Home is where the art is.
On prestigious Gin Lane in Southampton, the light-filled property that the famed pop artist Roy Lichtenstein had long shared with his wife, the philanthropist Dorothy, has listed for $19.99 million, according to an eye-catching update on the Out East listings portal.
This offering comes roughly 27 years following the death of Roy — who remains celebrated for his vibrant works inspired by newspaper ads and comic strips, painted with bold outlines and Ben-Day dots — at the age of 73.
The listing hit the market some two months after the death of Dorothy — the co-founder and president of the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, which donated more than 1,000 of his works to domestic and international museums, particularly the Whitney in New York, which alone has about 400.
Dorothy died on July 4 at the age of 84 from heart failure following a brief illness, according to her obituary in the New York Times, and it appears she passed away in this home — which was their primary residence.
Most of all, this marks the first time in 54 years the roughly 2-acre spread is available for sale, ready for its next generation of owners to carry it into its next chapter. The Lichtensteins purchased the property in 1970, though it’s not immediately clear how much they paid.
Even before 1970, Southampton had been a favorite place for them to visit.
“We came for several summers and one fall just didn’t leave,” Roy reportedly once said.
“It’s going to make a really nice home for somebody because it’s unique,” Harald Grant, of Sotheby’s International Realty, one of the brokers representing this listing, told The Post. He’s bringing this to market alongside Bruce Grant and Caitlin Walsh, both also of Sotheby’s, and Tim Davis of Corcoran in a co-exclusive. “Someone’s going to enjoy living there.”
In particular, a potential buyer can live here, while charmingly surrounded by a dazzling array of flowers.
“They maintained beautiful gardens,” Grant added.
There are two structures on the lot, which is on the ocean side of Gin Lane. One is the main house, originally a carriage house built in 1897, which Roy and Dorothy expanded and modified several times during their ownership.
Marketing images show the shingled three-level main house has charming beamed ceilings in the great room, glass walls that look out to the grounds, painted wooden floors in other areas and plenty of space for entertaining al fresco. For instance, the dining room — dressed with sage-tone walls — opens to the yard. There’s also space for outdoor dining; listing images additionally show a handsome stone table with seats for 10. Many of the outdoor spaces offer Atlantic views.
The kitchen, meanwhile, has abundant storage and eat-in space. A library comes with built-in shelves and a fireplace. There are even five bedrooms.
That said, the current state of the property is nothing to sniff at. But, unlike many other multimillion-dollar Hamptons homes, this one doesn’t have a pool.
“They lived very modestly,” added Grant of the Lichtensteins. However, he adds, the listing comes with deeded beach access, “which is great because you’re basically 2 parcels in front of the ocean.” (The beach is accessed via a private pathway, the listing notes.)
The history of the residence is one thing — but Grant adds its potential is another.
“You can make a larger home, you can double the size of the existing structure and you can add a really nice pool,” he said. “That’s the concern of any buyer” to make it fit their own lifestyle.
“It’s a remarkable property,” Grant added.
