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An Other Set - X
1964
(from the Pasadena Box portfolio)
Three-color lithograph on Shirikawa rice paper
mounted on a silk scroll
Signed in pencil, and numbered
52 x 19 in. (132 x 48.5 cm), unframed
Edition of 100
Published by the Pasadena Art Museum, Pasadena, CA
(L-95)
INQUIRE
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An Other Set - Y *
1964
(from the Pasadena Box Portfolio)
Original lithograph in colors on Kochi rice paper
Signed in pencil, and designated "Artist Proof"
15 1/4 x 22 3/4 in. (38.7 x 57.8 cm), unframed
Edition of 100 + Artist Proofs
(Published by Pasadena Art Museum)
SOLD
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Blue Cut Sail
1969
Original lithograph in colors on Rives paper
Signed in pencil, and numbered (verso)
22 x 30 in. (56 x 76.2 cm), unframed
Edition of 20
(L.102)
INQUIRE
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For the Blue Sons of the Air
1990
Original screenprint in colors
Signed in pencil, and numbered
53 3/4 x 32 in. (136.5 x 81.3 cm), unframed
Edition of 150
(Lembark S21.)
INQUIRE
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For Thirteen
1989
Original screenprint in colors on PTI Supra paper
Signed by the artist in pencil, and numbered
28 x 38 in. (71 x 96.5 cm), unframed
Edition of 115
(with publisher's blind stamp)
(L. S20)
INQUIRE
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Untitled
1982
Lithograph in colors on Arches wove paper
Signed in pencil, and numbered
49 1/2 x 34 1/4 in. (120.7 x 87 cm), unframed
Edition of 250
(SF. 369/L. 254)
INQUIRE
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Untitled
1992
Original etching, aquatint and drypoint in 11 colors
on Fabriano wove paper
Signed in pencil, and numbered
27 x 37 in. (68.6 x 94 cm), unframed
Edition of 75
(SFE080RC)
INQUIRE
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Untitled
1975
Original lithograph on BFK Rives paper
Signed in pencil, and numbered
22 1/4 x 30 in. (56.5 x 76.2 cm), unframed
Edition of 28
(SF-203/L-183)
INQUIRE
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Untitled (SF 310)
1979
Original lithographs in colors
Signed in pencil and inscribed "BAT"
29 1/2 x 41 1/2 in. (75 x 105.4 cm), unframed
A unique proof outside of the edition of 100
(L. 236)
INQUIRE
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Untitled (SF 346) *
1991
(from Memorie de la Liberte portfolio)
Original lithograph in colors on wove paper
Signed in pencil, numbered
30 x 46 in. (76.3 x 118 cm), unframed
Edition of 100 + 70 AP
SOLD
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Untitled (SF-260)
1981
Three-color lithograph on Rives BFK paper
Signed by the artist in pencil, and numbered
24 x 18 1/4 in. (61 x 46.4 cm)
Edition of 150
(L. 241)
INQUIRE
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Untitled (SF-344) *
1990
Original lithograph in colors
Hand-signed by the artist in pencil and numbered
47 1/4 x 30 in. (120.7 x 76.2 cm)
Edition of 50
SOLD
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Untitled *
1987
Aquatint with chine colle
Signed by the artist in pencil, and numbered
18 x 14 in (45.7 x 35.6 cm), unframed
Edition of 9
(I.80; SFE 047)
SOLD
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Untitled *
1974
Original color lithograph on BFK Rives paper
Signed in pencil, and numbered
22 1/4 x 39 in. (56.5 x 99.1 cm), unframed
Edition of 100
(L-172)
SOLD
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Vegetable I (variant) *
1971
Original lithograph in colors on white wove paper
Hand-signed by the artist in pencil and numbered
35 × 24 in. (89 × 61 cm.)
Edition of 15
SOLD
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Veiled Sail *
1969
Original lithograph in six colors on wove paper
Hand-signed and numbered in pencil, verso
35 x 25 in. (89 x 63.5 cm), unframed
Edition of 20
With the embossed chop mark of the printer
(L. 105/SF 91)
SOLD
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Untitled (SF-356) *
1992
Original lithograph in colors on Waterleaf paper
Hand-signed by the artist in pencil and numbered
30 x 46 ½ inches (76.2 x 117.5 cm), unframed
Edition of 50 + 7 AP
(Published by The Litho Shop, Santa Monica, CA, with their blind-stamp)
SOLD
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Untitled *
(From the Papierski Portfolio)
1984
Original lithograph in colors on B.F.K. Rives paper
Signed by the artist in pencil and numbered
30 x 22 inches (76.2 x 56 cm)
Edition of 50 + 10 AP
SOLD
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Untitled *
1993
Original lithograph in colors
Signed by the artist in pencil and numbered
42 ⅜ x 29 inches (107.6 x 73.7 cm)
Edition of 100
SOLD
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Untitled
(From the Pasadena Box portfolio)
1964
Original lithograph in colors
Signed by the artist in pencil, annotated “printer’s proof” in pencil
15 ½ x 22 ¾ inches (39.4 x 57.7 cm)
Unique printer’s proof outside of the edition of 100
(Lembark L66)
INQUIRE
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Untitled (SF-220) *
1976
Lithograph in colors
Signed by the artist in pencil and numbered
30 x 22 inches (76.2 x 56 cm)
Edition of 20
SOLD
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Untitled (SF-198) *
1975
Lithograph
Signed in pencil and numbered
27.5 x 30 inches (70 x 76.2 cm)
Edition of 30
SOLD
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Untitled (SF-238) *
1976
Original 2-color Lithograph
Signed by the artist in pencil, numbered
35 x 27 inches (89 x 68.5 cm)
Edition of 30
SOLD
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Untitled (SF-354) *
1992
Lithograph in colors on BFK Rives paper
Signed by the artist in pencil, and numbered
30 x 22 inches (76.3 x 56 cm)
Edition of 50 + AP + HC
SOLD
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Untitled (SF-202)
1976
Original 2-color lithograph
Signed by the artist in pencil, numbered
37 x 27 inches (94 x 68.5 cm)
Edition of 30
INQUIRE
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Untitled (L-177, SF-197) *
1975
Original lithograph
Signed by the artist in pencil, numbered
41 x 29 ½ inches (104 x 75 cm)
Edition 30
SOLD
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Untitled (SF-317) *
(from Michel Waldberg Poems)
1986
Original lithograph in colors on BFK Rives paper
29 1/2 x 22 inches (x 19 1/2 in (75 x 56 cm)
An unsigned proof outside of the edition
SOLD
Considered the foremost American expatriate in the Paris avant-garde of the 1950s, Sam Francis was born in San Mateo, California. In 1941 Francis enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, to study medicine, but joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943. Because of a spinal injury sustained during flight training, Francis spent most of his military life confined to a hospital bed. While recuperating, he began to paint in watercolors. David Park, who taught painting at the California School of Fine Arts (now the San Francisco Art Institute), visited Francis in the hospital, bringing with him paintings from a local private collection, including examples by Miró, Klee, and Picasso. Returning to Berkeley in 1948, Francis studied painting and earned a Master of Arts degree. He subsequently moved to Paris and enrolled briefly at the Académie Fernand Léger. Francis quickly became known in Europe; his first one-person exhibition opened in 1952 at the Galerie du Dragon, Paris, and his first museum show took place in 1955 at the Kunsthalle in Bern, Switzerland. American success soon followed.
Francis is loosely associated with the group of second-generation abstract expressionists, who during the 1950s reacted against the first generation by focusing on more expressive uses of color. Francis’s love of color stemmed from his time in Paris, where he immersed himself in the art of Monet, Bonnard, and Matisse; however, rather than commingle figuration and color as they did, Francis created large, luminous abstractions that were intended to envelop the viewer.
When Time magazine touted Francis in 1956 as the “hottest American painter in Paris,” his work came as a revelation to both artists and the public in America. Francis quickly took his place among the country’s leading abstract expressionists. Following this trend, just two years later Duncan Phillips mounted a show of Francis’s works, the artist’s first major exhibition in Washington, D.C. Paintings by Sam Francis are in the permanent collections of leading museums and cultural institutions worldwide.
Francis, Sam
1964 (from the Pasadena Box Portfolio) Original lithograph in colors on Kochi rice paper Signed in pencil, and designated "Artist Proof" 15 1/4 x 22 3/4 in. (38.7 x 57.8 cm), unframed Edition of 100 + Artist Proofs (Published by Pasadena Art Museum) SOLD
1991 (from Memorie de la Liberte portfolio) Original lithograph in colors on wove paper Signed in pencil, numbered 30 x 46 in. (76.3 x 118 cm), unframed Edition of 100 + 70 AP SOLD
1990 Original lithograph in colors Hand-signed by the artist in pencil and numbered 47 1/4 x 30 in. (120.7 x 76.2 cm) Edition of 50 SOLD
1987 Aquatint with chine colle Signed by the artist in pencil, and numbered 18 x 14 in (45.7 x 35.6 cm), unframed Edition of 9 (I.80; SFE 047) SOLD
1974 Original color lithograph on BFK Rives paper Signed in pencil, and numbered 22 1/4 x 39 in. (56.5 x 99.1 cm), unframed Edition of 100 (L-172) SOLD
1971 Original lithograph in colors on white wove paper Hand-signed by the artist in pencil and numbered 35 × 24 in. (89 × 61 cm.) Edition of 15 SOLD
1969 Original lithograph in six colors on wove paper Hand-signed and numbered in pencil, verso 35 x 25 in. (89 x 63.5 cm), unframed Edition of 20 With the embossed chop mark of the printer (L. 105/SF 91) SOLD
1992 Original lithograph in colors on Waterleaf paper Hand-signed by the artist in pencil and numbered 30 x 46 ½ inches (76.2 x 117.5 cm), unframed Edition of 50 + 7 AP (Published by The Litho Shop, Santa Monica, CA, with their blind-stamp) SOLD
(From the Papierski Portfolio) 1984 Original lithograph in colors on B.F.K. Rives paper Signed by the artist in pencil and numbered 30 x 22 inches (76.2 x 56 cm) Edition of 50 + 10 AP SOLD
1993 Original lithograph in colors Signed by the artist in pencil and numbered 42 ⅜ x 29 inches (107.6 x 73.7 cm) Edition of 100 SOLD
1976 Lithograph in colors Signed by the artist in pencil and numbered 30 x 22 inches (76.2 x 56 cm) Edition of 20 SOLD
1975 Lithograph Signed in pencil and numbered 27.5 x 30 inches (70 x 76.2 cm) Edition of 30 SOLD
1976 Original 2-color Lithograph Signed by the artist in pencil, numbered 35 x 27 inches (89 x 68.5 cm) Edition of 30 SOLD
1992 Lithograph in colors on BFK Rives paper Signed by the artist in pencil, and numbered 30 x 22 inches (76.3 x 56 cm) Edition of 50 + AP + HC SOLD
1975 Original lithograph Signed by the artist in pencil, numbered 41 x 29 ½ inches (104 x 75 cm) Edition 30 SOLD
(from Michel Waldberg Poems) 1986 Original lithograph in colors on BFK Rives paper 29 1/2 x 22 inches (x 19 1/2 in (75 x 56 cm) An unsigned proof outside of the edition SOLD
Francis is loosely associated with the group of second-generation abstract expressionists, who during the 1950s reacted against the first generation by focusing on more expressive uses of color. Francis’s love of color stemmed from his time in Paris, where he immersed himself in the art of Monet, Bonnard, and Matisse; however, rather than commingle figuration and color as they did, Francis created large, luminous abstractions that were intended to envelop the viewer.
When Time magazine touted Francis in 1956 as the “hottest American painter in Paris,” his work came as a revelation to both artists and the public in America. Francis quickly took his place among the country’s leading abstract expressionists. Following this trend, just two years later Duncan Phillips mounted a show of Francis’s works, the artist’s first major exhibition in Washington, D.C. Paintings by Sam Francis are in the permanent collections of leading museums and cultural institutions worldwide.