Sketchbook
Throughout his career, Lichtenstein drew in various types of sketchbooks, spiral notebooks and drawing pads. In this catalogue raisonné, sketchbook refers to books and pads used primarily for drawing.
Each sketchbook has been given an umbrella entry that describes the book as a whole. Individual sketchbook pages with drawings are presented in entries on their own and hyperlinked to their umbrella entry for easy navigation. Loose drawings are hyperlinked as "formerly in sketchbook" or "likely originating in sketchbook," reflecting an extensive research project by the authors from 2014 to 2020 and beyond.
A Note on Page Numbering:
The term Leaves refers to the sheets of paper in a sketchbook. Any still extant leaves in Lichtenstein's sketchbooks were assigned consecutive page numbers (one number per leaf). When a leaf has drawings on both sides, or only on the verso, "R" (recto) and "V" (verso) follow the page number. RLCR catalogue numbers are assigned in consecutive order to pages with drawings by the artist.
See 4.12 NOTEBOOKS for rare examples of drawings between clippings from comic books and newspapers.
Resources
Consulted for media definitions:
Ash, Nancy, Scott Homolka, and Stephanie Lussier. Descriptive Terminology for Works of Art on Paper. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2014. http://www.philamuseum.org/conservation/22.html
Consulted for binding definitions:
- Language of Bindings. Ligatus. Accessed January 14, 2016. http://www.ligatus.org.uk/lob/help
- Roberts, Matt T., and Don Etherington. Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: A Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology. Accessed June 5, 2015.
http://cool.conservation-us.org/don//toc/toc1.html
Consulted for descriptions of color and texture of paper:
Lunning, Elizabeth, and Roy Perkinson. The Print Council of America Paper Sample Book: A Practical Guide to the Description of Paper. The Print Council of America, 1996.
Umbrella Records
Titles
Initially, RLF staff assigned letters to the artist’s sketchbooks whenever a book was inventoried. For this catalogue, the authors created titles based on either the manufacturer or the commissioner/distributor of the sketchbook, or when this was not known, the appearance of the sketchbook (see Notes on Lichtenstein’s Sketchbook Manufacturers below).
A sketchbook that belonged to Lichtenstein’s first wife, Isabel, is included because it also contains some of his drawings.
Images
A sketchbook umbrella entry presents front and back covers of the book as Primary Images. Individual sketchbook pages can be viewed after clicking “OPEN SKETCHBOOK,” which leads to an image carousel with the pages shown in sequence and close-up.
Research Images document watermarks and laid paper structure (in black-and-white for emphasis), as well as pages for which no catalogue entry was created. These are pages with notes by the artist, with cutouts, with drawings not by the artist, or with linear depressions the authors sometimes were able to connect with drawings removed from the sketchbook. Stubs with traces of removed drawings and any loose materials found in the book are also illustrated as Research Images.
Dates
The artist did not sign or date his sketchbooks. Date(s) assigned to a sketchbook’s umbrella entry reflect the date(s) of the drawings in that book.
Media Lines
Mediums indicate the materials employed by Lichtenstein throughout a sketchbook, usually graphite pencil and colored pencil. Detailed information is provided in the individual sketchbook page entries. Support refers to the paper comprising the text block, defined as all the leaves in the sketchbook, except for the endpapers. Further paper characterization (color, thickness, etc.) is provided in the Description. If parts of pages have been removed, "cutout" or "tear-out" is listed after the support. Any loose material found in a sketchbook is listed last.
Dimensions
Height, width and depth (or thickness) of a book’s binding are followed by the approximate height and width of the leaves, to the sixteenth of an inch. When endcaps and/or endbands obscure the spine edge, leaf height was approximated.
Leaf dimensions listed in an umbrella entry are not repeated in the entries for individual sketchbook pages, those give only image (i.e., drawing) dimensions.
Format and Drawing Orientation
For case bindings, the sketchbook format (vertical or horizontal) reflects the book’s longest axis when the spine is vertical. For spiral bindings and perfect bindings, the format of the sketchbook is determined by the book’s longest axis when existing manufacturer or distributor marks are right-reading. Otherwise, format was decided by the authors.
Drawing orientation, which varies in most sketchbooks, is defined in relation to the sketchbook format.
Extent
Extent is the total number of leaves original to the sketchbook. The number is sometimes printed on the front cover. At times, the extent had to be determined from the sum of used, blank and missing leaves. If flyleaves exist, they are included in this count. Due to the difficulty of collating adhesive- and spiral-bound books with missing pages (with no extent indicated by the manufacturer), the authors sometimes estimated the extent.
Used leaves
Used leaves are leaves remaining in a sketchbook that were used or manipulated by the artist (or, in rare cases, by his wife, Dorothy Lichtenstein; his assistant, Patricia Koch; or his son, Mitchell). These leaves were either drawn on, inscribed or have cutouts or attached material. Catalogue entry numbers were assigned to leaves with drawings by the artist only. Thus, the number of used leaves may not always match the total number of page entries for a sketchbook.
Blank leaves
Blank leaves are the unused leaves remaining in a sketchbook.
Missing leaves
Missing leaves are the leaves removed from a sketchbook. Their count is based on the number of stubs (small fragments from removed leaves) along with a close inspection of the entire sewn book. For adhesive- and spiral-bound books, missing leaves were determined using manufacturer information on the covers or, if there was no manufacturer information, counted stubs. No attempt was made to estimate the total number of removed pages.
Binding Description
Lichtenstein’s sketchbooks in this catalogue have either a case binding, sewn binding, spiral binding or adhesive binding. The binding type, or method of attaching the text block to the covers, is provided.
For case bindings, the style of application of covering material is included (full, half or quarter style). The covering material, including cloth, paper or parchment, and its appearance is characterized.
The method used to construct the text block of case bindings is identified as thread sewing or adhesive-bound.
Paper Description
Text block paper manufacture is characterized as handmade, machine-made or mould-made. A question mark indicates uncertainty. The structure of the paper—laid or wove—is identified and the texture and color are given, as defined by comparison to paper samples published in Lunning and Perkinson 1996. The edge finish of text block leaves is recorded (e.g., cut, torn, deckle).
Watermark texts are transcribed and symbols are characterized within square brackets (e.g., [lion]). Location(s) and frequency are noted.
Paper thickness is given in inches, as measured with a Lithco Pocket Gauge.
Endpaper—the pastedowns and flyleaves at the beginning and end of a book (at times used by the artist for drawing)—is described.
Condition
Describes condition issues only related to the artist’s use of the sketchbook (e.g., the presence of incisions, stray media and eraser crumbs)
Manufacturer
Credits the primary contributor(s) to a sketchbook's manufacture
Content
A short summary of the sketchbook's subject matter, including any groups of works to which the drawings in the book relate, as well as other noteworthy facts
Drawings Originating in Sketchbook
The number of drawings matched to the sketchbook and the level of certainty of a match are summarized. If drawings are potential matches to more than one sketchbook, all potential matches are listed. Paper characteristics and other criteria are not described; it is implied that the papers match the sketchbook to the best of the authors’ knowledge. Drawing orientations, dates and content are summarized.
For further details on sketchbook page-matching methodology see Drawings Formerly in Sketchbook or Likely Originating in Sketchbook.
Provenance
Provenance history is provided in the umbrella entry of each sketchbook.
See also: 12. PROVENANCE, 13. EXHIBITIONS, 14. LITERATURE
Individual Sketchbook Page Entries
Titles
The drawings in Lichtenstein’s sketchbooks are usually preparatory sketches for known artworks. Their titles usually reflect their motifs or a finished artwork’s title, followed by "(Study)."
See also: 6. TITLES
Images
Primary Images in the individual sketchbook page entries display the full page, rotated as needed for proper viewing of the drawing.
Research Images illustrate select details (e.g., RLCR 4749.3). When a drawing is matched to a sketchbook on the basis of linear depressions in a sketchbook page from the pressure of drawing on top of it, this is noted and a raking light image of the linear depressions is shown (e.g., RLCR 3602.5).
Dates
Dates assigned to the sketchbook page entries are based on the year the artist likely first conceived an idea, either following the confirmed dates of related finished artworks or considering the time span over which the artist probably created a group of works.
See also: 8. DATES
Media Lines
The artist mostly drew with graphite pencil and colored pencil. Support is either "paper" or "ruled paper." The sketchbook umbrella entry provides further paper characterization.
Dimensions
Image dimensions are listed when the artist drew a border line around a sketch. Leaf dimensions are only given in a sketchbook’s umbrella entry.
See also: 10. DIMENSIONS
Inscriptions
Markings and their location(s) on the verso of a leaf are recorded. These are often alternate numbers (mostly RL numbers) written in graphite pencil. Because inscriptions on the recto are usually visible in the Primary Image, they are only transcribed when illegible in the image.
See also: 11. INSCRIPTIONS
Page Number
Lichtenstein usually drew only on the recto of a leaf, in which case the page number is given without any side reference (e.g., "page 5"). The side is indicated only when the verso was used (e.g., "page 5v") or when both sides were used (e.g., "page 5r" and "page 5v").
Drawings Formerly in Sketchbook or Likely Originating in Sketchbook
Methodology
All known drawings on loose sheets (approximately 1,900) were surveyed for sketchbook matches. The authors identified a large number as either "formerly in sketchbook" (high certainty) or "likely originating in sketchbook" (lower certainty).
When considering a match, physical qualities of the sheets were prioritized. Contextual details like date, content and media also factored into the assessment. At times, analysis was restricted due to the depth of research available in examination reports and snapshots produced by various researchers over more than two decades.
"Formerly in sketchbook"
The physical qualities of the sheets that served as our criteria for matching were defined and used as follows:
- Dimensions had to be smaller than or matching the sheet or sketchbook leaf size.
- Edges (cut, torn and deckle) were compared. When possible, the spine edge (edge removed from the book) was identified by characteristics like spiral binding holes, lifted fibers from easy-tear perforations, adhesive residue from adhesive bindings and single edges (usually the left long edge) cut irregularly by hand.
- Sheet structure (laid versus wove) and other unique features of paper formation such as inclusions and distinctive embossed patterns were compared.
- Sheet thickness, measured by paper gauge in inches, was compared. To constitute a match, some difference in thickness (+/- .001 inch) was tolerated, especially for thicker sheets (approximately +/- .003 inch), which are more difficult to keep in plane with a gauge. In the absence of numerical measurements, verbal descriptions of thickness (e.g. "thick," "thin," "thin board?") or images of sheets were considered.
- Watermarks were often a strong indication of a match. However, the absence of a watermark didn’t rule out a match. Of the sketchbooks with watermarks only four have watermarks on all pages.
- Paper Color and Texture: Starting around 2014, researchers were instructed to use the American Print Council Paper Sample Book (Lunning and Perkinson 1996) as a reference for describing paper color and sometimes texture. Prior to this standard, researchers described paper color and texture subjectively under various, sometimes challenging examination conditions. The drawings themselves have faced decades of diverse storage and display conditions and have thus aged differently. For these reasons, paper color and texture have not been considered strong evidence for match-making.
"Likely originating in sketchbook"
This designation is used for the following scenarios:
- a loose sheet matches the paper description of a sketchbook, but falls within the dimensions of more than one sketchbook. In this scenario, the drawing is linked to both possible matching sketchbooks.
- a loose sheet was trimmed on multiple sides, therefore none of the dimensions are an exact match to a sketchbook, but other strong criteria point to a match, such as the paper description.
- notes from examination(s) (usually from the early years of research) were not up to the necessary standards for matching.
Blank Sketchbooks
Upon examination, the authors noticed that several of the known blank sketchbooks exhibit stubs, indicating they were used by the artist. These books are classified as sketchbook (blank/used). In some cases, drawings that were removed from these books have been identified due to depressions in the blank pages that match a loose sheet’s pencil lines (high certainty match), and/or matching paper.
Entries of blank/used sketchbooks for which no page matches were found are still included in the catalogue to allow for possible future connections with loose drawings.
Notes on Lichtenstein’s Sketchbook Manufacturers
New York Central Art Supply (i.e. NY Central)
A New York City-based art supply store (1905–2016) with a strong paper and sketchbook program. New York Central Art Supply worked with local bookbinders and commercial binderies to produce custom sketchbooks. In an email to the authors, dated December 16, 2015 (RLF Archives), store manager David Aldera (employed since 1980), identified several of Lichtenstein’s unlabeled sketchbooks (with full canvas bindings and half "Shannon"-style marbled paper and leather bindings) as theirs, in addition to the Wolf Kahn sketchbooks. The covering materials, text block papers and some endpapers are as he remembered. Aldera provided names of local bookbinders hired in his time (e.g., Sage Reynolds, now Four Hands Design Studio), but because New York Central Art Supply provided the same materials to different binders/binderies, specific binder identification was not pursued. Although New York Central did not make the sketchbooks in-house, they are credited in this catalogue for having conceived the ideas for certain books and for arranging their fabrication. For brevity, "NY Central" is used in the title.
Wolf Kahn
The artist Wolf Kahn proposed to Steven Steinberg, then owner of New York Central Art Supply, that he produce a spiral-bound sketchbook using Kahn’s preferred Somerset pastel paper (100% cotton, mould-made at St. Cuthbert’s Mill in Wells, England). The Wolf Kahn sketchbook series has been sold for decades in multiple sizes, including (in inches) 4 x 6, 6 x 9, 9 x 12, 11 x 14, 14 x 18, 14 x 22, 22 x 30, 30 x 34, 35 x 46 ¾, and possibly more; and in "cream, radiant white, soft white, and white" colors. Because Wolf Kahn conceived of the idea for the books, his name is used in the title.
Black Sketchbooks
These were not a project of New York Central Art Supply, though they were likely distributed through them, as confirmed by David Aldera (see above). Two supply catalogues from 1964 and 1973 list nearly identical sketchbooks (sewn bond paper text blocks, black imitation-leather covering material, and equal dimensions). Lichtenstein’s sketchbooks only differ in that they consistently contain 142 pages, whereas the New York Central catalogues advertise 192- and 200-page sketchbooks. It is possible they were sold with 142 pages in other years.
Diane & Paul Maurer
Bookbinders and paper artists who were working together at the time of manufacture (1989) of RLCR 3871 in Spring Mills, Pennsylvania. Diane Maurer purchased her acid-free paper text blocks pre-bound with adhesive. Diane and Paul executed the paper marbling and bound their own books. They sold their sketchbooks through multiple distributors.
Piazzesi Bookbindery
A paper shop in Venice, Italy, open since 1851 and famous for its hand-printed papers. When visited by the authors in September 2015, the shop was owned and run by Dr. Lavinia Rizzi Carlson von Cermak. The store archive still contained swatches of the exact covering papers that are on Lichtenstein’s sketchbooks. Two of them utilize hand-printed Piazzesi papers. Two others are covered with papers from other printers, such as a Carta Varese paper based on a traditional Remondini pattern.
Catalogue entry
Extent: 31 leaves (uncertain)
9 used leaves
22 blank leaves
Spiral binding with smooth, thin, red coated board front cover; thick paperboard back cover with black printed stippled pattern. Machine-made, wove, very smooth, cream (3), ruled paper with cut edges. No watermarks. Page thickness 0.004 in.
Manufacturer: Scotch™, 3M Company, Maplewood, Minn.
This is the smallest known sketchbook. It falls into a group of early books dedicated to the closely related themes of Modern Painting and Modern Sculpture.