Richard Hamilton dies at the age of 89

Richard Hamilton, a British painter and printmaker whose sly, trenchant take on consumer culture and advertising made him a pioneering figure in Pop Art, and who designed the cover of the Beatles’ “White Album,” died on Tuesday at his home near Oxford. He was 89, the New York Times reports.

His death was confirmed by the Gagosian Gallery, which represents his work.

When the Independent Group, as it was known, organized the groundbreaking exhibition “This Is Tomorrow” at the Whitechapel Gallery in 1956, Mr. Hamilton contributed a 10-inch-by-9-inch collage, “Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Homes So Different, So Appealing?” It became his most famous work, often referred to as the first example of Pop Art.

Hamilton’s work has been shown around the world, with pieces in major collections including New York’s Metropolitan Museum and Museum of Modern Art and Britain’s Tate galleries.

The Gagosian gallery said that until a few days ago Hamilton had been working on a major retrospective that will travel to Los Angeles, Philadelphia, London and Madrid in 2013-14.

He is survived by his wife, Rita Donagh, and son Rod, the Washington Post reports.