Tom Wesselmann

Tom Wesselmann (1931-2004), born in Cincinnati, Ohio, lived and worked in New York City. One of the leading figures of American Pop Art, he is best known for his bold paintings, collages and sculptures of nudes, still lifes and everyday objects. Drawing on imagery from advertising, popular culture and domestic life, Wesselmann transformed familiar subjects into highly stylized compositions defined by vivid colour, simplified forms and a strong graphic quality. His celebrated Great American Nude series, begun in 1961, established the nude as one of the central motifs of his work.