Although he insisted that he and his fellow Pop artists developed their art-making styles independently, American painter James Rosenquist belonged at the table with Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.
Known for his distinctive use of visual montage, Rosenquist produced large, vibrantly colored tableaux marked by fragmentation and overlap. He often employed familiar motifs and objects drawn from popular contemporary culture — hot dogs, lipstick tubes, American flags — which he manipulated to form disorienting compositions whose constituent elements are nearly unrecognizable.
Born in North Dakota to Swedish parents, Rosenquist was encouraged to pursue painting by his mother, who was also an artist. He studied painting for two years at the University of Minnesota, but dropped out at the age of 21 to attend the Art Students League in New York on a scholarship. A job as a billboard painter in the late 1950s set him up to pursue his signature style, which borrowed its bold graphics and remixed kitschy aesthetic from the visual vocabulary of advertising. Works like Flamingo Capsule (1983) embody his trademark visual dissonance, drawing cigarette-ad motifs into conversation with stripes from the American flag and aluminum foil wrappers.
In addition to enormous paintings, Rosenquist created drawings, prints and collages. The 2011 lithograph The Memory Continues but the Clock Disappears is a montage of melting clocks and confetti, all submerged in a pool of water. While wryly hinting at the inevitability of decay and deterioration — suggesting that life is a ticking clock — the composition also alludes to Salvador Dalí's signature motif, the defining symbol of Surrealism. Such compositions demonstrate how Rosenquist masterfully combined seemingly incongruous elements into a harmonious and poetic whole.
Find James Rosenquist art today on 1stDibs.
Flowers Before the Sun - Large Scale Abstract Oil on Canvas, 1989
By James Rosenquist
Located in Palm Desert, CA
Flowers Before the Sun, a monumental 1989 oil on canvas by James Rosenquist, stands out as a pinnacle of his 1980s floral series, weaving vibrant botanical forms with faint human tra...
Canvas, Oil
$1,024
H 27.56 in W 19.69 in
Transformation #3: Abstract Painting, Oil on Canvas, 2010s, New, Framed
Located in BARCELONA, ES
Her practice involves working in series, continuously evolving her style and themes, which challenges her as an artist to innovate and create new works. Marina Podgaevskaya’s artist...
Canvas, Oil
$2,650Sale Price|20% Off
H 47.25 in W 39.38 in D 1.19 in
"SIGNS" Minimal Abstract Paint , Original Art made in Italy
By Marilina Marchica
Located in Agrigento, AG
landscape mixed media on canvas original artwork Original Created:2019 Subjects:Landscape Materials: Canvas Styles: #Abstract #AbstractExpressionism #Minimalism #Modern #Expressio...
Pastel, Oil, Canvas
$1,024
H 27.56 in W 19.69 in
Transformation #2: Abstract Painting, Oil on Canvas, 2010s, New
Located in BARCELONA, ES
Her practice involves working in series, continuously evolving her style and themes, which challenges her as an artist to innovate and create new works. Marina Podgaevskaya’s artist...
Canvas, Oil
$10,000
H 36 in W 36 in D 1.5 in
"Tropical Vibes III" by S. Hessler - Vibrant Colorful Rainbow Impasto Abstract
By Sveta Hessler
Located in Carmel, CA
Sveta Hessler (Russian, born 1973) "Tropical Vibes III" 2024 Oil paint, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the bottom right and back of the painting. "Tropical Vibes III" by S...
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
Unavailable|$15,250
H 48 in W 60 in
Dmitri Wright - Mind Meadow Wetlands, Painting 2024
By Dmitri Wright
Located in Stamford, CT
Oil on canvas Mind Meadow Series As an American artist, Wright’s travels have taken him to paint and/or teach throughout the United States and visiting over a dozen National Park s...
Canvas, Paint, Oil
$1,024
H 25.6 in W 19.69 in
Transformation #1 Abstract Painting, Oil on Canvas, 2010s, New
Located in BARCELONA, ES
Her practice involves working in series, continuously evolving her style and themes, which challenges her as an artist to innovate and create new works. Marina Podgaevskaya’s artist...
Canvas, Oil
$50,000
H 40 in W 30 in D 1.5 in
"Untitled" - Contemporary Abstract Portrait Painting in Blue, Yellow, and Black
By Masri Hayssam
Located in Carmel, CA
Masri Hayssam (Lebanese, born 1965) "Untitled" 2023 Oil Paint, Acrylic Paint, Mixed Media, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the bottom right and the back of the painting. In...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
$20,000
H 59 in W 59 in D 1.5 in
"Meditation" - Colorful Contemporary Textured Abstract in Pink and Earth Tones
By Kobi Raz
Located in Carmel, CA
Kobi Raz (Israeli, born 1959) "Meditation" 2025 Oil paint, canvas, stretcher bars The artist signed the bottom left of the painting. “Meditation” embodies a quiet balance between sp...
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
$25,250
H 60 in W 48 in D 1.5 in
"Rifts" - Large Dynamic Mixed Media Textured Abstract in Red, Orange, and Gray
By Steven H. Rehfeld
Located in Carmel, CA
Steven H. Rehfeld (American, born 1954) "Rifts" 2022 Oil Paint, Paper, Glue, Mixed Media, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the back of the painting. “Rifts” is a powerful, k...
Canvas, Paper, Glue, Mixed Media, Oil, Stretcher Bars
$11,000
H 30 in W 30 in D 1.5 in
'Untitled' by Steven H. Rehfeld - Blue Series - Contemporary Mixed Media
By Steven H. Rehfeld
Located in Carmel, CA
Steven H. Rehfeld (American, 1954) 'Untitled' - Blue Series, 2013 Oil paint, newsprint, gesso, wax, mixed media, canvas, stretcher bars The artist signed the back of the painting. A...
Canvas, Wax, Oil, Gesso, Newsprint, Stretcher Bars
$11,000
H 24 in W 24 in D 1.5 in
'Surge' by Steven H. Rehfeld - Orange, Blue, and White Mixed Media Abstract Art
By Steven H. Rehfeld
Located in Carmel, CA
Steven H. Rehfeld (American, born 1954) 'Surge' 2007 Oil paint, pencil, tape, glue, wax, canvas, stretcher bars The artist signed the back of the painting. Steven Rehfeld's 'Surge' ...
Canvas, Oil, Mixed Media, Tape, Glue, Pencil, Stretcher Bars, Wax
$20,000
H 59 in W 59 in D 1.5 in
"Melody" - Large Modern Bright and Colorful Abstract in Pinks, Blues, and Black
By Kobi Raz
Located in Carmel, CA
Kobi Raz (Israeli, born 1959) "Melody" 2025 Oil paint, canvas, stretcher bars The artist signed the bottom left of the painting. “Melody” is a lyrical abstract composition alive wit...
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
Sold
H 22.75 in W 40 in
Rouge Pad (State 2), Limited Edition Etching & Aquatint, James Rosenquist
By James Rosenquist
Located in Southampton, NY
JAMES ROSENQUIST (1933-2017) A leader and highly recognized pop artist, Rosenquist used the techniques in his work that he learned as a commercial billboard painter. This was perfect...
Etching, Aquatint