Storming the Castle 1950

Roy Lichtenstein made this etching, Storming the Castle, in 1979. It’s this wonderfully wonky scene rendered in black and white, almost like a dreamscape. I love how he's embraced the process of etching here; the texture feels almost accidental, giving it a raw, playful vibe. Check out the lower right corner. See how the line work creates a sense of depth? This piece makes me think about how he was playing with art history, like Picasso, but with a Pop Art twist. It's like he's saying, “Hey, even serious art can have a sense of humor!” Lichtenstein started in abstraction and this feels like a return to that. It reminds me a bit of Elizabeth Murray, how she reinterpreted everyday objects through abstraction. It's a reminder that art's an ongoing conversation, and there's always room for a little experimentation.