New USPS Stamps Let You Admire Roy Lichtenstein Paintings On Your Mail—Or Wall
Image via US Postal Service
Art lovers can look forward to getting mail again with these striking Forever Stamps commissioned by the US Postal Service (USPS) for the 100th birthday of beloved American artist Roy Lichtenstein.
The centennial stamps display five paintings of Lichtenstein’s vivid body of work, across a pane of 20.
Roy Fox Lichtenstein was born on October 27, 1923, in New York City. He had a lifelong interest in art, exploring the city’s cultural highlights from a young age.
The artist was most inspired by early 20th-century creators like Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, and Joan Miró, and he channeled some of their motifs in his earlier art. Eventually, he developed his own dot printing-like style, which became a signature for what came to be the Pop Art movement.
The stamp program is the post office’s way of celebrating trailblazers who “represent the very best of our nation,” describes Thomas Marshall, general counsel and executive vice president of the Postal Service.
“Roy Lichtenstein certainly deserves this recognition because of the remarkable creativity and innovation he demonstrated throughout his career,” Marshall adds.
In his lifetime, Lichtenstein created over 5,000 works spanning mediums, from paintings to objects and murals. The stamp series, designed by USPS art director Derry Noyes, honors five of those creations.
Images via US Postal Service
The stamps portray Standing Explosion (Red) (1965), Modern Painting I (1966), Still Life With Crystal Bowl (1972), Still Life With Goldfish (1972), and Portrait of a Woman (1979). Some of the original paintings live in museums, while the rest remain in the possession of private collectors.
View this post on Instagram
Lichtenstein is seen standing on the left of the sheet in a photograph by Bob Adelman.
The artist’s widow, Dorothy Lichtenstein, responds: “I think it’s an honor and more people will find out about Roy. I think he would have really loved [the stamps].”
View this post on Instagram
Coinciding with the stamps’ release, the Whitney Museum in New York, which owns over 400 Lichtenstein works, has announced that it will hold a retrospective of his art in 2026 to mark his 100th birthday, Artnet News reports.
The Roy Lichtenstein Forever Stamps are now sold for US$12.60 for a sheet of 20—making for some affordable, timeless art indeed.
[via Artnet News, Observer, US Postal Service, images via various sources]
