Roy Lichtenstein, Merton of the Movies, 1968, translates a moment of cinematic daydream into his signature Pop Art language, blending comic strip aesthetics with high art commentary. Rendered in bold primary colors and Ben-Day dots, the work captures the wide-eyed protagonist—Merton Gill—in a state of starstruck awe. Drawing from a 1920s satirical novel about a small-town man chasing Hollywood dreams, Lichtenstein isolates a single, exaggerated frame to explore themes of illusion, ambition, and identity. The composition is both playful and ironic, reflecting the artist’s fascination with mass media and the blurred boundaries between fantasy and reality. Elegant in its stylization and unique in its cultural layering, Merton of the Movies exemplifies Lichtenstein's ability to elevate lowbrow imagery into a complex visual dialogue.

Created in 1968, this Lichtenstein pop art screenprint in colors is hand-signed by Roy Lichtenstein (New York, 1923 – New York, 1997) in pencil: ‘rf Lichtenstein’.  Numbered from the edition of 450, this work is published by Original Editions, New York.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

Roy Lichtenstein Merton of the Movies, 1968 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the final sale of the work).

1. Corlett, Lee Mary. The Prints of Roy Lichtenstein A Catalogue Raisonee 1948-1997. Hudson Hills Press: New York, 1994. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 61 on pg. 93.
2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

About the Framing:

Roy Lichtenstein Merton of the Movies, 1968 is framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.