Red Barn (1969) is part of the “Barn” series, which was inspired by Claude Monet’s “Haystacks” and “Cathedrals” series. Lichtenstein referred to these works as his ‘manufactured Monets’. This series, including Red Barn, represents Lichtenstein’s playful appropriation and reinterpretation of Impressionist art in his signature Pop Art style, characterised by Ben-Day dots and bold colors.
The original colour screen print is 19 1/16 x 26 1/16 inches (48.4 x 66.2 cm) in size. It is limited to an edition of 250 pieces and was produced by Gabriele Mazzotta Editore in Milan. The miniature version of ‘Red Barn’ in our collection measures 3.75 by 3.75 inches (9.5 by 9.5 cm) and is also screen printed. It is from an unnumbered edition and was produced by Munich Galerie Thomas in the 1970s. It was part of an advertising prospectus for the two original print editions offered by the gallery. In the prospectus, it was printed alongside our other original miniature Lichtenstein: Industry and the Arts (II) from the same year 3.5 x 5.7 inches (9 x 12 cm). The word ‘Industry’ in the title refers to the subject matter, which includes elements of factories, machinery, and an aeroplane. ‘Arts’ alludes to the nature of art, especially music, and its production. The technical details of the original screen print in yellow, red, blue and black, published in an edition of 250 by Gabriele Mazzotta Editore in Milan and titled “Industry and the Arts (II)” or “Industry and Melody” (proposed by Corlett), are 26 1/16 x 19 1/16 inches (66.2 x 48.4 cm).
Our two framed miniatures are original prints on acid-free paper. They are not copies or reproductions. The prints are mounted in matte black, gallery-style frames and are protected by museum-grade glass. The dimensions are 6.8 x 6.8 x 1.5 inches (17.3 x 17.3 x 3.8 cm) for “Red Barn” and 6 x 8 x 1.4 inches (15 x 20 x 3.5 cm) for “Industry and the Arts.”
