# 5792-96 - 2023 First-Class Forever Stamps - Paintings by Roy Lichtenstein

U.S. #5792-96
2023 Roy Lichtenstein

• Honors American artist Roy Lichtenstein
• Pictures five different works of art by Lichtenstein

Stamp Category:  Commemorative
Value:  63¢ First Class Mail (Forever)
First Day of Issue:  April 24, 2023
First Day City:  New York, New York
Quantity Issued:  18,000,000
Printed by:  Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method:  Offset, Flexographic
Format:  Pane of 20
Tagging:  Phosphor tagged paper, block

Why the stamps were issued:  To commemorate one of the most well-known American artists of the pop art movement – Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997).

About the stamp designs:  Each stamp pictures a different work by Lichtenstein: 

“Standing Explosion (Red)” (porcelain enamel on steel sculpture, 1965)
“Modern Painting I” (oil on magna on canvas, 1966)
“Still Life with Crystal Bowl” (oil and magna on canvas, 1972)
“Still Life with Goldfish” (oil and magna on canvas, 1972)
“Portrait of a Woman” (oil and magna on linen, 1979)

Special design details:  The selvage of the pane of 20 pictures a photograph of Lichtenstein taken by Bob Adelman along with an image of Lichtenstein’s 1983 sculpture “Brushtrokes in Flight.”

First Day City:  The stamps were issued April 24, 2023, in New York City, at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

History the stamp represents:  Roy Lichtenstein (October 27, 1923 – September 29, 1997) was a leading figure of the 20^th-century Pop Art movement.  His bold paintings blurred the lines between fine art, advertising, and commercialism.

Lichtenstein was a draftsman and artist for the Army during World War II, earned a master’s degree, and taught for 15 years.  His first pop art piece was Look Mickey (1961), reportedly inspired by a challenge from his sons.  He continued to find inspiration in commercial products, advertisements, and most notably, comic books.  Lichtenstein was drawn to powerful, emotional images of love and war.  His work explored the cold, mechanical process used to convey such intense subjects.  Lichtenstein recreated these printed materials in paint, making subtle, but important changes in color, size, context, and more.  His works used thick, dark outlines, vibrant colors, graphic shapes, and small Ben-Day dots – evenly spaced dots used in printing to create large areas of solid color.

Lichtenstein also found inspiration in architecture, landscapes, art history, and more.  And he used his signature technique to explore other styles such as Cubism and Surrealism.  Today, his works are on display in art galleries and public spaces.  In 2023, he was honored with a set of stamps that bring the playful creativity of his art to the collections (and mail) of millions.