During a trip to Los Angeles in 1978, Lichtenstein was fascinated by lawyer Robert Rifkind's collection of German Expressionist prints and illustrated books. He began to produce works that borrowed stylistic elements found in Expressionist paintings. The White Tree (1980) evokes lyric Der Blaue Reiter landscapes, while Dr. Waldmann (1980) recalls Otto Dix's Dr. Mayer-Hermann (1926). Small colored-pencil drawings were used as templates for woodcuts, a medium favored by Emil Nolde and Max Pechstein, as well as Dix and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.Lichtenstein: Expressionism, July 1 – October 12, 2013 Gagosian Gallery, Paris. Also in the late 1970s, Lichtenstein's style was replaced with more surreal works such as Pow Wow (1979, Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst, Aachen). A major series of Surrealist-Pop paintings from 1979 to 1981 is based on Native American themes.Roy Lichtenstein: American Indian Encounters, May 13 – September 4, 2006 Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma. These works range from Amerind Figure (1981), a stylized life-size sculpture reminiscent of a streamlined totem pole in black-patinated bronze, to the monumental wool tapestry Amerind Landscape (1979). The "Indian" works took their themes, like the other parts of the Surrealist series, from contemporary art and other sources, including books on American Indian design from Lichtenstein's small library.Grace Glueck (December 23, 2005) A Pop Artist's Fascination With the First Americans New York Times.
During a trip to Los Angeles in 1978 Lichtenstein was fascinated by lawyer Robert Rifkind's collection of German Expressionist prints and illustrated books He began to produce works that borrowed stylistic elements found in Expressionist paintings The White Tree (1980) evokes lyric Der Blaue Reiter landscapes while Dr Waldmann (1980) recalls Otto Dix's Dr Mayer-Hermann (1926) Small colored-pencil drawings were used as templates for woodcuts a medium favored by Emil Nolde and Max Pechstein as well as Dix and Ernst Ludwig KirchnerLichtenstein Expressionism July 1 – October 12 2013 Gagosian Gallery Paris Also in the late 1970s Lichtenstein's style was replaced with more surreal works such as Pow Wow (1979 Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst Aachen) A major series of Surrealist-Pop paintings from 1979 to 1981 is based on Native American themesRoy Lichtenstein American Indian Encounters May 13 – September 4 2006 Tacoma Art Museum Tacoma These works range from Amerind Figure (1981) a stylized life-size sculpture reminiscent of a streamlined totem pole in black-patinated bronze to the monumental wool tapestry Amerind Landscape (1979) The "Indian" works took their themes like the other parts of the Surrealist series from contemporary art and other sources including books on American Indian design from Lichtenstein's small libraryGrace Glueck (December 23 2005) A Pop Artist's Fascination With the First Americans New York Times