
Isabel Norsten
Specialist, Head of Sale
Sold for US$89,400 inc. premium
Our Post-War and Contemporary Art specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistSpecialist, Head of Sale
Head of Department, Post-War & Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
Cataloguer
Provenance
Estate of the Artist, California
Ace Gallery, Los Angeles
Private Collection, Los Angeles (acquired directly from the above)
Sale: Bonhams, New York, Post-War & Contemporary Art, 1 July 2020, lot 16
Acquired from the above sale by the present owner
Exhibited
Santa Monica, James Corcoran Gallery, Sam Francis: Edge Paintings, 1991, no. 8, illustrated in color
Los Angeles, Ace Gallery, Sam Francis: Edge Paintings, 2003
Literature
Burchett-Lere, Debra, Ed., Sam Francis: Catalogue Raisonné of Canvas and Panel Paintings, 1946–1994, Berkeley 2011, no. 508, illustrated in color on DVD I
Burchett-Lere, Debra, Ed., Sam Francis: Unique Works on Paper and Expanded Version of Canvas and Panel Paintings from the online Catalogue Raisonné Project, included as number SFP68-58, illustrated
In the context of the theme "Instructions for a Memory Device," Sam Francis's post-war art piece Untitled (SFP68-58) takes on a distinctive role as a catalyst for evolving definitions. His abstract expressionist and color field paintings become instructions etched into the collective memory device of the Art World. Over time, the dynamic interplay of form and color in Francis' works serves as a visual guide, transforming interpretations with each passing era. Much like a memory device capturing varied perspectives, Francis navigates through shifting definitions, offering viewers a rich tapestry of meaning.