Sam Francis (1923-1994) is one of the most distinctive and collected 20th-century abstract artists.
After serving in the Air Force in WWII, Francis returned to his native California and immersed himself in art making. By the end of the 1940s he was devoted to painting, leading him to learn, exhibit, and travel internationally. His formative years were spent in Paris after moving there in 1950. In 1953 one of his canvases was included in the MoMA's seminal exhibition "Twelve Artists" which quickly led to his international reputation.
Stylistically, Francis is associated with the second-generation abstract expressionist artists. Although American, he was not tethered to New York City, instead spending the 1950s working/exhibiting globally including Paris, Mexico City, Japan, and Switzerland. As a result, he is somewhat independent of the collectives and "isms" normally used to describe post-war abstraction.
This untitled work from the final chapter of the artist's career stands as a powerful testament to his vibrant aesthetic. The composition is frenetic and richly colored, with drips, splotches, sprays, and marks mingling and converging. Interestingly, this lithograph could be considered an early hybridized digital artwork as Francis used the Aldus Superpaint program available on the Macintosh II computer to draw the light blue-green and light yellow-green plates for the final print. While not a pioneer, Francis can be considered a very early adopter of the computer as an artistic tool.
Francis' inimitable style is consistently present in his oeuvre--a combination of splatter and vaguely biomorphic forms executed in saturated primary colors. This print is no exception, and would make an enchanting addition to new and seasoned collectors alike.
Questions about this piece? Contact us, call +1.416.704.1720, or visit our Toronto gallery.
"Untitled" SF-341
USA, 1989
Lithograph in colours on wove paper
Signed by "Sam Francis" and numbered "AP IX" in pencil, lower edge
From an edition of 50, with 9 artist's proofs in Roman numerals
Printed and published by The Litho Shop, Inc., Santa Monica, California
46"H 30"W (sheet)
Unframed
Very good condition
Literature: Lembark, C. The Prints of Sam Francis: A Catalogue Raisonné 1960-1990, Volume I. Hudson Hills Press, 1992. pgs. 390-391, L.282, SF-341.
Reference: Lembark L.282; SF-341
Note: this subject is recorded in the Sam Francis Archive with the identification number SF-341.
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