Insect with Umbrella 1950

Roy Lichtenstein's "Insect with Umbrella" is made with stark black ink on white paper; it’s an image conjured from the subconscious, or maybe just from doodling. I can imagine Lichtenstein in his studio, surrounded by Pop Art, taking a break and letting his mind wander. Here, it’s all about the push and pull of light and dark. The umbrella suggests shelter, but from what? Maybe it's not literal rain, but something more existential. The insect itself seems like a fragile being navigating a complex world, its spindly legs drawn with delicate lines. There’s something vulnerable about it, like a character in a Beckett play. Lichtenstein is probably best known for his comic book appropriations and Benday dots. But here, he's riffing on something more primal, more gestural. It reminds me of Guston’s late work, where cartoonish figures become vehicles for deeper emotional expression. And that single circle, heavy with ink, is like a concentrated point of feeling. It leaves you wondering: what’s the weight of existence for a bug under an umbrella?