Happy tears (section)

Look closely and you might be surprised by what you see. Those tiny dots covering the whole surface are called Ben-Day dots, the same printing technique used in old comic books and cheap newspapers. Roy Lichtenstein loved borrowing this look, blowing up a single panel until every dot became impossible to ignore. Here a red-haired woman cries, though the title tells us these are happy tears, the kind that come from being overwhelmed with emotion rather than sadness.

Lichtenstein was one of the leading figures of Pop Art, a movement that took images from everyday life and turned them into something worth hanging on a gallery wall. Made in 1964, this piece pokes a little fun at the dramatic romance comics of the era, where heartbroken women were a constant theme. By copying their style so faithfully, he asked a cheeky question that still feels fresh today: what counts as real art, and who gets to decide? The bold outlines, flat colors, and exaggerated feelings make it instantly recognizable, even if you have never heard his name before.