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.

 

Classification: Notebook

Over the years, the artist collected clippings from newspapers and comic books and placed them in ruled Composition books and small pads. Seven notebooks were selected to be included in this catalogue because they also contain small sketches by the artist, in addition to clippings or notes.

See also: Reference Material: Notebooks, 4.10 SKETCHBOOK

Organization of Entries

Notebook entries provide umbrella records, in which a book is described as a whole, as well as individual page entries. Umbrella records and pages with drawings are hyperlinked for easy navigation. Pages with clippings without drawings, and pages of notes, are shown as Research Images in the related umbrella entry.

Titles

When known, titles reflect the notebook manufacturer, otherwise titles follow printed text on the book cover. 

Inscriptions

Artist inscriptions on the front cover are transcribed.

Loose Clippings

Some notebooks contain clippings that were cut from a page of the book and then placed back into the same book. These clippings are shown as Research Images in the umbrella record.

Notebooks also exhibit cutouts where clippings were removed and not returned to the book. The catalogue raisonné team has begun a comprehensive attempt to match clippings in the RLF Archive to these cutouts.