Guide to the Catalogue

Welcome to Roy Lichtenstein: A Catalogue Raisonné, a digital publication by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation that is available to users at no charge. It was launched on the occasion of the artist's centennial in October 2023.   

The chapters in this guide outline the scope of our catalogue raisonné project, specify research methodology and resources used, and define the organizational principles that inform the catalogue entries.

The content on these pages was created from documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation's complete or current knowledge. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

 

Catalogue Numbers

Every work has been assigned an RLCR number (Roy Lichtenstein Catalogue Raisonné number). The numbering follows the approximate chronological order of all works across all classifications. Preparatory works were placed before final works. Artworks with identical dates were numbered randomly within the year of their making.   

When ongoing research requires a date change, a number may fall out of order. Newly added works receive a new RLCR number in ascending order, independent of their date.    

Alternate Numbers

The catalogue raisonné team has selected a group of primary alternate numbers to be listed in entries. These numbers stem from scholarly catalogues, relevant inventories or the RLF Archives. Not included are additional, often temporary numbers found on loan forms, gallery checklists, collector's inventory labels or other documentation. When pertinent, they are addressed in Remarks. 

Bianchini
Numbers of drawings and prints in Bianchini 1970

Busche
Numbers of pre-Pop works in Busche 1988

Corlett
Numbers of prints, posters and other editioned works in Corlett 2002

Castelli
Numbers (preceded by "LC") for artworks inventoried or sold through Leo Castelli Gallery (Castelli Gallery as of 1999), expanded with letters indicating these classifications: "D" for drawing, "G" for tapestries. In rare cases two LC numbers are listed when the gallery erroneously assigned them to the same work.   

Gemini
Numbers of prints as assigned by the workshop

Guild Hall
Numbers assigned to sculptures by the fabricator

NGA Gemini CR
Numbers of prints in the online catalogue raisonné of the works of Gemini G.E.L. published by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

RL
Numbers assigned to artworks by studio and RLF staff, starting c. 1990 when RL Studio Cards were created from existing artwork documentation. RL numbers were assigned as works were inventoried.

formerly RL
At times, RLF staff assigned additional RL numbers to artworks for organizational purposes. For example, sketchbook pages were renumbered to reflect their respective sketchbook and their order within it. In such cases, artwork entries carry two RL numbers, the more recent RL number and the older (formerly) RL number. 

SKN
Abbreviation for "Slatkin." Numbers for tapestries in the inventory of the fabricator Union Commercial Corporation, Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, India. (This later became Adhiraj Exports.) The tapestries were initially ordered by Charles E. Slatkin Inc. Galleries, New York (in 1972 renamed Modern Master Tapestries, Inc.).

SRC
Numbers assigned to source material by RLF staff