Untitled (from Pasadena Box) - Sam Francis

A dynamic lithograph from the 1966 Pasadena Box series by Sam Francis, featuring fluid, organic forms and a saturated colour palette.

This lithograph belongs to the Pasadena Box, a collection of prints produced by Sam Francis in 1966. Francis, an American painter associated with the second generation of Abstract Expressionism, spent significant periods in Paris, Tokyo, and California. His work often reflects a synthesis of these diverse cultural influences, particularly the spatial concepts found in Japanese calligraphy and the gestural freedom of American action painting.

The composition features a series of organic, amoebic forms that float across the paper surface. These shapes are defined by fluid, saturated colour fields, primarily in shades of blue, orange, and green. The artist employs a technique of layering and dripping, which creates a sense of movement and spontaneity. Unlike the dense, all-over compositions of some of his contemporaries, this work maintains a degree of openness, allowing the white ground of the paper to function as an active element within the visual field.

Francis was known for his interest in the physical properties of paint and ink. In his printmaking, he sought to replicate the luminosity and transparency he achieved in his canvases. The Pasadena Box series demonstrates his technical proficiency in lithography, using the medium to explore the interaction between colour and light. The forms appear to hover, suggesting a weightless quality that is characteristic of his mature style. By focusing on the interplay of shape and hue, the artist invites the viewer to engage with the work on a purely sensory level, free from representational constraints. This print captures the energy and experimental spirit of mid-century American abstraction, providing a clear example of Francis's approach to colour and space.