. Photograph by Marabeth Cohen-Tyler.
Lichtenstein’s first nudes emerged out of a concurrent series of Interiors paintings, which caricatured the lavish spreads of pristine homes in magazines like Architectural Digest. The Interiors focused on a subject that has long captured the fascination of Pop artists: the myth of blissful bourgeois domesticity. They depict rooms cobbled together from illustrations of furniture and reproductions of artworks and all lack a human presence to bring the spaces alive. As the series evolved Lichtenstein gradually took the pictures of nudes off the walls and allowed women to inhabit these ultra-cool environments. In doing so, Lichtenstein ensured his muses remained as carefully edited and stylized as the furnishings that surround them. The subject of the nude fulfilled Lichtenstein’s fascination with strong visual and cultural clichés as well as his preoccupation with style and form. It enabled him to make a knowing and witty nod to art historical precedents, including that of his own world-famous oeuvre. The result was a double loop of appropriation that exemplified new approaches to visual practice in the post-modern era. Presenting the comic-book girls in the nude within composite scenes meant they were not a straight redux of what had gone before. They instead provided a vehicle for Lichtenstein’s continued testing of formal artistic methods. In Nude with Blue Hair diagonal stripes and Benday dots simultaneously evoke and flatten the picture’s depth of field. These graphic techniques, typically used as short-hand to define shadow and volume, spill over the girl’s curvaceous body and onto her surroundings, creating a peculiar spatial conundrum that highlights the artificiality and unreliability of the image.
The Nudes series began in late 1993, when, in his New York studio, Lichtenstein started making the collage studies that would serve as models for the subsequent print series. In early 1994, Lichtenstein initiated working with his long-term collaborator, the master-printer Kenneth Tyler. Lichtenstein set to work at the Tyler Graphics Ltd. studio in Mount Kisco, New York, meticulously hand-cutting Rubylith stencils to outline each image. Five of the outlines were then translated onto magnesium relief printing plates and one onto a plastic relief plate. The iconic Ben-Day dots were created on a computer, then transferred to positive film before additional Rubylith stencils were cut for the block colours and diagonal lines. The stencils and films of dots were then registered using the original outline sketches and made into individual color relief printing plates. Finally, voluptuous layers of pigment were printed to BFK Rives paper, ensuring a finished result with extremely rich colours and crisply delineated forms. Typifying Lichtenstein’s iconic machine-made aesthetic, this meticulous process enabled the metamorphosis of his comic book cuttings into large scale artworks that engage with not just the art historical canon, but also our very perception of what it is to make art.
For the first time certainly, in at least half of his motifs of the series, Lichtenstein works in a different printing state – State 1. Here the contours are blue and the dots and stripes are red. In this way, using exactly the same motif, he produces an entirely new effect and atmosphere. Through the dominance of the red, the works in State 1 have a warmer and less severe effect, which is also supported by the less pronounced contrast with the blue contours.
As before, he skillfully combines dots and stripes in his composition, and employs dots of different sizes, as for example in the works from the series “Reflections”, in order to create a three-dimensional effect. In the “Nudes” however, he allows the dots to range over the established contours, thereby creating a play of light and shade, which has not appeared in his work before.
Nude Series, 1994
1. Roommates (Corlett 282)
2. Nude with Yellow Pillow (Corlett 283)
3. Two Nudes (Corlett 284)
4. Two Nudes, State I (Corlett 285)
5. Nude with Blue Hair (Corlett 286)
6. Nude with Blue Hair, State I (Corlett 287)
7. Nude Reading (Corlett 288)
8. Thinking Nude (Corlett 289)
9. Thinking Nude, State I (Corlett 290)
Auction Market Overview
Auction Summary
2025 Auction Highlights
9 lots from Nudes sold at auction in 2025 for a total turnover of USD 4,264,824. With 2 lots failing to sell, the sell-through rate is 82%. This includes 5 works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein, generating a cumulative turnover of USD 2,146,300, representing 50.3% of the total turnover of 2025.
2025 Top 3 Lots
The top price was achieved by Nude with Blue Hair, State I, that sold at Christie’s in New-York on 20 November 2025 for USD 1,079,500, setting a new auction record for this print.
Nude with Blue Hair, State I, 1994
Christie’s New-York: 20 November 2025
Estimated: USD 500,000 – 700,000
USD 1,079,500
AUCTION RECORD FOR NUDE WITH BLUE HAIR, STATE I
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, State I (Corlett 287, RLCR 4295), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, numbered and dated ‘8⁄10 rf Lichtenstein ’94’ (lower right)
This work is number eight from an edition of ten plus six artist’s proofs
Two new auction records were set in 2025 for two works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein: (1) Thinking Nude, State I sold at Sotheby’s in New-York, on 26 September 2025, for USD 508,000; and (2) Nude Reading sold at Sotheby’s in New-York on 16 May 2025 for USD 457,200.
Thinking Nude, State I, 1994
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 26 September 2025
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 508,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR THINKING NUDE STATE I
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Thinking Nude, State I, from the Nudes series (Corlett 290), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed, dated ’94, inscribed State I and AP 2/6 (lower right)
One of 6 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 10
Nude Reading, 1994
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 16 May 2025
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 457,200
AUCTION RECORD FOR NUDE READING
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude Reading (from Nudes Series) (Corlett 288), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mould-made paper
Signed, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 4/12 lower right)
An artist proof aside from the numbered edition of 60
2024 Auction Highlights
9 lots sold in 2024 for a total turnover of USD 4,597,816, a record year for the Nudes series at auction. With 1 lot failing to sell, the sell-through is 90%.
2024 Top 3 Lots
This includes 3 works from The Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein that sold for record prices: (1) Roommates sold at Sotheby’s, in New-York, on 21 November 2025, for USD 1,200,000; (2) Nude with Yellow Pillow sold at Sotheby’s in New-York, on 21 November 2025, for USD 1,200,000; and (3) Nude with Blue Hair sold at Sotheby’s in New-York, on 20 November 2025 for USD 960,000.
Roommates, 1994
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 21 November 2024
Estimated: USD 250,000 – 350,000
USD 1,200,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR ROOMMATES
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Roommates, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Image: 57 1/2 x 45 inches (146.1 x 114.5 cm)
Sheet: 64 1/4 x 51 1/8 inches (163.1 x 129.7 cm)
Signed in pencil, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 3/10 (lower right)
This impression is one of ten artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 40
Nude with Yellow Pillow, 1994
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 21 November 2024
Estimated: USD 250,000 – 350,000
USD 1,200,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR NUDE WITH YELLOW PILLOW
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Yellow Pillow, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Image: 46×37 inches (117×94 cm)
Sheet: 52 5/8 x 43 1/8 inches (113.3 x 109.4 cm)
Signed in pencil, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 1/12 (lower right)
This impression is one of 12 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 60
Nude with Blue Hair, 1994
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 20 November 2024
Estimated: USD 350,000 – 450,000
USD 960,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR NUDE WITH BLUE HAIR
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Image: 51 1/2 x 31 3/4 inches (130 x 80.2 cm)
Sheet: 57 7/8 x 37 5/8 inches (146.7 x 95.3 cm)
Signed, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 5/12 (lower right)
This impression is one of 12 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 40
The most sold print from Nudes in 2024 is Two Nudes that sold 3 times at an average price of USD 222,332. It sold at Phillips in New-York, on 22 October 2024, for USD 292,100.
Two Nudes, 1994
Phillips New-York: 22 October 2024
Estimated: USD 180,000 – 250,000
USD 292,100
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Two Nudes, from Nudes Series (C. 284), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Sheet: 48 x 41 1/8 inches (121.9 x 104.5 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered 32/40 in pencil (there were also 12 artist’s proofs)
2023 Auction Highlights
6 lots sold in 2023 for a total turnover of USD 2,114,784. The highest price was achieved by Nude with Blue Hair that sold at Sotheby’s in New-York on 19 April 2023, for USD 762,000.
Nude with Blue Hair, 1994
Sotheby’s New-York: 19 April 2023
Estimated: USD 450,000 – 650,000
USD 762,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, from Nudes Series, 1994
Relief print in colors on wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 16/40
The most sold print from the series in 2023 is Nude Reading that sold 3 times in 2023 at an average price of USD 164,767. It sold at Phillips in New-York, on 20 April 2023, for USD 203,200, its highest price in 2023.
Nude Reading, 1994
Phillips New-York: 20 April 2023
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 203,200
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude Reading, from Nudes series (C. 288), 1994
Relief print in colors, on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated, and numbered 4/60 in pencil
2022 Auction Highlights
4 lots sold in 2022 for a total turnover of USD 1,666,500. The highest price was achieved by Nude with Yellow Pillow that sold at Artnet Auctions on 7 April 2022, for USD 425,000.
Nude with Yellow Pillow, 1994
Artnet Auctions: 7 April 2022
Estimated: USD 200,000 – 300,000
USD 425,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude with Yellow Pillow (from the Nude series), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed, dated and numbered in pencil, Edition 51/60
The most sold print from the series in 2022 is Thinking Nude that sold twice in 2022 at an average price of USD 257,350. It sold at Sotheby’s in New-York, on 28 October 2022, for USD 277,200, its highest price in 2022.
Thinking Nude, 1994
Sotheby’s New-York: 28 October 2022
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 277,200
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Thinking Nude from Nude Series, 1994
Screen-print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 36/40
This impression is number 36 from the edition of 40 plus 12 artist’s proofs
2026 Auction Results
Nude with Blue Hair, 1994
Christie’s New-York: 15 April 2026
Estimated: USD 400,000 – 600,000
USD 762,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, from Nudes, 1994
(Corlett 286; Roy Lichtenstein Catalogue Raisonné 4294)
Relief print in colors, on Rives BFK paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 8⁄40
(there were also twelve artist’s proofs)
Published by Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York
Lots Passed
Nude with Yellow Pillow, 1994
Sotheby’s London: 5 March 2026
Estimated: GBP 250,000 – 350,000
PASSED
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Yellow Pillow, from Nudes Series, 1994
(Mary Lee Corlett no. 283, p. 255)
Relief print in colours on BFK Rives mould-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated ’94 and numbered 29/60 (lower right)
This impression is number 29 from the edition of 60, plus 12 artist’s proofs
With the blindstamp of the publisher, Tyler Graphics, Ltd., New York
2025 Auction Results
9 lots from Nudes sold at auction in 2025 for a total turnover of USD 4,264,824. With 2 lots failing to sell, the sell-through rate is 82%. This includes 5 works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein, generating a cumulative turnover of USD 2,146,300, representing 50.3% of the total turnover of 2025.
2025 Top 3 Lots
The top price was achieved by Nude with Blue Hair, State I, that sold at Christie’s in New-York on 20 November 2025 for USD 1,079,500, setting a new auction record for this print.
Two new auction records were set in 2025 for two works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein: (1) Thinking Nude, State I sold at Sotheby’s in New-York, on 26 September 2025, for USD 508,000; and (2) Nude Reading sold at Sotheby’s in New-York on 16 May 2025 for USD 457,200.
#1. Nude with Blue Hair, State I, 1994
Christie’s New-York: 20 November 2025
Estimated: USD 500,000 – 700,000
USD 1,079,500
AUCTION RECORD FOR NUDE WITH BLUE HAIR, STATE I
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, State I (Corlett 287, RLCR 4295), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, numbered and dated ‘8⁄10 rf Lichtenstein ’94’ (lower right)
This work is number eight from an edition of ten plus six artist’s proofs
USD 1 million
#2. Roommates, 1994
Sotheby’s online: 26 March 2025
Estimated: GBP 400,000 – 600,000
GBP 419,100 / USD 540,639
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Roommates, from Nude Series (Corlett 254), 1994
Relief print in colours on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 5/40
#3. Thinking Nude, State I, 1994
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 26 September 2025
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 508,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR THINKING NUDE STATE I
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Thinking Nude, State I, from the Nudes series (Corlett 290), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed, dated ’94, inscribed State I and AP 2/6 (lower right)
One of 6 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 10
USD 500,000
#4. Thinking Nude, 1994
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 16 May 2025
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 482,600
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Thinking Nude (from Nude Series) (Corlett 289), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mould-made paper
Signed, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 1/12 (lower right)
An artist proof aside from the numbered edition of 40
#5. Nude Reading, 1994
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 16 May 2025
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 457,200
AUCTION RECORD FOR NUDE READING
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude Reading (from Nudes Series) (Corlett 288), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mould-made paper
Signed, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 4/12 lower right)
An artist proof aside from the numbered edition of 60
#6. Two Nudes (State I), 1994
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 16 May 2025
Estimated: USD 180,000 – 250,000
USD 444,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Two Nudes (State I) (from Nudes Series) (Corlett 285), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mould-made paper
Signed, dated ’94, inscribed State I and AP 2/6 (lower right)
An artist proof aside from the numbered edition of 10
#7. Two Nudes (State I), 1994
Sotheby’s London: 24 September 2025
Estimated: GBP 200,000 – 300,000
GBP 203,200 / USD 273,385
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Two Nudes (State I), from Nudes Series (C. 285), 1994
Relief print in colours on BFK Rives mould-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated, inscribed State I and numbered 3/10
This impression is number three from the edition of ten plus six artist’s proofs
#8. Two Nudes, 1994
Pop Impressions: Prints from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 22 October 2025
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 254,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Two Nudes (Corlett 284; RLCR 4328), 1994
From the Nudes series
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated and inscribed AP 2/12
This impression is one of 12 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 40
With the blindstamp of the publisher, Tyler Graphics, Ltd.
#9. Nude Reading, 1994
Artnet Auctions: 15 October 2025
Estimated: USD 200,000 – 300,000
USD 225,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude Reading, 1994
From the Nudes Series
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and numbered in pencil
Edition 20/60
Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, NY, pub.
Provenance: Doyle, 1 November 2023
Lots Passed
Roommates, 1994
Sotheby’s New-York: 23 October 2025
Estimated: USD 300,000 – 500,000
PASSED
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Roommates (Corlett 282; RLCR 4314), 1994
From the Nudes series
Relief print in colors on BFK Rives mold-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 29/40
This impression is number 29 from the edition of 40 plus ten artist’s proofs
With the blindstamp of the publisher, Tyler Graphics, Ltd
Roommates, 1994
Christie’s New-York: 23 October 2025
Estimated: USD 300,000 – 500,000
PASSED
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Roommates (Corlett 282), 1994
From Nudes
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed and dated in pencil
Numbered ‘AP 6⁄10’
An artist’s proof, the edition was 40
2024 Auction Results
9 lots sold in 2024 for a total turnover of USD 4,597,816, a record year for the Nudes series at auction. With 1 lot failing to sell, the sell-through is 90%.
2024 Top 3 Lots
This includes 3 works from The Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein that sold for record prices: (1) Roommates sold at Sotheby’s, in New-York, on 21 November 2025, for USD 1,200,000; (2) Nude with Yellow Pillow sold at Sotheby’s in New-York, on 21 November 2025, for USD 1,200,000; and (3) Nude with Blue Hair sold at Sotheby’s in New-York, on 20 November 2025 for USD 960,000.
The most sold print from Nudes in 2024 is Two Nudes that sold 3 times at an average price of USD 222,332. It sold at Phillips in New-York, on 22 October 2024, for USD 292,100.
#1. Roommates, 1994
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 21 November 2024
Estimated: USD 250,000 – 350,000
USD 1,200,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR ROOMMATES
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Roommates, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Image: 57 1/2 x 45 inches (146.1 x 114.5 cm)
Sheet: 64 1/4 x 51 1/8 inches (163.1 x 129.7 cm)
Signed in pencil, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 3/10 (lower right)
This impression is one of ten artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 40
#2. Nude with Yellow Pillow, 1994
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 21 November 2024
Estimated: USD 250,000 – 350,000
USD 1,200,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR NUDE WITH YELLOW PILLOW
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Yellow Pillow, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Image: 46×37 inches (117×94 cm)
Sheet: 52 5/8 x 43 1/8 inches (113.3 x 109.4 cm)
Signed in pencil, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 1/12 (lower right)
This impression is one of 12 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 60
USD 1 million
#3. Nude with Blue Hair, 1994
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 20 November 2024
Estimated: USD 350,000 – 450,000
USD 960,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR NUDE WITH BLUE HAIR
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Image: 51 1/2 x 31 3/4 inches (130 x 80.2 cm)
Sheet: 57 7/8 x 37 5/8 inches (146.7 x 95.3 cm)
Signed, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 5/12 (lower right)
This impression is one of 12 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 40
#4. Roommates, 1994
Phillips New-York: 16 April 2024
Estimated: USD 250,000 – 350,000
USD 317,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Roommates, from Nudes Series (C. 282), 1994
Monumental relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and numbered 37/40 in pencil (there were also 10 artist’s proofs)
#5. Two Nudes, 1994
Phillips New-York: 22 October 2024
Estimated: USD 180,000 – 250,000
USD 292,100
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Two Nudes, from Nudes Series (C. 284), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Sheet: 48 x 41 1/8 inches (121.9 x 104.5 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered 32/40 in pencil (there were also 12 artist’s proofs)
#6. Two Nudes, 1994
Christie’s online: 27 March 2024
Estimated: GBP 150,000 – 250,000
GBP 163,800 / USD 206,896
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Two Nudes, from: Nude Series, 1994
Relief print in colors on wove paper
Signed, dated, and numbered 40/40 in pencil
USD 200,000
#7. Two Nudes, 1994
Sotheby’s New-York: 27 September 2024
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 168,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Two Nudes, from Nudes Series (Corlett 284), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated ’94 and numbered 29/40 (lower right)
This impression is number 29 from the edition of 40 plus 12 artist’s proofs
#8. Nude Reading, 1994
Christie’s online: 27 March 2024
Estimated: GBP 90,000 – 120,000
GBP 100,800 / USD 127,320
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Nude Reading, from: Nudes, 1994
Relief print in colors on wove paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 34/60
#9. Nude Reading, 1994
Christie’s New-York: 16 April 2024
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 126,000
Nude Reading, from Nudes, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 40⁄60
Lots Passed
Estimated: USD 200,000 – 250,000
PASSED
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Two Nudes, from Nudes Series (Corlett 284), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 29/40
2023 Auction Results
6 lots sold in 2023 for a total turnover of USD 2,114,784.
The highest price was achieved by Nude with Blue Hair that sold at Sotheby’s in New-York on 19 April 2023, for USD 762,000.
The most sold print from the series in 2023 is Nude Reading that sold 3 times in 2023 at an average price of USD 164,767.
#1. Nude with Blue Hair, 1994
Sotheby’s New-York: 19 April 2023
Estimated: USD 450,000 – 650,000
USD 762,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, from Nudes Series, 1994
Relief print in colors on wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 16/40
#2. Nude with Yellow Pillow, 1994
Phillips New-York: 26 October 2023
Estimated: USD 250,000 – 350,000
USD 546,100
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude with Yellow Pillow, from Nudes series (C. 283), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and numbered ‘AP 3/12’ in pencil
An artist’s proof, the edition was 60
USD 500,000
#3. Two Nudes, 1994
Phillips London: 22 September 2023
Estimated: GBP 100,000 – 200,000
GBP 254,000 / USD 312,240
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Two Nudes, from Nudes Series (C. 284), 1994
Relief print in colors on BFK Rives paper
Signed, dated and numbered 18/40 in pencil
#4. Nude Reading, 1994
Phillips New-York: 20 April 2023
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 203,200
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude Reading, from Nudes series (C. 288), 1994
Relief print in colors, on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated, and numbered 4/60 in pencil
USD 200,000
#5. Nude Reading, 1994
Sotheby’s New-York: 19 April 2023
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 165,100
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude Reading, from Nudes Series, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 56/60
#6. Nude Reading, 1994
Doyle New-York: 1 November 2023
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 126,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude Reading, from Nudes, 1994
Color relief print on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and numbered 20/60 in pencil
2022 Auction Results
4 lots sold in 2022 for a total turnover of USD 1,666,500.
The highest price was achieved by Nude with Yellow Pillow that sold at Artnet Auctions on 7 April 2022, for USD 425,000.
The most sold print from the series in 2022 is Thinking Nude that sold twice in 2022 at an average price of USD 257,350.
#1. Nude with Yellow Pillow, 1994
Artnet Auctions: 7 April 2022
Estimated: USD 200,000 – 300,000
USD 425,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude with Yellow Pillow (from the Nude series), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed, dated and numbered in pencil, Edition 51/60
#2. Thinking Nude, 1994
Sotheby’s New-York: 28 October 2022
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 277,200
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Thinking Nude from Nude Series, 1994
Screen-print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 36/40
This impression is number 36 from the edition of 40 plus 12 artist’s proofs
#3. Thinking Nude, 1994
LA Modern: 19 April 2022
Estimated: USD 250,00 – 350,000
USD 237,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Thinking Nude (from the Nude series), 1994
Screen-print in colors on BFK Rives
Signed, dated and numbered to lower right ‘8/40 rf Lichtenstein ’94’
This work is number 8 from the edition of 40
#4. Nude Reading, 1994
Phillips New-York: 25 June 2022
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 226,800
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude Reading, from Nudes series (C. 288), 1994
Relief print in colors, on Rives BFK paper, with full margins.
Signed, dated, and numbered 50/60 in pencil (there were also 12 artist’s proofs)
2021 Auction Results
Nude with Blue Hair, 1994
Rago: 19 May 2021
Estimated: USD 350,000 – 450,000
USD 769,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude with Blue Hair, from Nude Series, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
58 x 37 1/2 inches (147×95 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered to lower right ‘34/40 Roy Lichtenstein 94’
Roommates, 1994
Phillips New-York: 22 April 2021
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 428,400
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Roommates, from Nudes Series (C. 282), 1994
Monumental relief print in colors, on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and numbered ‘AP 5/10’ in pencil
Nude with Yellow Pillow, 1994
Sotheby’s New-York: 22 April 2021
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 378,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Yellow Pillow (Corlett 283) from Nudes, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 53/60
Roommates
Roommates
from Nude Series
Medium: Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Year: 1994
Image: 57 7/8 x 45 1/8 inches (147 x 114.6 cm)
Sheet: 64 1/8 x 51 inches (162.9 x 129.5 cm)
Edition: 40
Artist’s Proofs: 10 AP
Printer: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York
Publisher: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York
Literature: Corlett 282, RLCR 4314
Roommates, 1994 (RLCR 4314) | Catalogue entry | Roy Lichtenstein: A Catalogue Raisonné
Signed dated and numbered in pencil the publisher’s blindstamp
Roommates depicts an intimate interior domestic scene featuring two female figures rendered in Lichtenstein’s iconic comic book aesthetic, with bold black outlines, vibrant primary colors, and a stark contrast between geometric shapes and the women’s curvilinear forms. One naked figure is reclining on a bed and reading a book, seemingly absorbed in a quiet moment. A second figure, with a signature blonde bob and red lips, pokes her head into the frame from the left, gazing directly at the viewer with a slightly open mouth and an interruptive hand gesture, inviting the viewer to create their own narrative. The room is decorated with items that self-reference elements from Lichtenstein’s earlier works, such as a geometric mirror, a lamp, and a plant. Notably, a version of a painting by the De Stijl artist Theo van Doesburg hangs on the left wall.
Roommates is a commentary on the highly sexualized portrayal of women throughout art history and contemporary society. By presenting the nude figures through the filter of mass-produced comic book imagery, Lichtenstein challenges traditional notions of high art and blurs the lines between fine art and commercial media. The ambiguous dynamic between the figures and the lack of explicit narrative or emotional context invites viewers to contemplate the complexities of human relationships and the “dramas of domestic life”. The work also explores the tension between the undulating curves of the female form and the rigid geometry of the surrounding environment.
Auction Results
Sotheby’s New-York: 23 October 2025
Estimated: USD 300,000 – 500,000
PASSED
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Roommates (Corlett 282; RLCR 4314), 1994
From the Nudes series
Relief print in colors on BFK Rives mold-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 29/40
This impression is number 29 from the edition of 40 plus ten artist’s proofs
With the blindstamp of the publisher, Tyler Graphics, Ltd
Christie’s New-York: 23 October 2025
Estimated: USD 300,000 – 500,000
PASSED
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Roommates (Corlett 282), 1994
From Nudes
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed and dated in pencil
Numbered ‘AP 6⁄10’
An artist’s proof, the edition was 40
Sotheby’s online: 26 March 2025
Estimated: GBP 400,000 – 600,000
GBP 419,100 / USD 540,640
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Roommates, from Nude Series (Corlett 254), 1994
Relief print in colours on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 5/40
XXXXXXXXXXX
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 21 November 2024
Estimated: USD 250,000 – 350,000
USD 1,200,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR ROOMMATES
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Roommates, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Image: 57 1/2 x 45 inches (146.1 x 114.5 cm)
Sheet: 64 1/4 x 51 1/8 inches (163.1 x 129.7 cm)
Signed in pencil, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 3/10 (lower right)
This impression is one of ten artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 40
Phillips New-York: 16 April 2024
Estimated: USD 250,000 – 350,000
USD 317,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Roommates, from Nudes Series (C. 282), 1994
Monumental relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and numbered 37/40 in pencil (there were also 10 artist’s proofs)
XXXXXXXXXXX
Phillips New-York: 22 April 2021
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 428,400
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Roommates, from Nudes Series (C. 282), 1994
Monumental relief print in colors, on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and numbered ‘AP 5/10’ in pencil
XXXXXXXXXXX
Christie’s New-York: 22 October 2019
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 180,000
USD 212,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Roommates, from Nude Series, 1994
Relief print in colors, on Rives BFK paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 20/40
Property from a Private Swiss Collection
Sotheby’s London: 17 September 2019
Estimated: GBP 70,000 – 100,000
GBP 162,500 / USD 198,825
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
ROOMMATES from the Nudes series (CORLETT 282), 1994
Relief print in colors on BFK Rives mold-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated, numbered 32/40
XXXXXXXXXXX
Heritage Auctions: 23 October 2017
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 150,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Roommates, from Nude Series, 1994
Relief in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, annotated P.P. II and dated in pencil in lower right
A print aside from the edition of 40
XXXXXXXXXXX
Christie’s New-York: 1 May 2013
Estimated: USD 80,000 – 120,000
USD 117,750
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Roommates, from Nudes Series (C. 282), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 6/40
Nude with Yellow Pillow
Nude with Yellow Pillow
from Nude Series
Medium: Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Year: 1994
Image: 46 1/8 x 36 7/8 inches (117.2 x 93.7 cm)
Sheet: 52 5/8 x 43 inches (133.7 x 109.2 cm)
Edition: 60
Artist’s Proofs: 12 AP
Printer: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York
Publisher: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York
Literature: Corlett 283, RLCR 4306
Nude with Yellow Pillow, 1994 (RLCR 4306) | Catalogue entry | Roy Lichtenstein: A Catalogue Raisonné
Signed dated and numbered in pencil with the publisher’s blindstamp
Nude with Yellow Pillow features a voluptuous, stylized female figure with flowing blonde hair and a bold red lip, derived from 1960s romance comic books. She is provocatively perched on the arm of a sofa, propped against a vibrant yellow pillow that serves as a focal point in the composition. The background is a densely layered interior scene, illustrative of Lichtenstein’s later work, filled with a rigid and geometric composition of graphic patterns, shapes, and dots. This domestic setting includes deliberate art historical allusions, such as a reference to Claude Monet’s Water Lilies hanging on the wall behind her head. The contrast between the curvilinear, “soft” form of the figure and the rigid geometry of the background is a key visual element.
Nude with Yellow Pillow serves as a commentary on the portrayal of femininity in popular culture and art history. The composition and the figure’s direct gaze address the traditional “male gaze” embedded in art history, encouraging viewers to reassess their perceptions of the nude form and confront society’s obsession with its commodification.
Lichtenstein presents the nude form as a commodity of desire, amidst a society obsessed with external presentation and domestic perfection. Taken from comic books, Lichtenstein re-worked the found material, confronting the latent desire present in quotidian commercial products and sardonically acknowledging the male gaze embedded within the canon of art history. Engaging with the nude as subject, Lichtenstein boldly inserts himself into a longstanding artistic lineage, newly interpreting this traditional painterly genre. Subverting the classical theme through a pop facade, this work presents quintessential elements of Lichtenstein’s oeuvre, and simultaneously presents a poignant commentary on the consumer culture of everyday America.
Auction Results
Sotheby’s London: 5 March 2026
Estimated: GBP 250,000 – 350,000
PASSED
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Yellow Pillow, from Nudes Series, 1994
(Mary Lee Corlett no. 283, p. 255)
Relief print in colours on BFK Rives mould-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated ’94 and numbered 29/60 (lower right)
This impression is number 29 from the edition of 60, plus 12 artist’s proofs
With the blindstamp of the publisher, Tyler Graphics, Ltd., New York
XXXXXXXXXX
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 21 November 2024
Estimated: USD 250,000 – 350,000
USD 1,200,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR NUDE WITH YELLOW PILLOW
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Yellow Pillow, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Image: 46×37 inches (117×94 cm)
Sheet: 52 5/8 x 43 1/8 inches (113.3 x 109.4 cm)
Signed in pencil, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 1/12 (lower right)
This impression is one of 12 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 60
XXXXXXXXXX
Phillips New-York: 26 October 2023
Estimated: USD 250,000 – 350,000
USD 546,100
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude with Yellow Pillow, from Nudes series (C. 283), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and numbered ‘AP 3/12’ in pencil
An artist’s proof, the edition was 60
XXXXXXXXXX
Artnet Auctions: 7 April 2022
Estimated: USD 200,000 – 300,000
USD 425,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude with Yellow Pillow (from the Nude series), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed, dated and numbered in pencil, Edition 51/60
XXXXXXXXXX
Sotheby’s New-York: 22 April 2021
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 378,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Yellow Pillow (Corlett 283) from Nudes, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 53/60
XXXXXXXXXX
Christie’s New-York: 20 October 2020
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 218,750
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Nude with Yellow Pillow, from Nude Series, 1994
Relief print in colors, on Rives BFK paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 31/60 (there were also twelve artist’s proofs)
XXXXXXXXXX
Sotheby’s New-York: 27 April 2018
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 225,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude with Yellow Pillow from the Nudes series (C. 283), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 59/60
XXXXXXXXXX
Sotheby’s New-York: 24 October 2017
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 250,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude with Yellow Pillow from the Nudes series (Corlett 283), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 17/60
Two Nudes
Two Nudes
from Nude Series
Medium: Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Year: 1994
Image: 41 1/2 x 35 inches (105.4 x 88.9 cm)
Sheet: 48×41 inches (121.8 x 104.2 cm)
Edition: 40
Artist’s Proofs: 12 AP
Printer: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York
Publisher: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York
Literature: Corlett 284, RLCR 4328
Two Nudes, 1994 (RLCR 4328) | Catalogue entry | Roy Lichtenstein: A Catalogue Raisonné
Signed dated and numbered in pencil with the publisher’s blindstamp
Two Nudes features two female figures within a stylized interior. One figure has partly bright yellow hair and is lying face down in a bed. The second figure, composed almost entirely of vibrant red Ben-Day dots, rests her hands on the back of the first figure. The interior setting includes elements like a purple vase and a bright yellow carpet, rendered with a combination of dots, diagonal lines, and solid color fields. The figures are deliberately simplified and lack naturalistic corporeal characteristics, appearing as stylized forms.
Two Nudes reveals more about Lichtenstein’s artistic process and commentary on representation than the figures themselves. Lichtenstein approaches the female nude, a primary subject in Western art history, by using fabricated figures sourced from 1960s comic books (specifically, the series Girls’ Romances) rather than live models. This challenges traditional, idealized depictions of femininity and beauty. The intimate scene is composed to draw attention to the viewer’s potentially voyeuristic gaze, but the figures’ self-contained nature and the artificiality of their rendering can also discourage intrusion, subverting traditional power dynamics. The curvilinear forms of the bodies are set against the sharp angles and geometric shapes of the room’s decor, creating visual tension and playing with perceptions of three-dimensional space and two-dimensional patterning.
Auction Results
Pop Impressions: Prints from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 22 October 2025
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 254,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Two Nudes (Corlett 284; RLCR 4328), 1994
From the Nudes series
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated and inscribed AP 2/12
This impression is one of 12 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 40
With the blindstamp of the publisher, Tyler Graphics, Ltd.
XXXXXXXXXX
Phillips New-York: 22 October 2024
Estimated: USD 180,000 – 250,000
USD 292,100
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Two Nudes, from Nudes Series (C. 284), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Sheet: 48 x 41 1/8 inches (121.9 x 104.5 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered 32/40 in pencil (there were also 12 artist’s proofs)
Sotheby’s New-York: 27 September 2024
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 168,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Two Nudes, from Nudes Series (Corlett 284), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated ’94 and numbered 29/40 (lower right)
This impression is number 29 from the edition of 40 plus 12 artist’s proofs
Christie’s online: 27 March 2024
Estimated: GBP 150,000 – 250,000
GBP 163,800 / USD 206,896
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Two Nudes, from: Nude Series, 1994
Relief print in colors on wove paper
Signed, dated, and numbered 40/40 in pencil
XXXXXXXXXX
Phillips London: 22 September 2023
Estimated: GBP 100,000 – 200,000
GBP 254,000 / USD 312,365
AUCTION RECORD FOR TWO NUDES
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Two Nudes, from Nudes Series (C. 284), 1994
Relief print in colors on BFK Rives paper
Signed, dated and numbered 18/40 in pencil
XXXXXXXXXX
Sotheby’s London: 17 September 2020
Estimated: GBP 120,000 – 180,000
GBP 163,800 / USD 212,534
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
TWO NUDES (CORLETT 284), 1994
Relief print in colors
Signed in pencil, numbered 8/40
XXXXXXXXXX
Sotheby’s London: 17 September 2019
Estimated: GBP 100,000 – 150,000
GBP 187,500 / USD 234,400
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
TWO NUDES (C. 284) from the Nude series, 1994
Relief print in colors
Signed in pencil, numbered 21/40
Sotheby’s London: 26 March 2019
Estimated: GBP 80,000 – 120,000
GBP 181,250 / USD 239,395
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Two Nudes from Nudes series (C. 284), 1994
Relief print in colors on BFK Rives mold-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated, numbered 30/40
XXXXXXXXXX
Christie’s New-York: 2 November 2016
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 162,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Two Nudes, from Nudes Series, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed in pencil, numbered 10/40
Two Nudes, State I
Two Nudes, State I
from Nude Series
Medium: Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Year: 1994
Image: 41 1/2 x 35 inches (105.3 x 88.9 cm)
Sheet: 47 7/8 x 41 inches (121.8 x 104.3 cm)
Edition: 10
Artist’s Proofs: 6 AP
Printer: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York
Publisher: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York
Literature: Corlett 285, RLCR 4329
Two Nudes, State I, 1994 (RLCR 4329) | Catalogue entry | Roy Lichtenstein: A Catalogue Raisonné
Signed dated and numbered in pencil with the publisher’s blindstamp
Two Nudes exists in two clearly articulated moments: State I (edition of 10) and the final state (edition of 40). Understanding what State I represents is essential, because in this case it is not a minor technical variant: it is a deliberately more open, less assertive formulation of the image. In Two Nudes, State I, the composition is already fully legible: the two female nudes are arranged diagonally, one upright and leaning forward, the other reclining and partially cropped. However, the graphic system is less aggressively resolved. The outlines, while present, are lighter and less dominant; color areas feel flatter and more continuous; and the overall palette is slightly restrained. The bodies appear more absorbed into the surrounding pictorial field, with fewer visual hierarchies imposed. The image still breathes. It reads as a constructed scene, but one that has not yet been fully “sealed.”
In the final state, Lichtenstein tightens the composition decisively. Contours are reinforced, contrasts heightened, and color relationships clarified. The figures become more sharply separated from the background, and the graphic logic asserts itself with authority. Flesh, now fully regimented by Benday dots and bold outlines, is unmistakably transformed into surface. Where State I allows a degree of visual ambiguity, the final print fixes the image as a complete, controlled icon. Two Nudes, State I functions as a moment of transition: the nude is already depersonalized, but not yet fully mechanized. The final state completes that transformation. Seen together, the two versions make Lichtenstein’s late intent unmistakable: this is not a study of bodies as sensual forms, but of bodies as designed images, progressively stripped of softness, emotion, and spontaneity. The shift from State I to the final print marks the point at which the nude ceases to be suggestive and becomes definitive.
Auction Results
Sotheby’s London: 24 September 2025
Estimated: GBP 200,000 – 300,000
GBP 203,200 / USD 273,385
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Two Nudes (State I), from Nudes Series (C. 285), 1994
Relief print in colours on BFK Rives mould-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated, inscribed State I and numbered 3/10
This impression is number three from the edition of ten plus six artist’s proofs
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 16 May 2025
Estimated: USD 180,000 – 250,000
USD 444,500
AUCTION RECORD FOR TWO NUDES STATE I
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Two Nudes (State I) (from Nudes Series) (Corlett 285), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mould-made paper
Signed, dated ’94, inscribed State I and AP 2/6 (lower right)
An artist proof aside from the numbered edition of 10
XXXXXXXXXX
Christie’s New-York: 24 October 2014
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 155,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Two Nudes, State I, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed and dated in pencil, annotated ‘State I’, numbered AP 5/6
An artist’s proof, the edition was 10
XXXXXXXXXX
Christie’s New-York: 27 October 2010
Estimated: USD 70,000 – 90,000
USD 110,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Two Nudes, State I, from Nudes (C. 285), 1994
Relief in colors on Rives BFK
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 9/10
Sotheby’s London: 30 March 2010
Estimated: GBP 40,000 – 60,000
GBP 97,250 / USD 146,770
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Two Nudes, State I, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 10/10
Nude with Blue Hair
Nude with Blue Hair
from Nude Series
Medium: Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Year: 1994
Image: 51 1/4 x 31 5/8 inches (130.2 x 80.4 cm)
Sheet: 57 7/8 x 37 1/2 inches (147 x 95.3 cm)
Edition: 40
Artist’s Proofs: 12 AP
Printer: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York
Publisher: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York
Literature: Corlett 286, RLCR 4294
Nude with Blue Hair, 1994 (RLCR 4294) | Catalogue entry | Roy Lichtenstein: A Catalogue Raisonné
Signed dated and numbered in pencil with the publisher’s blindstamp
Of the works in the Nudes series, Nude with Blue Hair is perhaps the most intimate and introspective. Gazing directly towards the viewer, the comic heroine inhabits almost the entirety of the picture plane in a cinematic, Hitchcockian guise, her chest just exposed and arms outstretched above her. The immediacy of the image is underscored by the rich figure-ground relationship achieved using varying sizes of Benday dots which overlap several objects at a time, rather than be restricted within the boundaries of a certain object or outline, as was the case in Lichtenstein’s previous work. Describing the technique, Lichtenstein noted,
“It’s a little bit the way chiaroscuro isn’t just shadows but a way of combining the figure and background, or whatever’s near it in a dark area… You’re not confined to the object pattern, but the subject matter excuse for this is that it’s a shadow. And that’s interesting to me.”
One of few works that Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein retained for their personal collection, Nude with Blue Hair, alongside the other choice examples from their collection, provides a rare glimpse into Roy’s process and artistic development. The very first time that these treasured works have been available on the public market, their presentation this fall represents a remarkable and unprecedented opportunity to acquire masterworks from pivotal moments in Roy’s practice, and the works he and Dorothy cherished most.
With cornflower blue highlights and striking red nails, Nude with Blue Hair moves beyond self-reference and introduces stylistic ingenuity and an element of voyeurism with the overlapping qualities of Benday dots. As the dots glide across the figure’s body, the gradations of light and shadow mimic reflections across a lens, further manipulating the viewer’s concept of reality. As scholar Sheena Wagstaff describes, “Lichtenstein’s Nudes series, created in the last four years of his life, are a profoundly innovative and active meditation upon the relationship of creation and perception.” (Sheena Wagstaff, “Late Nudes,” in Exh. Cat., Art Institute of Chicago (and traveling), Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective, May 2012 – May 2013, pp. 103-104) Nude with Blue Hair is no exception; at alluring proportions, the present work evokes Lichtenstein’s graphic sensibility while simultaneously illustrating his adept sophistication and mastery of the printmaking medium.
In 1993, Roy Lichtenstein embarked on his final print series with Tyler Graphics and unveiled images of the female nude for the very first time. Hailing from this iconic series of Nudes, Nude with Blue Hair represents a notable point in Lichtenstein’s late oeuvre: creating a greater undulation of light and space using subtler, more delicate tones and overlapping Benday dots. Based on “love” and “girl” comic book illustrations, the Nudes became a starting point for what would come to be Lichtenstein’s final paintings before the artist’s passing in 1997, such as Nude with Pyramid, in the collection of The Broad, Los Angeles, Nude at Vanity, in the collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and Nude with Bust, the study for which is on offer this season. Nude with Blue Hair not only evinces Lichtenstein’s characteristic Pop aesthetic, but reveals the artist’s profound influence and accomplishment in the field of contemporary printmaking.
Auction Results
Christie’s New-York: 15 April 2026
Estimated: USD 400,000 – 600,000
USD 762,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, from Nudes, 1994
(Corlett 286; Roy Lichtenstein Catalogue Raisonné 4294)
Relief print in colors, on Rives BFK paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 8⁄40
(there were also twelve artist’s proofs)
Published by Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York
XXXXXXXXXXX
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 20 November 2024
Estimated: USD 350,000 – 450,000
USD 960,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR NUDE WITH BLUE HAIR
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Image: 51 1/2 x 31 3/4 inches (130 x 80.2 cm)
Sheet: 57 7/8 x 37 5/8 inches (146.7 x 95.3 cm)
Signed, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 5/12 (lower right)
This impression is one of 12 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 40
XXXXXXXXXXX
Sotheby’s New-York: 19 April 2023
Estimated: USD 450,000 – 650,000
USD 762,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, from Nudes Series, 1994
Relief print in colors on wove paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 16/40
XXXXXXXXXXX
Rago: 19 May 2021
Estimated: USD 350,000 – 450,000
USD 769,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude with Blue Hair, from Nude Series, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
58 x 37 1/2 inches (147×95 cm)
Signed, dated and numbered to lower right ‘34/40 Roy Lichtenstein 94’
XXXXXXXXXXX
Heritage Auctions: 17 April 2018
Estimated: USD 300,000 – 500,000
USD 540,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude with Blue Hair, from Nude Series, 1994
Relief in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and annotated P.P. II in pencil lower right
A print aside from the edition of 40
XXXXXXXXXXX
Phillips New-York: 18 April 2017
Estimated: USD 350,000 – 450,000
USD 430,000
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and numbered 32/40 in pencil
Christie’s New-York: 26 April 2016
Estimated: USD 350,000 – 450,000
USD 425,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered ‘AP 10/12’ (an artist’s proof, the edition was 40)
Estimated: USD 300,000 – 500,000
USD 454,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude with Blue Hair, from the Nudes series (C. 286), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mould-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated, numbered 16/40
XXXXXXXXXXX
Christie’s New-York: 24 October 2014
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 581,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, 1994
Screenprint in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 23/40
Sotheby’s London: 16 September 2014
Estimated: GBP 100,000 – 150,000
GBP 266,500 / USD 433,925
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude with Blue Hair (C. 286), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated, numbered 29/40
Nude with Blue Hair, State I
Nude with Blue Hair, State I
from Nude Series
Medium: Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Year: 1994
Image: 51 1/4 x 31 5/8 inches (103 x 80.3 cm)
Sheet: 57 3/4 x 37 1/2 inches (146.5 x 95.2 cm)
Edition: 10
Artist’s Proofs: 6 AP
Publisher: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York (with their blindstamp)
Literature: Corlett 287, RLCR 4295
Signed dated and numbered in pencil with the blindstamp of the publisher
Auction Results
Christie’s New-York: 20 November 2025
Estimated: USD 500,000 – 700,000
USD 1,079,500
AUCTION RECORD FOR NUDE WITH BLUE HAIR, STATE I
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, State I (Corlett 287, RLCR 4295), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, numbered and dated ‘8⁄10 rf Lichtenstein ’94’ (lower right)
This work is number eight from an edition of ten plus six artist’s proofs
XXXXXXXXXXX
Christie’s New-York: 24 October 2017
Estimated: USD 300,000 – 500,000
USD 552,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Nude with Blue Hair, State I, from Nudes, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 4/10
Nude Reading
Nude Reading
from Nude Series
Medium: Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Year: 1994
Image: 23 7/8 x 30 1/4 inches (60.6 x 76.8 cm)
Sheet: 30 1/2 x 36 1/4 inches (77.5 x 92.1 cm)
Edition: 60
Artist’s Proofs: 12 AP
Publisher: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York (with their blindstamp)
Literature: Corlett 288, RLCR 4285
Nude Reading, 1994 (RLCR 4285) | Catalogue entry | Roy Lichtenstein: A Catalogue Raisonné
Signed dated and numbered in pencil with the blindstamp of the publisher
In Nude Reading, a woman comfortably lounges in her home, reading a book while devoid of clothes; derived in Lichtenstein’s classical style of highly simplified color schemes and procedures that mimic commercial printing techniques, she is overlayed with blue and black halftone benday dots, small spattering’s of greens, reds, and yellows in the furniture items behind her. While Lichtenstein’s women from the 60’s were famously worried about their boyfriends, his nudes of the ‘90s depict women enjoying solitary pursuits, and the presence of other women. Eyes closed, she holds the book up in a way that obstructs half of her face, as if taking her time to enjoy this moment of solitude. She raises her hand to her head, a moment of intensive, profound thought passing the woman by. Thick, bold lines sweep through the room, taking the form of the couch, paintings, door frames. On her knees and chest is patterning made to resemble the stars and stripes of the American Flag, as if to comment that she is the quintessential ‘American Girl’.
Auction Results
Artnet Auctions: 15 October 2025
Estimated: USD 200,000 – 300,000
USD 225,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude Reading, 1994
From the Nudes Series
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and numbered in pencil
Edition 20/60
Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, NY, pub.
Provenance: Doyle, 1 November 2023
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 16 May 2025
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 457,200
AUCTION RECORD FOR NUDE READING
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude Reading (from Nudes Series) (Corlett 288), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mould-made paper
Signed, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 4/12 lower right)
An artist proof aside from the numbered edition of 60
XXXXXXXXXXX
Christie’s New-York: 16 April 2024
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 126,000
Nude Reading, from Nudes, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 40⁄60
Christie’s online: 27 March 2024
Estimated: GBP 90,000 – 120,000
GBP 100,800 / USD 127,320
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Nude Reading, from: Nudes, 1994
Relief print in colors on wove paper
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered 34/60
XXXXXXXXXXX
Doyle New-York: 1 November 2023
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 126,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude Reading, from Nudes, 1994
Color relief print on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and numbered 20/60 in pencil
Phillips New-York: 20 April 2023
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 203,200
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude Reading, from Nudes series (C. 288), 1994
Relief print in colors, on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated, and numbered 4/60 in pencil
Sotheby’s New-York: 19 April 2023
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 165,100
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Nude Reading, from Nudes Series, 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 56/60
XXXXXXXXXXX
Phillips New-York: 25 June 2022
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 226,800
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Nude Reading, from Nudes series (C. 288), 1994
Relief print in colors, on Rives BFK paper, with full margins.
Signed, dated, and numbered 50/60 in pencil (there were also 12 artist’s proofs)
Thinking Nude
Thinking Nude
from Nude Series
Medium: Screen-print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Year: 1994
Image: 35 ¼ x 55 ¾ inches (89.6 x 141.7 cm)
Sheet: 42×62 inches (106.7 x 157.4 cm)
Edition: 40
Artist’s Proofs: 12 AP
Publisher: Tyler Graphics Ltd
Literature: Corlett 289, RLCR 4322
Thinking Nude, 1994 (RLCR 4322) | Catalogue entry | Roy Lichtenstein: A Catalogue Raisonné
Signed dated and numbered in pencil with the blindstamp of the publisher
Strikingly, the “Thinking Nude” reclines on the bed facing the viewer but is fully absorbed in herself. The extreme close-up of the woman shifts the interest of the viewer uniquely towards her and inevitably we wonder what keeps her so deep in thought. The contours of her body are obscured by heavy dots and stripes. Her right hand supports her head, which is accentuated with small color fields of pastel. A vivid illustration of a fruit bowl sits in the upper right corner of the canvas.
Auction Results
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 16 May 2025
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 482,600
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Thinking Nude (from Nude Series) (Corlett 289), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mould-made paper
Signed, dated ’94 and inscribed AP 1/12 (lower right)
An artist proof aside from the numbered edition of 40
XXXXXXXXXXX
Sotheby’s New-York: 28 October 2022
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 277,200
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Thinking Nude from Nude Series, 1994
Screen-print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 36/40
This impression is number 36 from the edition of 40 plus 12 artist’s proofs
LA Modern Auctions: 19 April 2022
Estimated: USD 250,00 – 350,000
USD 237,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Thinking Nude (from the Nude series), 1994
Screen-print in colors on BFK Rives
Signed, dated and numbered to lower right ‘8/40 rf Lichtenstein ’94’
This work is number 8 from the edition of 40
XXXXXXXXXXX
Sotheby’s New-York: 21 October 2021
Estimated: USD 70,000 – 100,000
USD 151,200
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Thinking Nude (Corlett 289), from the Nudes Series, 1994
Screen-print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper,
Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 8/40
XXXXXXXXXXX
Phillips New-York: 23 April 2019
Estimated: USD 120,000 – 180,000
USD 225,000
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Thinking Nude, from the Nudes Series, 1994
Screen-print in colors on Rives BFK paper
Signed, dated and numbered 30/40 in pencil
Thinking Nude, State I
Thinking Nude, State I
from Nude Series
Medium: Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Year: 1994
Sheet: 35 3/8 x 55 7/8 inches (89.8 x 142 cm)
Edition: 10
Artist’s Proofs: 6 AP
Publisher: Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York (with their blindstamp)
Literature: Corlett 290, RLCR 4323
Thinking Nude, State I, 1994 (RLCR 4323) | Catalogue entry | Roy Lichtenstein: A Catalogue Raisonné
Signed dated and numbered in pencil with the blindstamp of the publisher
Auction Results
Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Sotheby’s New-York: 26 September 2025
Estimated: USD 150,000 – 250,000
USD 508,000
AUCTION RECORD FOR THINKING NUDE STATE I
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 – 1997)
Thinking Nude, State I, from the Nudes series (Corlett 290), 1994
Relief print in colors on Rives BFK mold-made paper
Signed, dated ’94, inscribed State I and AP 2/6 (lower right)
One of 6 artist’s proofs aside from the numbered edition of 10
XXXXXXXXXXX
Koller Zurich: 9 December 2017
Estimated: CHF 90,000 – 140,000
CHF 222,500
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923 New York City 1997)
Thinking Nude, State I, 1994
Color relief print on Vélin by Rives
AP 5/6, artist’s proof outside the edition of 10
Signed and dated lower right: rf Lichenstein ’94, as well as described: State I
On the reverse with the workshop-number: RL94-3105-A