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Pop Art

POP ART STYLE

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

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

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.

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Style: Pop Art
Espoir
Espoir

Espoir

By Joel Moens de Hase

Located in Nottingham, GB

Limited edition Photographic Mosaic. Edition of 8 Joel creates these contemporary pieces by adding lots of tiny images of the female form to make up the larger image. These small p...

Category

2010s Pop Art

Materials

Mosaic

1981 New York/New Wave P.S.1 poster (Basquiat New York/New Wave)
1981 New York/New Wave P.S.1 poster (Basquiat New York/New Wave)

1981 New York/New Wave P.S.1 poster (Basquiat New York/New Wave)

By Jean-Michel Basquiat

Located in NEW YORK, NY

New York/New Wave PS1 1981: A rare, highly sought after Basquiat collectible announcing Basquiat (as SAMO) in his first major show. Curated by the great Basquiat champion, Diego Cortez, the show would mark Jean-Michel's official unveiling to the art world. A historical document of the New York downtown art scene of the time, additional participants included (with their names listed on the poster): Keith Haring, Futura 2000, Andy Warhol, Kenny Sharf, Robert Mapplethorpe, Nan Goldin, Dondi, Lady Pink, Lawrence Weiner & many more figures of historic acclaim. Basquiat credit (as SAMO) found in the lower area of the top second area. Folding exhibition poster; 22 x 34 inches. Fair overall vintage condition; minor signs of handling; minor separation to folds in a few areas. Few known to have survived in good condition. Unsigned from an edition of unknown; RARE. Poster design by Randolph Black. Glenn O'brien, Artforum 2003: "1981: “NEW YORK/NEW WAVE”: "In June of ’80 the spectacular “Times Square Show,” mounted in an abandoned multistory massage parlor on Forty-first Street and Seventh Avenue, took things to a whole new level. The show was as funky as its surroundings and as lively a happening as had been seen since the ’60s. Artists dropped in and contributed to this nonstop party, a continuous work-in-progress that featured not only the best young artists but also film, video, and live music performances. It brought worlds together—the uptown (as in the Bronx) with the downtown. The institutional emergence of this new force took place in mid-February 1981, in the “New York/New Wave” show at P.S. 1 in Long Island City, a spectacular exhibition featuring 119 artists (more or less) and curated by Diego Cortez. Mammoth in scale, “New York/New Wave” offended purists as much by its maximalist approach as by its content. Cortez hung the art from floor to ceiling, throughout the galleries and the halls. He brought together a coalition of punks, No Wave musicians, young painters, graffiti artists, poets, performers, and more radical-type forefathers like Ray Johnson, Lawrence Weiner, William Burroughs, and Andy Warhol to create a museum–as–fun house that engaged the eye and mind relentlessly. I find quite a few names who went on to serious things: Kathy Acker, David Armstrong, Jean-Michel Basquiat, David Byrne, Sarah Charlesworth, Henry Chalfant, Larry Clark, Arch Connelly, Jimmy de Sana, Dondi, Brian Eno, Fab 5 Freddy, Peter Fend, Futura 2000, Jedd Garet, Nan Goldin, Keith Haring, Duncan Hannah, Roberto Juarez, Bill Komoski, Greer Lankton, Lady Pink, Marcus Leatherdale, Arto Lindsay, Judy Linn, John Lurie, Lydia Lunch, Ann Magnuson, Christoper Makos, Robert Mapplethorpe, Frank Moore, Lee Quinones (LEE), Rene Ricard, Kenny Scharf, Kate Simon, Duncan Smith...

Category

1980s Pop Art

Materials

Offset

Ohh Baby !  - Hand Signed Limited Edition
Ohh Baby !  - Hand Signed Limited Edition

Ohh Baby ! - Hand Signed Limited Edition

By BATIK

Located in London, GB

Ohh Baby ! - Hand Signed Limited Edition - Pop Art - Kate Moss Archival Pigment Print BATÍK is a London based contemporary pop art image creator and artist. Measures 30 x 20 inc...

Category

2010s Pop Art

Materials

Color, Archival Pigment

Kara Walker 'A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby' 2014
Kara Walker 'A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby' 2014

Kara Walker 'A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby' 2014

By Kara Walker

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This poster features A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby, the monumental 2014 installation by American artist Kara Walker. Commissioned by Creative Time, the work was conceived a...

Category

2010s Pop Art

Materials

Offset

Frida - I

Frida - I

By Stanislav Belovski

Located in Sofia, BG

"Frida - I " is a painting by Maestro Stanislav Belovski. About the painting: Style and Technic: POP ART, Contemporary, Acrylic on canvas The painting is unframed. “The impression...

Category

2010s Pop Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Butterflies and Flowers
Butterflies and Flowers

Butterflies and Flowers

By Andy Warhol

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) is arguably the most important American artist of the 20th century. He not only defined Pop Art, but has had an unrivalled and lasting influence on artists an...

Category

1950s Pop Art

Materials

Paper, Ballpoint Pen

Column Study from Capital Ideas 4 by Clayton Pond
Column Study from Capital Ideas 4 by Clayton Pond

Column Study from Capital Ideas 4 by Clayton Pond

By Clayton Pond

Located in Long Island City, NY

Artist: Clayton Pond, American (1941 - ) Title: Column Study from Capital Ideas Portfolio Year: 1974 Medium: Serigraph on Museum Board, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 150 Ima...

Category

1970s Pop Art

Materials

Screen

Ladies and Gentlemen (Marsha P. Johnson)
Ladies and Gentlemen (Marsha P. Johnson)

Ladies and Gentlemen (Marsha P. Johnson)

By Andy Warhol

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

Work comes with a Certificate of Provenance issued by Christie’s. Stamped on the verso by the Estate of the Artist and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Foundation num...

Category

1970s Pop Art

Materials

Polaroid

Rare 1980s Keith Haring Vinyl Record Art
Rare 1980s Keith Haring Vinyl Record Art

Rare 1980s Keith Haring Vinyl Record Art

By Keith Haring

Located in NEW YORK, NY

1980s Keith Haring Record Art: David BOWIE "Without You" A Rare Highly Sought After Vinyl Art Cover featuring original cover artwork by Keith Haring. Year: 1983. Medium: Off-Set Li...

Category

1980s Pop Art

Materials

Lithograph, Offset

Olivia 1 (from Oliva suite), large hand signed silkscreen
Olivia 1 (from Oliva suite), large hand signed silkscreen

Olivia 1 (from Oliva suite), large hand signed silkscreen

By Alex Katz

Located in Aventura, FL

Olivia 1 from Oliva suite. Hand signed by Alex Katz lower left. Hand numbered PP 4/4 lower right (there is also a main edition of 50). Artwork size: 59 x 40 inches. Published by L...

Category

2010s Pop Art

Materials

Paper, Screen

Global Warming- Pop Art Photo Collage, Original Artwork, Framed

Global Warming- Pop Art Photo Collage, Original Artwork, Framed

Located in Chicago, IL

Collage describes both the technique and the resulting work of art in which pieces of paper, photographs, fabric and other ephemera are arranged and affixed onto a supporting surface...

Category

2010s Pop Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Photographic Paper

Portrait Baby Punch monkey with his plushie - FRENCH SCHOOL Chut les Barbizons!
Portrait Baby Punch monkey with his plushie - FRENCH SCHOOL Chut les Barbizons!

Portrait Baby Punch monkey with his plushie - FRENCH SCHOOL Chut les Barbizons!

Located in Zofingen, AG

Baby Punch monkey with his plushie In the artistic world, animals have always been key protagonists in expressing the power and beauty of the wild. Artists often use animals as symb...

Category

2010s Pop Art

Materials

Glue, Mixed Media, Oil, Spray Paint, Acrylic

Shoes
Shoes

Shoes

By Andy Warhol

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Andy Warhol began using the big-shot Polaroid camera in 1971 and continued using it religiously until his death in 1987. Despite the camera being discontinued in 1973, he continued to use it to capture the actors, artists, dancers, politicians, socialites, and Factory members of his world. Warhol's Polaroids were often used as preparatory works for his iconic portraits and other artworks. They also revealed his immediate personal vision, chronicling his surroundings and social life. Shoes were a recurring motif throughout Warhol's oeuvre and helped launch his career and reputation. He became synonymous with shoes in the mid-1950s after a successful ad campaign for Miller & Sons. See an early example of Warhol's shoe drawings...

Category

1980s Pop Art

Materials

Polaroid

Untitled from Pop Shop IV
Untitled from Pop Shop IV

Untitled from Pop Shop IV

By Keith Haring

Located in Aventura, FL

Untitled from Pop Shop IV. Screen print in colors on wove paper. Hand signed and dated on front by Keith Haring. Hand numbered 130/200 on front (there are also 25 artist proofs). ...

Category

1980s Pop Art

Materials

Paper, Screen

Love Stamp
Love Stamp

Love Stamp

By Geraldine Morin

Located in Nottingham, GB

Mixed Media Pop Art Sculpture. Bright red and white sculpture of a love stamp This colourful and exquisitely finished sculpture is perfect for adding that wow factor to any space.

Category

2010s Pop Art

Materials

Mixed Media

Fish FS IIIA.40 (estate stamped silk scarf)
Fish FS IIIA.40 (estate stamped silk scarf)

Fish FS IIIA.40 (estate stamped silk scarf)

By Andy Warhol

Located in Aventura, FL

Screen print on silk scarf. Edition size unknown, as they were intended as holiday gifts. Scarf size 35.5 x 36 inches. Frame size: approx 40 x 40.5 inches. Printed by Rupert Jasen...

Category

1980s Pop Art

Materials

Screen, Silk

Places Please (framed hand signed archival pigment print)
Places Please (framed hand signed archival pigment print)

Places Please (framed hand signed archival pigment print)

By Kenny Scharf

Located in Aventura, FL

Archival pigment print on 100% Cotton 290 gsm Entrada Rag paper with hand-deckled edges. Hand signed and dated lower right by Kenny Scharf. Hand numbered 63/100 lower left. Artwor...

Category

2010s Pop Art

Materials

Paper, Archival Pigment

Nocturne en Roses
Nocturne en Roses

Nocturne en Roses

By Burton Morris

Located in West Hollywood, CA

Nocturne en Roses is presented as part of Burton Morris’ solo exhibition Icons in Bloom at MASH Gallery. The work belongs to the artist’s Sea of Roses series, where the single rose, ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art

Materials

Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Screen

Cloned Doberman with pet bottle.
Cloned Doberman with pet bottle.

Cloned Doberman with pet bottle.

By William Sweetlove

Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län

Edition of 99 ex. Free shipment worldwide. Acquired directly from the artist. William Sweetlove, born in Ostend, Belgium, in 1949, unites dadaism with surrealism and pop art in humo...

Category

2010s Pop Art

Materials

Resin

Pop Art art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Pop art available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add art created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, orange, red, purple and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Jack Mitchell, Andy Warhol, Peter Max, and Heidler & Heeps. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Paper and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Pop Art, so small editions measuring 0.4 inches across are also available.