Lichtenchtein

110676 — 1976 . Screenprint in colours with embossing and collage of gloss copper and mat pink metallic foil 1976 on Rives BFK paper signed and dated in pencil numbered from edition of 30 there were also 9 artist's proofs published by Tyler Graphics Ltd. Bedford Village New York with their blindstamp 74 x 114 cm 29 1/8 x 44 7/8 in.<br /> 'The architectural elements in the Entablature series can be seen as providing the artist with ready-made designs in much the same way as comic strips and advertisements had provided him with easily recognised motifs in his earlier work.' Christoph Grunenberg July 2000 Tate<br /><br />Between 1971 and 1976 Lichtenstein produced two series of entablature paintings based on photographs he had taken in New York of 20th century architectural ornaments in Lower Manhattan and specifically in the vicinity of Wall Street and 28th Street. During this period in May 1974 he began to also discuss the creation of the 'Entablature' print series with Master Printmaker Ken Tyler of Tyler Graphics Ltd. who Lichtenstein collaborated with closely to make many of his original prints over the years. <br /><br />Together Lichtenstein and Tyler produced eleven 'Entablature' prints each one taking an epic two months to complete before they would move on to the next composition. This series Tyler explains would push him and Lichtenstein far beyond the known limits of printmaking. At the beginning of each print's creation a great deal of trial and error would ensue before they could perfect the complex foil layering and embossing/debossing of patterns. <br /><br />On the occasion of their exhibition 'Roy Lichtenstein: Pop Remix' 2014 the National Gallery of Australia described this series of prints as 'the pinnacle of technical complexity in Lichtenstein's collaboration with Tyler and the staff at Tyler Graphics'. Knowing this it is easy to understand why 'Entablature III' is seen as a ground-breaking artwork and with only 16 prints issued in the standard edition it makes this example all the rarer.<br /> Corlett 139; T.335. 1976 unknown