1983
Sam Francis was an American artist known for his exuberantly colorful, large-scale abstract paintings. His practice incorporated elements from Abstract Expressionism, Color Field painting, Impressionism and Eastern philosophy to create a unique style of painterly abstraction.
Influenced by Jackson Pollock and Clyfford Still, Francis is more closely associated to the work of Helen Frankenthaler, as he was more interested in the formal arrangement of the picture plane than the expressivity of the individual artist. “Painting is about the beauty of space and the power of containment,” Francis once reflected.
Born on June 25, 1923 in San Mateo, California, Francis briefly served in the US Air Force during World War II but was injured during a test flight. Returning to California, he received his BA and MA from UC Berkeley in botany and psychology before beginning to pursue a career in art. The artist traveled widely during his career, and he was closely aligned with the Art Informel movement while living abroad in Paris during the 1950s.
Francis died on November 4, 1994 in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 71. He was a founding trustee of Los Angeles’s Museum of Contemporary Art, and his paintings can be found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Kunstmuseum Basel, and the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, among others.
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Senza Titolo II, 1987
By Sam Francis
Located in Palo Alto, CA
his Sam Francis Senza Titollo, 1987 is etching, aquatint and drypoint in colours hand-signed by Sam Francis (San Mateo, 1923- Santa Monica, 1994) in pencil in the lower right and num...
Etching, Aquatint, Drypoint
Untitled, 1963
By Sam Francis
Located in Palo Alto, CA
Created circa 1963, this color lithograph on Rives BFK paper is hand signed by Sam Francis in pencil in the lower right and inscribed “Special Proof Marlene” in pencil in the lower m...
Lithograph
Untitled, 1985
By Sam Francis
Located in Palo Alto, CA
This aquatint is hand-signed by Sam Francis (California, 1923- California, 1994) in pencil in the lower right and is a unique color trial proof aside from the edition of 30. Francis...
Aquatint
Untitled, 1994
By Sam Francis
Located in Palo Alto, CA
In Turn, Sam Francis Turn, 1972, demonstrates his masterful command of color, gesture, and spatial balance—qualities that made him one of the most influential figures of postwar Amer...
Lithograph
Turn, 1972
By Sam Francis
Located in Palo Alto, CA
In Turn, Sam Francis Turn, 1972, demonstrates his masterful command of color, gesture, and spatial balance—qualities that made him one of the most influential figures of postwar Amer...
Screen
Untitled, from the Pasadena Box, 1964
By Sam Francis
Located in Palo Alto, CA
This Sam Francis 1964, from the Pasadena Box, is lithograph in colors on wove paper, hand-signed by Sam Francis in pencil and annotated 'artist proof'. This striking lithograph from...
Lithograph
Untitled, 1988
By Sam Francis
Located in London, GB
SAM FRANCIS 1923-1994 San Mateo, California 1923 – 1994 Santa Monica (American) Title: Untitled, 1988 Technique: Original Hand Signed and Inscribed Screenprint in colours on wove p...
Screen
Untitled
By Sam Francis
Located in New York, NY
Dynamic and bold color lithograph on Rives BFK. One of 20 numbered Hors Commerce impressions, aside from the edition of 176. This stunning print is signed and inscribed "H.C. 10/20" ...
Color, Lithograph
Untitled
By Sam Francis
Located in London, GB
Sam Francis Untitled Circa 1960 Lithograph, Edition of 40 71.9 x 50.8 cms (28.3 x 20 ins) SF17686
Lithograph
Untitled, 1970 (SF68-44)
By Sam Francis
Located in Greenwich, CT
Untitled (SF68-44) from 1970 is an acrylic painting on paper with an image size of 41 x 27.5 inches, signed and dated 'Sam Francis 1970' verso, and framed in a custom, closed-corner,...
Paper, Acrylic
Untitled
By Sam Francis
Located in London, GB
Sam Francis Untitled 1968 Lithograph, Edition of 3, experimental proof 66 x 47 cms (26 x 18 1/2 ins) SF15155
Lithograph
Untitled
By Sam Francis
Located in London, GB
Sam Francis Untitled 1991 Etching in colours, Edition of 27 61.6 x 44.5 cms (24.3 x 17.5 ins) SF17884
Etching
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