Lichtenstein's Engagement Rings

Perhaps the most potent symbol of imminent marital bliss, the engagement ring is a frequent subject in  Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective.  Personal favorites included these black-and-white oil on canvas paintings, part of a series Lichtenstein produced between 1961 and 1962. 

Taken out of context and avoiding any hint of branding, the abstracted Engagement Ring opens a seemingly endless range of associations and interpretations.

On exhibit at the Art Institute Chicago through September 3, 2012 ~ check it out.