Roy Lichtenstein: Diana and Ajax

Roy Lichtenstein, Interior with Ajax, 1997.

Phillips X is pleased to present, Roy Lichtenstein: Diana and Ajax, an intimate view of two Greco-Roman-inspired works commissioned by the artist's friend, Gianni Versace. Part of the artists’ Interiors series, Interior with Diana and Interior with Ajax were intended to hang in the studio of Versace’s Milan home. However, the finished paintings remained in Lichtenstein’s studio at the time of the fashion designer’s death in July of 1997. It was not until that December when the artist’s studio contacted Donatella Versace that she first became aware of the paintings’ existence, after which she displayed them in the Versace New York townhouse.

Both Interior with Diana and Interior with Ajax take significant influence from Greco-Roman iconography, motifs which often appeared in both Lichtenstein’s and Versace’s creative visions. Although there is no specific known source for either Ajax or Diana used by the artist, the subjects are instantly recognizable. Diana, the virginal Roman goddess of the moon and hunt, was a subject Lichtenstein depicted on several occasions in his later years. Often pulling imagery from his own archive of works, Lichtenstein incorporated his early studies of Diana’s profile into this interior. In the front frame of Interior with Diana, the Greek key pattern draws parallels to the iconic Versace logo: Medusa encircled by a ring of the same design – a play on the iconography of ancient Greece and Versace itself.

Roy Lichtenstein, Interior with Diana, 1997.

Ajax, a Greek hero from the Trojan War, stands at the very forefront of his canvas, instantly recognized from his classicized profile, bare chest, and war helmet. A master of mixing the high and the low arts, Lichtenstein juxtaposes simple modern furnishings in the same picture plain as Ajax. Above the subject's head, the artist included a small still-life within a still-life. The framed painting of fruit recalls the highly graphic and iconic print ads Lichtenstein was so well known for in his early career. The repetitive use of the blue Benday dots, a key characteristic of the artists oeuvre, draws the detailed elements of these striking interior scenes together into a harmonious vignette.

Displaying the works at Phillips Southampton is especially fitting, as Lichtenstein had a home and studio there, where he continued to experiment with different styles and mediums from 1970 until his death in 1997. The artist not only lived and worked in Southampton, but was continuously inspired by the local community throughout his career. A selection of other important Lichtenstein works, including Girl in Mirror, 1964 and Shipyard Girl, 1965, will be on view alongside these two masterworks from 12 August to 6 September 2022.

Roy Lichtenstein, Girl in Mirror, 1964.