Accession Number1976/2.118
TitleFinger Pointing
Artist(s)Roy LichtensteinArtist NationalityAmerican (North American)Object Creation Date1973Medium & Supportscreenprint on wove paperDimensions 12 in x 9 in (30.5 cm x 22.9 cm);22 1/8 in x 18 1/8 in (56.2 cm x 46.04 cm)
Credit LineGift of Mr. Robert RauschenbergSubject matterThis work was part of a portfolio of 30 works, created as a fund-raising effort for the project Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.). The project was partially-funded by the director of the Moderna Museet in Stockholm at the time. For his contribution, Lichtenstein employed his method of pop appropriation, coupled with the dot-matrix, graphic style. Previously, he utilized the same image for a poster and catalogue-cover designed created for the show
Amerikansk pop-konst (American Pop Art) at the Moderna Museet in 1964. The reference for this work is the hand from the iconic WWI poster design by James Montgomery Flagg; the "I Want You for U.S. Army" poster (UMMA 1974/2.17) shows Uncle Sam pointing out at the viewer and calling him to join the fight. Here, Litchtenstein appropriated just the hand in order to both reference American popular culture as well as point out the similarity between military propaganda and commercial advertising in American culture.
Physical DescriptionThe print shows a hand coming from the left of the frame on a solid red background. Depicted with the index finger pointing at the viewer, the skin of the hand is patterned with a grid of red dots. Part of the forearm is shown, with the cuff of the white shirt and black suit. The print is signed and numbered.
Primary Object Classification Print Primary Object Typecolor printCollection AreaModern and ContemporaryRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Keywords
Pop (fine arts styles)
collaboration
dot matrix printers
fingers (animal components)
portfolios (groups of works)
posters
world wars