Allan D’arcangelo (American, 1930–1998) is associated with the Pop Art movement, and, like other Pop artists, often drew the inspiration and subject matter for his art from the American cultural landscape. Specifically, D’Arcangelo often painted iconic roads—such as Route 1—and road signs. His work is characterized by a penchant for vibrant colors and sharp geometric shapes.

D’Arcangelo grew up in Buffalo, NY, studying at the University of Buffalo, and later at Mexico City College, where he had the first exhibition of his work. While teaching at Brooklyn College and the School of Visual Arts, D’Arcangelo was commissioned to paint multiple public artworks—some of the first of their kind—in New York in the 1960s. His works were included in numerous groundbreaking Pop Art exhibitions, such as 1963’s Mixed Media and Pop Art at the Albright-Knox Museum in his hometown. He was a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1987, and his art is now included in the collections of many major institutions, including The Museum of Modern Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the Detroit Institute of Art, and the Walker Art Center.