Roy Lichtenstein (1923–1997) was, and is still, a very big deal. Lichtenstein rose to fame during the ‘60s and was exhibiting his very reconisable pop art paintings alongside the likes of Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, James Rosenquist. No small feat.

His work comic book styles, but affectionately ¬– it’s more tongue-in-cheek than cruel – and he was also very influenced by advertising of the time. And now advertising is often influenced by him.

Lichtenstein was a legend of pop art, and art in general, and if you’ve never seen his work in the flesh, you should try. It’s physically often large-scale but regardless; everything about it feels extreme, huge and important.

There’s a retrospective of his work currently on show at the Art Institute of Chicago.

More here.