Black and White Head
- Date
- 1966
- Material
- Glazed ceramic
- made in
- New Jersey, United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Ceramics, sculpture
- Collection
- Modern and Contemporary Art
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 246
- Dimensions
- 15 x 7 1/2 x 8 in. (38.1 x 19.1 x 20.3 cm)
- Credit Line
- Eliza McMillan Trust and partial gift of Gerhard J. Petzall
- Rights
- © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein
- Object Number
- 3:1980
NOTES
Alternating areas of black and white interspersed with dot patterns create the appearance of shadow and light on a woman’s head and stiffly set hairdo. This ceramic reflects Roy Lichtenstein’s fascination with comics, where he found similar images of carefully coiffed and fashionable young women. The dots on the woman’s face recall the Ben Day printing process, which Lichtenstein imitated and manipulated in his paintings and sculptures—a style for which he became best known. In this work, Lichtenstein applied his design with the collaborative help of the potter and ceramist Ka Kwong Hui.
Provenance
Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, NY, USA, acquired from the artist
by 1969 - still in 1971
Samuel Wagstaff Jr., Detroit, MI [1]
Greenberg Gallery, St. Louis, MO
by 1977 - 1980
Gerhard J. Petzall, St. Louis, MO [2]
1980 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, acquired from Gerhard Petzall through Greenberg Gallery [3]
Notes:
The main source for this provenance is the Museum's accession record. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] Samuel Wagstaff Jr. is indicated as the owner in both a 1969 exhibition catalogue, and a 1971 publication [Waldman, Diane. "Roy Lichtenstein." New York: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, 1969; Waldman, Diane. "Roy Lichtenstein." New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1971].
[2] A 1977 exhibition catalogue lists this work in Gerhard J. Petzall's collection [Glenn, Constance W. "Roy Lichtenstein: Ceramic Sculpture." Long Beach: California State University Art Galleries, 1977]. In a letter dated March 21, 1980, Petzall offered the Museum his sculpture as a partial gift [SLAM document files].
[3] The Museum purchased the sculpture from the Greenberg Gallery with a portion of the work presented as a gift from Gerhard Petzall [invoice dated January 18, 1980, SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Acquisitions and Loans Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, February 20, 1980.
by 1969 - still in 1971
Samuel Wagstaff Jr., Detroit, MI [1]
Greenberg Gallery, St. Louis, MO
by 1977 - 1980
Gerhard J. Petzall, St. Louis, MO [2]
1980 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, acquired from Gerhard Petzall through Greenberg Gallery [3]
Notes:
The main source for this provenance is the Museum's accession record. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] Samuel Wagstaff Jr. is indicated as the owner in both a 1969 exhibition catalogue, and a 1971 publication [Waldman, Diane. "Roy Lichtenstein." New York: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, 1969; Waldman, Diane. "Roy Lichtenstein." New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1971].
[2] A 1977 exhibition catalogue lists this work in Gerhard J. Petzall's collection [Glenn, Constance W. "Roy Lichtenstein: Ceramic Sculpture." Long Beach: California State University Art Galleries, 1977]. In a letter dated March 21, 1980, Petzall offered the Museum his sculpture as a partial gift [SLAM document files].
[3] The Museum purchased the sculpture from the Greenberg Gallery with a portion of the work presented as a gift from Gerhard Petzall [invoice dated January 18, 1980, SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Acquisitions and Loans Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, February 20, 1980.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.