Pop Art Paintings
Perhaps one of the most influential contemporary art movements, Pop art emerged in the 1950s. In stark contrast to traditional artistic practice, its practitioners drew on imagery from popular culture — comic books, advertising, product packaging and other commercial media — to create original Pop art paintings, prints and sculptures that celebrated ordinary life in the most literal way.
ORIGINS OF POP ART
- Started in Britain in the 1950s, flourished in 1960s-era America
- “This is Tomorrow,” at London's Whitechapel Gallery in 1956, was reportedly the first Pop art exhibition
- A reaction to postwar mass consumerism
- Transitioning away from Abstract Expressionism
- Informed by neo-Dada and artists such as Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg; influenced postmodernism and Photorealism
CHARACTERISTICS OF POP ART
- Bold imagery
- Bright, vivid colors
- Straightforward concepts
- Engagement with popular culture
- Incorporation of everyday objects from advertisements, cartoons, comic books and other popular mass media
POP ARTISTS TO KNOW
- Richard Hamilton
- Andy Warhol
- Marta Minujín
- Claes Oldenburg
- Eduardo Paolozzi
- Rosalyn Drexler
- James Rosenquist
- Peter Blake
- Roy Lichtenstein
ORIGINAL POP ART ON 1STDIBS
The Pop art movement started in the United Kingdom as a reaction, both positive and critical, to the period’s consumerism. Its goal was to put popular culture on the same level as so-called high culture.
Richard Hamilton’s 1956 collage Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? is widely believed to have kickstarted this unconventional new style.
Pop art works are distinguished by their bold imagery, bright colors and seemingly commonplace subject matter. Practitioners sought to challenge the status quo, breaking with the perceived elitism of the previously dominant Abstract Expressionism and making statements about current events. Other key characteristics of Pop art include appropriation of imagery and techniques from popular and commercial culture; use of different media and formats; repetition in imagery and iconography; incorporation of mundane objects from advertisements, cartoons and other popular media; hard edges; and ironic and witty treatment of subject matter.
Although British artists launched the movement, they were soon overshadowed by their American counterparts. Pop art is perhaps most closely identified with American Pop artist Andy Warhol, whose clever appropriation of motifs and images helped to transform the artistic style into a lifestyle. Most of the best-known American artists associated with Pop art started in commercial art (Warhol made whimsical drawings as a hobby during his early years as a commercial illustrator), a background that helped them in merging high and popular culture.
Roy Lichtenstein was another prominent Pop artist that was active in the United States. Much like Warhol, Lichtenstein drew his subjects from print media, particularly comic strips, producing paintings and sculptures characterized by primary colors, bold outlines and halftone dots, elements appropriated from commercial printing. Recontextualizing a lowbrow image by importing it into a fine-art context was a trademark of his style. Neo-Pop artists like Jeff Koons and Takashi Murakami further blurred the line between art and popular culture.
Pop art rose to prominence largely through the work of a handful of men creating works that were unemotional and distanced — in other words, stereotypically masculine. However, there were many important female Pop artists, such as Rosalyn Drexler, whose significant contributions to the movement are recognized today. Best known for her work as a playwright and novelist, Drexler also created paintings and collages embodying Pop art themes and stylistic features.
Read more about the history of Pop art and the style’s famous artists, and browse the collection of original Pop art paintings, prints, photography and other works for sale on 1stDibs.
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1970s Pop Art Paintings
Oil, Acrylic
1970s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
The Kancamagus Trail in Conway, New Hampshire, undergoes a captivating transformation every fall. With their vibrant leaves, the maple trees stand out against t...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Digital Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Digital Pigment
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Early 2000s Pop Art Paintings
Acrylic, Permanent Marker
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
With closed eyes and a subtle tilt of her head, a woman confidently flaunts her shimmery eyeshadow, tonal highlights, and plump red lips. Against the beige backdrop, her dolled-up face and glowing skin create a captivating contrast. The playful touch of green tips on her curly hair adds a fun element to the sensual quality of the piece. The artwork comes with a Larson-Juhl matte natural frame measuring 2.25 inches deep and 0.25 inches thick.
About the Artist
Malia Pettit sees her artistic process as an act of “liberating the paint†and “allowing for the unexpected to occur.†Her portraits of women stem from a fascination with glossy magazines and their portrayal of models, actors and celebrities. Her work has been especially influenced by Chantal Joffe and John Singer Sargent. She currently resides in Louisiana after having lived in both California and England for several years. When she’s not painting, she is a full-time mom and enjoys exploring estate sales, antique stores and used bookstores.
Words that describe this painting: portrait, woman, face, hair, lips, people, pop, oil painting, beige
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Oil
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Vibrantly colored buildings line Main Street in Covington, Kentucky. One catches the midday sun, turning its bricks into a warm hue. Another stands out in a daz...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Digital Pigment
Artist Comments
A woman exudes timeless elegance with her white sunglasses and bold red lipstick. Paint drips from the beach towel wrapped around her hair, suggesting the presence of water. The portrait's warm palette and loose brushstrokes capture the chic atmosphere of a summer day in the South of France. The artwork comes with a matte white wood frame measuring 1.5 inches deep and 0.75 inches thick.
About the Artist
Malia Pettit sees her artistic process as an act of “liberating the paint†and “allowing for the unexpected to occur.†Her portraits of women stem from a fascination with glossy magazines and their portrayal of models, actors and celebrities. Her work has been especially influenced by Chantal Joffe...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Oil
1960s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
1990s Pop Art Paintings
Spray Paint, Acrylic
1970s Pop Art Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Ink, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A woman wearing a floral brooch on her shoulder and a scarf covering her hair captivates with a riveting gaze. The pale blue and warm gray background, along with her peach flesh tones, give the portrait a vintage touch. The artwork comes with a Larson-Juhl matte natural wood frame measuring 1.25 inches deep and 0.65 of an inch thick.
About the Artist
Malia Pettit sees her artistic process as an act of “liberating the paint†and “allowing for the unexpected to occur.†Her portraits of women stem from a fascination with glossy magazines and their portrayal of models, actors and celebrities. Her work has been especially influenced by Chantal Joffe...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Wood, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Acrylic, Magazine Paper, Ballpoint Pen, Permanent Marker
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1990s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Alkyd
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Acrylic, Wood
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
1980s Pop Art Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Varnish, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Enamel
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Fabric, Acrylic, Board
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Digital Pigment
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Canvas, Tempera
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Wood, Acrylic
Late 20th Century Pop Art Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Pencil, Stencil, Wood, Felt Pen, Board, Wood Panel, Acrylic, Spray Paint...
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
A weather-beaten red barn sits amidst the farm landscape, surrounded by trees and grass. Two open bays reveal a truck and a car, perhaps broken or lost but not ...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas