2025
Donald Sultan is a distinguished painter, sculptor, and printmaker who rose to prominence in the late 1970s as part of the “New Image” movement in New York City.
Sultan has a unique artistic method and innovative approach to traditional subject matter. Known as Abstract Representation, Sultan’s paintings, prints and other art are characterized by the use of geometric black forms set against organic areas of bright color, thus bringing an abstract sensibility to his iconographic images of still life. Throughout his career he has revisited and reinvented still life, using images of lemons, poppies, playing cards, fruits, flowers, and other objects. Sultan’s lemons, a recurrent theme in his artworks, have in fact become an iconic image all over the world.
“All of the images of those dark pictures are really about the architecture in the paintings; they seem so massive and strong and permanent, but nothing is permanent,” Sultan has said. “The image in the front is very fragile, but it conveys the loaded meaning of everything that is contained in the painting.”
Sultan is considered to be at the forefront of contemporary art. Although his paintings are often classified as landscapes and still lifes, Sultan states that they are first and foremost abstracts. Besides paintings, drawings, and sculptures, he has created many editions. Sultan’s prints are unique: he uses specific materials like “flocking” to create expressive and powerful prints that are reminiscent of his forceful paintings. Since his first solo exhibition in 1977, Sultan’s artistic career has progressed rapidly; his works are part of the most prominent public and private collections to be found across the globe.
Find original Donald Sultan art on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by Weng Contemporary — ArtXX AG)
Donald Sultan "Yellow Poppies" Floral
By Donald Sultan
Located in Boston, MA
Artist: Sultan, Donald Title: Yellow Poppies Series: Poppies Date: 2018 Medium: Color silkscreen with enamel inks and flocking on 2-ply museum board Unframed Dimensions: 39" x ...
Color, Screen
Yellow Poppies
By Donald Sultan
Located in New York, NY
Created by Donald Sultan in 2024, Yellow Poppies is an archival pigment print on fine art paper measuring 42 x 57 in. (107 x 145 cm), unframed. The artwork is hand-signed in pencil, ...
Archival Pigment
Yellow Poppies, Sept 7, 2022 (Ed: 23/50)
By Donald Sultan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Donald Sultan is an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker. He is particularly well-known for large-scale still life paintings, and one of the first to employ a wide range of ind...
Screen
Yellow Poppies, Aug 17, 2022 (Ed: 22/50)
By Donald Sultan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Donald Sultan is an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker. He is particularly well-known for large-scale still life paintings, and one of the first to employ a wide range of ind...
Screen
Donald Sultan "Yellows, Dec. 2, 2020" Floral
By Donald Sultan
Located in Boston, MA
Artist: Sultan, Donald Title: Yellows, Dec 2, 2020 Date: 2021 Medium: Color silkscreen with over-printed flocking on Rising, 4 ply museum board Unframed Dimensions: 25" x 25" Fr...
Color, Screen
Yellow Wall Poppy, Aug 13, 2020
By Donald Sultan
Located in Calabasas, CA
Artist: Donald Sultan Title: Yellow Wall Poppy, Aug 13, 2020 Year: 2020 Medium: Shaped aluminum with powder coat and flocked center Edition: 30; signature,...
Mixed Media
Six Yellows
By Donald Sultan
Located in New York, NY
Created by the artist in 2002, Six Yellows is a screenprint in colors with flocking on wove paper. Hand-signed, titled, dated, and designated as "BAT 1/2" from the edition of 60 + 2 ...
Screen
$17,400
H 37.88 in W 38.7 in
Yellow Flowers Screen Print, Contemporary Mixed Media, Signed, 12/75
By Donald Sultan
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Sultan’s artworks are rich in color and texture. He is known for his iconic, abstract poppy flowers. The poppies are large in scale and overlay a minimal background, often made from ...
Mixed Media, Screen
$42,000
H 60.5 in W 60.5 in
Big Poppies Silkscreen Print, Signed Edition of 30, 2014, 60.5 in.
By Donald Sultan
Located in New York, NY
'Big Poppies', 2014 Donald Sultan Silkscreen print 60.5 x 60.5 in. / 153 x 153 cm. Edition of 30, Signed by the Artist ‘Big Poppies’ is a portfolio consisting of three striking prin...
Screen
Yellow Lanterns
By Donald Sultan
Located in New York, NY
Created as a textured color screenprint, Yellow Lanterns is hand-signed, titled, dated and numbered, the artwork measuring 32 x 32 in. (81 x 81 cm.), un...
Screen
Yellow Poppies Sept 12, 2013
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
Yellow Poppies is a natural companion for Red Poppies, March 21, 2012 and is equally strong installed solo. The multi-layered cropped poppies bleed to the...
Screen
Six Yellow Poppies, 2021
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
Color silkscreen with enamel inks, flocking, and over printed flocking on Somerset 500 gsm Satin Radiant White with deckle edges. Edition of 60
Ink, Satin Paper
Big Yellow Poppies, 2015
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
Donald Sultan (born 1951), is one of the leading American contemporary still life artists. He currently lives and works in New York. Sultan has been given numerous exhibitions dedica...
Steel
Yellow Wall Poppy, Oct 15, 2024
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
Shaped aluminum with acrylic polyurethane paint and black flock
Metal
Yellow Poppies
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
Shaped aluminum with yellow powder coat on polished aluminum base. Edition 21/25.
Metal
Yellow Lantern Flowers 2025
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
Color silkscreen with enamel inks and tar-like texture on Rising 2-ply museum board Portfolio of 8: $16,000
Ink, Board, Screen
