Tom Wesselmann

Along with Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, Tom Wesselmann is considered a major figure of New York Pop art. He rejected the principles of Abstract Expressionism and made bold paintings and inventive sculptures—both cut-metal works and assemblages—which riff on pop culture and art historical compositions. Women were a constant source of inspiration: Wesselmann’s most famous series, “Great American Nude” (1961–73), channels the brazen energy of American advertising and features flat, faceless female figures whom the artist often situated among stars and stripes. Educated at Cooper Union and the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Wesselmann got his start selling cartoons to magazines, newspapers, and ad agencies before he found success as a fine artist. Today, he’s represented in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, among other institutions. At auction, his work frequently sells for seven figures.