Roy Lichtenstein’s Mao (1971) is the Pop artist’s rendition of the famous Chinese revolutionary, created as the cover for his friend Frederic Tuten’s debut novel, The Adventures of Mao on the Long March. This distinctive version of Mao is a pop lithograph, part of a signed edition of 150.
Preceding Andy Warhol’s famed Mao silkscreens, Lichtenstein’s robust take on Chairman Mao Zedong features his hallmark artistic elements: a bold red and black colour palette, graphic outlines, and Benday dots.
In keeping with the book’s tone, Lichtenstein’s depiction of Mao is highly fictionalised. The artist challenges viewers' perceptions of the infamous figure by presenting him in a humorous profile. By transforming Mao into a fantastical cartoon illustration, Lichtenstein deflates the leader’s mythical status, fitting Tuten’s narrative while satirising Western cultural commentary through his distinctive Pop Art lens.