Sam Francis, Untitled, 1990

Artist: Sam Francis (1923 - 1994)
Title:Untitled, 1990
Reference:L283
Medium:Color Lithograph
Image Size:46 1/4 in x 30 in (117.5 cm x 76.2 cm)
Sheet Size:46 1/4 in x 30 in (117.5 cm x 76.2 cm)
Framed Size:approx. 54 1/2 in x 38 in (138.4 cm x 96.5 cm)
Edition:Inscribed “CTP” (Color Trial Proof) in pencil in the lower left, this work is a unique color trial proof; aside from the numbered edition of 10; published by The Litho Shop Inc., of Santa Monica, California.
Signature:This work is hand signed by Sam Francis (San Mateo, 1923 - Santa Monica, 1994) in pencil in the lower left.
Condition:This work is in excellent condition.
ID #w-6662

Historical Description

Sam Francis Untitled, 1990 is a lush jungle of richly hued drips and splashes, densely inhabiting the entire visual space to the very edges of the sheet. Printed in 6 runs using 6 different plates, each plate adding a new color, this gorgeous lithograph boasts an impressive depth.  The semi-translucent layers of yellow, dark green, and red intertwine dynamically, birthing new colors where the printing plates overlay. The resulting dusky oranges and browns retreat into the background while the glowing yellow and reds jump to the front, forming a tangled mesh of painterly foliage that seems nearly endless.  An ultramarine streak runs the entire height of the composition, underscoring the dramatic verticality of the piece by splitting the thicket of colors down the middle of the sheet. Like a rushing river cutting through luxuriant wilderness, the streak carries a quick intensity that augments the frenzy of the splatters around it. While the initial impression of the work might be total visual chaos, Francis’s thoughtful hand coaxes in a second look As the viewer treks deeper into the layers of color and the rainforest of ink opens and unfolds, a sublime peacefulness settles throughout. Francis’s remarkable ability to conjure a spiritual joy through unrestrained chromatic abstraction is on full display in this enthralling print.

Created in 1990, this color lithograph on PTI #120 waterleaf paper is hand signed by Sam Francis (San Mateo CA, 1923 – Santa Monica, 1994) in pencil in the lower left. Inscribed “CTP” (Color Trial Proof) in pencil in the lower left, this work is a unique color trial proof; aside from the numbered edition of 10.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
Sam Francis Untitled, 1990, is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the sale of the work).

1. Lembark, Connie. The Prints of Sam Francis: A Catalogue Raisonné 1960-1990 Volume I. New York: Hudson Hills Press, 1992. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. L283.
2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.

About the Framing:
Framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, Sam Francis Untitled, 1990 is presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.