Perilous Night by Jasper Johns

Cicada by Jasper Johns
Jasper Johns, Cicada, published 1981, lithograph, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Roger P. Sonnabend 1986.90.14

Figure 9 by Jasper Johns
Jasper Johns, Figure 9, published 1968, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Gemini G.E.L. 1991.74.83

Perilous Night detail by Jasper Johns
Jasper Johns, Perilous Night (detail of handkerchief), 1982, encaustic on canvas with objects, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Collection 1995.79.1

Johns never settled into one single style. His work continually changes veering from complete abstraction to trompe l'oeil illusionism. From the 1960s on, he moved away from iconic images to more complex ones. He also created sculpture and prints. In the 1980s, he said that continuing to hide his personality in his art "seemed like a losing battle." His work became increasingly personal and referential of other art and his own.