Roy Lichtenstein Asian Themed Art Collection Auction Preview

Roy Lichtenstein (1923–1997) was a pivotal figure in the Pop Art movement of the 20th century, standing alongside Andy Warhol and James Rosenquist as one of the central figures of post-war American contemporary art. Born in Manhattan, New York, he showcased his artistic talent from a young age. His unique style blends comic strip language with commercial printing elements, crafting a signature visual aesthetic marked by Ben-Day dots, bold black outlines, and vibrant color blocks.

Although Lichtenstein rose to fame with his comic-style art, in the later stages of his career, he shifted towards exploring deeper cultural themes, maintaining a consistent interest in East Asian art. As early as the late 1940s, at just 21 years old, Lichtenstein began reading books about Chinese painting and later studied East Asian art history at Ohio State University. He delved into Chinese landscape painting, Japanese ukiyo-e, and Eastern philosophy, incorporating these themes into his work starting in the 1990s, resulting in a series of pieces that reflect an Eastern cultural perspective.

This time, Sotheby’s Hong Kong will showcase five Asian-themed artworks from the collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein, most of which are making their debut in the auction market. The selection includes paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, fully demonstrating the artists’ deep understanding and reinterpretation of East Asian culture.

Among the most notable works is the piece created in 1996, valued between 28 million to 35 million Hong Kong dollars. This artwork, painted with acrylic, oil, and graphite on a canvas over 4.5 meters wide, captures the essence of Song Dynasty landscape through Lichtenstein’s signature mechanized vocabulary. The composition is detailed and structurally rigorous, weaving together distant mountains, stepping bridges, and intricate figures to create a scene that beautifully blends Eastern and Western elements. Created just a year before the artist’s passing, this piece is a representative work of his Chinese Landscape Series and is extremely rare in the market as a large-scale late piece. In 2011, this work was exhibited at the Galerie Gagosian in Hong Kong and was included in several prestigious art catalogs.

Another highlight is the 1992 work Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge, with an estimated value ranging from 3 to 5 million Hong Kong dollars. This piece is one of six stainless steel screen prints created by the artist, inspired by Monet Water Lily. It employs innovative techniques to mimic the metallic swirling textures found in car dashboards from the 1920s to 1930s. Additionally, it pays homage to the craft of ukiyo-e through layers of printing techniques, while polished steel accentuates the play of light and the passage of time, resulting in a striking contemporary impression with intense visual tension.

Created in 1997, Literati Stones makes its debut on the auction stage with an estimated value of 1 to 1.5 million Hong Kong dollars. The artist uses colored stainless steel to form an abstract representation of traditional Chinese offering stones, incorporating diagonal printed lines as a visual language that portrays the tension and dialogue between the mechanical and the humanistic. This piece was showcased in a major retrospective exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2012 and later toured locations including Tate Modern in London and the Pompidou Center in Paris.

Bonsai Tree (Practice) and Reflection Series: Girl (Practice) also made their appearance, with the former merging paper cutting, acrylic, graphite, and foam core to showcase the transformation of bonsai art within the pop cultural context. It is valued between 2 to 3 million HKD and represents an early concept in the sculpture series. The latter is one of the sketches for Reflection Series conceived by the artist in 1989, featuring comic characters as the main subject. The image undergoes glass reflection processing to create partial obscurity effects, further exploring the relationship between viewing, medium, and representation, also valued at 2 to 3 million HKD.

As of now, the total sales figure for the Doris and Roy Lichtenstein collection at Sotheby’s in New York and London has reached an impressive $65.4 million, with all pieces sold and nearly 70% exceeding expected valuations. The auction attracted collectors from 24 countries, highlighting the ongoing global market impact of the artist’s work. This upcoming auction in Hong Kong not only continues the momentum of the collection but also further showcases Lichtenstein’s profound and sincere response to Eastern art and culture.

Roy Lichtenstein Asian-Themed Series Auction and Preview Information

Lot Information:
Series Name: Roy Lichtenstein Asian Themed Works Collection
Creation Year: 1989–1997
Medium Dimensions:

• Vision and Bridge, acrylic, oil paint, and graphite on canvas, 190.5 x 452.8 cm
• Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge, stainless steel wire mesh printing, artist proof edition 5/7, dimensions according to publication specifications.
• Literati Stones, colored stainless steel, 71.1 x 43.5 x 22.2 cm
• Bonsai Tree (Practice), Paper-cutting, acrylic, and graphite foam sandwich board, 152.4 x 101.9 cm
• Reflection Series: Girl (Practice), colored pencils and graphite on paper, 25.4 x 34.9 cm.

Valuation Range: HK$1,000,000 – 35,000,000

Exhibition Record:

• Vision and Bridgewas exhibited at the 高古軒 Hong Kong Gallery in 2011.
• Literati Stones participated in the 2012 retrospective at the Art Institute of Chicago, and has been touring at the Tate Modern in London and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Shoot Record:

• Literati Stones, Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge, and Vision and Bridge make their debut in the auction market.
• Similar works made from the same material have previously sold in New York for $508,000, which is 2.5 times the estimated value.
• There have only been six recorded auction records for similar physical works in the past.

Auction Details:

Auction Session: Evening Sale of Modern and Contemporary Art
Auction Date: September 28, 2025 (Sunday)
Auction Location: Sotheby’s Hong Kong Headquarters
Address: 8 Connaught Road Central, Landmark Chater, Hong Kong, Sotheby’s Flagship Gallery

Exhibition Schedule:

Location: Sotheby’s flagship gallery in Hong Kong
Address: 8 Conduit Road, Landmark Chater, Central, Hong Kong
Exhibition Period: September 22 to 28, 2025

The preview is open for public viewing, no appointment necessary. Collectors are advised to contact Sotheby’s before the auction to arrange a guided tour or to get more details about the bidding.