Influenced by Franz Kline and Willem de Kooning, Mitchell turned to abstraction in the early 1950s. She became one of the few women, alongside Helen Frankenthaler and Lee Krasner, to achieve recognition as Abstract Expressionism became the dominant genre in post-war art.Â
Of all the young, or second generation, Abstract Expressionist painters, she remained the most faithful to the original ideals of spontaneity, individuality, and gesture.
Her artworks are distinguished by vigorous, varied brushwork and a daring sense of color. There is frequently an unresolved tension between figure and ground. While these qualities aligned her with the New York School, her workâs lingering connection to the external worldâits evocation of natural sensations like light and movementâset it apart. Mitchell moved permanently to France in 1959, and European values or approaches to art-making certainly influenced her output.Â
Mitchell's lithographs extend her painting practice, the works highlighting the medium itself: the greasiness, grittiness, and oiliness of lithographic crayon and the fluidity of tusche are as much a âsubjectâ as the loaded brushstroke is in her paintings.
Flower III is widely regarded as one of the prime works from the Bedford Series. Inspired by landscapes and flowers, this lithograph captures the same explosive energy found in Mitchellâs finest paintings, using large, aggressive brushstrokes and a vivid palette.
Joan Mitchell is one of the most valuable artists from the 20th century. Her auction record stands at $29.2 million USD. Paintings regularly achieve upwards of $15 million. Today, Mitchellâs work is held in leading museums worldwide. A major retrospective of her work was co-organized by SFMOMA and the Baltimore Museum of Art in 2021, followed by a joint exhibition with Claude Monet at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in 2022â23. We were particularly moved by the 2018 exhibition and catalog:Â Mitchell/Riopelle: Nothing in Moderation organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Impressions of this lithograph are held in the permanent collections of the Tate, London; the National Gallery, Washington, DC; and the Walker Art Centre, Minneapolis.
Questions about this piece? Contact us, call +1.416.704.1720, or visit our Toronto gallery.
âFlower III" (from the Bedford Series)
USA, 1981
Lithograph in colors on Arches paper, the full sheet
Signed and numbered by the artist
From an edition of 70
Published by Tyler Graphics Ltd., Bedford, New York, with their blindstamp
42.5"H 32.5"W (sheet)
50"H 39.5"W (framed)
Very good condition
Catalogue Raisonné: Tyler Graphic: no. 371:JM9, p. 226














