Roy Lichtenstein's 'Anxious Girl' Comes to Christie's

Why It Matters

The sale underscores pop‑art’s ascent as a blue‑chip asset, influencing museum acquisitions and collector portfolios worldwide.

Key Takeaways

• Christie's to auction Roy Lichtenstein’s never‑shown 1964 “Anxious Girl”.
• Painting links pop art to five centuries of portrait tradition.
• First public appearance after remaining in private collection.
• Expected to fetch high six‑figure to low seven‑figure price.
• Highlights market appetite for iconic 20th‑century works among collectors.

Summary

Christie's announced the upcoming sale of Roy Lichtenstein’s 1964 painting “Anxious Girl,” a work that has never been exhibited publicly.

The piece positions the pop‑art master within a five‑century lineage of portraiture, echoing the tradition of iconic female figures rendered by Old Masters and housed in major museums. Analysts note its blend of comic‑strip aesthetics with the gravitas of classical portraiture, making it a rare crossover that appeals to both modern and traditional collectors.

The auction house’s preview video describes the work as “the culmination of 500 years of portraiture,” emphasizing its role as a cultural touchstone. The painting’s provenance remains private, and experts anticipate a hammer price in the high six‑figure to low seven‑figure range.

If sold at the projected level, “Anxious Girl” would reinforce the strong demand for mid‑century pop‑art and signal continued investor confidence in works that bridge popular culture and high art, potentially reshaping future auction strategies.

Original Description

From Da Vinci's Mona Lisa to Warhol's Marilyn Monroe, the female figure has anchored Western art for centuries. In 1964, Roy Lichtenstein reimagined it.

In ‘Anxious Girl’, a comic-book heroine becomes something else entirely. Cropped close, built from line, colour and hand-painted Ben-Day dots, she is at once familiar and strangely elusive.

A single line across her brow shifts everything — turning an idealised blonde into a figure charged with emotion, caught between glamour and uncertainty. Drawn from a mass-produced image in a comic book about love and longing, Lichtenstein strips the narrative away and leaves only a heightened tension.

Never before seen in public, ‘Anxious Girl’ marks a pivotal moment in Lichtenstein’s exploration of image, emotion and the language of modern portraiture.

🔗 Explore the story behind the drama: https://www.christies.com/lot/roy-lichtenstein-1923-1997--6585787?cid=EM_SM_O_YT_Inc_LDP____2021CNY0525_AnxiousGirlVideo______

📅 20th Century Evening Sale | New York | 18 May