Sam Francis (1923-1994) is one of the most distinctive and collected 20th-century abstract artists.
Francis began painting while recuperating after a plane crash whilst serving in WWII. Initially art-making was a distraction, but he committed himself fully to painting upon his return to the United states in the mid 40's, pouring his focus in to artistic education. After receiving a Masters in art from UC Berkley in 1950, Francis moved to Paris which would serve a crucial role in helping develop his aesthetic language. By 1953 one of his canvases was included in the MoMA's seminal exhibition "Twelve Artists" which quickly led to an international reputation.
Stylistically, Francis is associated with the second-generation abstract expressionist artists and, to a lesser degree, the Parisian Tachists. Although American, he was not tethered to New York City, instead spending the 1950s as an expat, working and exhibiting in Paris, Mexico City, Japan, and Switzerland. As a result, he does not fit neatly in to the categories normally used to describe post-war abstraction. Additionally he is known and cherished around the world.
With an explosive energy, this lithograph represents Francis' signature style. Featuring a combination of splatters and biomorphic forms executed in primary red, blue, and yellow, the composition vibrates with verve. The primaries are applied with slight transparency, creating new hues as they overlap. The white space is activated by the movement of ink splatters.
This lithograph was completed at a peak moment in Francis' career, in the same year that he participated in the 32nd Venice Biennale and Documenta.
Today, Francis is represented in the permanent collections of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Kunstmuseum Basel, among other institutions. On the secondary market, his work frequently commands seven figures.
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Untitled (SF-74, a.k.a. Primaries)
USA, 1964
Lithograph in colors on kochi rice paper
Signed lower right, inscribed "Artist Proof" and numbered lower centre
Published by Joseph Press, Los Angeles, with their blindstamp
Printed by Joseph Zirker at Joseph Press, Los Angeles
15.5"H 22.5"W (sheet)
24.25"H 32.5"W (framed)
Very good condition
Catalogue Raisonné: Listed as item 81, on page 2, row 7 of the online catalogue raisonné project by the Sam Francis Foundation.
Reference: Lembark 67
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