Water Lilies with Cloud 1992

Roy Lichtenstein created "Water Lilies with Cloud," in his signature pop art style, to represent the symbolic depth of water lilies and their connection to reflection, introspection, and the passage of time. Water lilies, deeply rooted in the muddy bottom yet blossoming atop the water, symbolize the unity of the earthly and the divine. Lichtenstein reimagines the famous water lilies painted by Monet in his paintings by abstracting the water's reflective qualities into a myriad of patterns that disrupt the surface. Look how the motifs and gestures, such as stripes and ben-day dots, engage the viewer in a subconscious game of perspective. In ancient Egypt, the lotus—a close relative—represented rebirth and creation, as it closes at night and reopens with the dawn. The lily has resurfaced and evolved, now filtered through the lens of mass culture, questioning the very nature of perception and reality, and engaging the viewer in a dialogue between the historical and the contemporary.