R oy Lichtenstein’s signature style may be unmistakable, but what did it feel like to be inside his world — in the studio, at home, or witnessing the evolution of his practice up close? In this rare glimpse behind the canvas, Roy’s son Mitchell Lichtenstein and longtime Southampton studio assistant James DePasquale share intimate reflections on Roy's creative life, routines, and sense of humor. Their stories frame a collection decades in the making. Sotheby's is proud to present over 40 works held privately by Roy and Dorothy Lichtenstein, now coming to auction for the first time.
Among those offering additional insight are expert voices in the field — Lichtenstein biographer Avis Berman, art dealer Barbara Castelli, and Sotheby’s own Lucius Elliott and David Galperin — who contextualize the significance of these works within Lichtenstein’s broader legacy. From deeply personal drawings to his iconic Reflections series, the collection traces Roy’s shifting identity as an artist and thinker across four decades.
Captured inside his preserved studio and layered with memory, scholarship, and lived experience, these are the works that lived alongside the artist — shaped by conversation, routine, and a lifelong pursuit of reinvention.
Roy's Lichtensteins: Works from the Collection of Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein will be offered live in Sotheby’s Now & Contemporary Evening Sale on 15 May and the Contemporary Day Sale on 16 May in New York, presented in partnership with CELINE.
