Sam Francis

We authenticate, certify, issue certificates of authenticity (COA), appraise the value and broker the sale of paintings and drawings by Sam FRANCIS.

American

Born: 1923, San Mateo, California, USA.

Died: 1994, Santa Monica, California, USA, aged 70.

He spent most of his life in the United States, particularly in California, but also lived and worked in Japan, France, and other parts of Europe. His time abroad, particularly in Paris during the 1950s, had a significant influence on his work, exposing him to European modernism and the post-war avant-garde movements.

Typical Subject Matter:

He typically painted abstract works, often using colour fields, dynamic brushstrokes, and gestures to evoke emotional intensity. His subject matter was primarily non-representational, focusing on the exploration of colour, light, and space. Francis also painted figurative works earlier in his career, but his most iconic pieces are abstract compositions.

In addition to painting, he extensively worked as a printmaker, producing lithographs, screen-prints, and etchings. His printmaking allowed him to explore the same themes of abstraction and the physicality of paint through different media, expanding his experimentation with form and texture.

Typical Style:

He is renowned for his vibrant, energetic style that bridges Abstract Expressionism and Colour Field painting. Visually, his works are characterized by large, sweeping fields of colour, in a dialogue with bold, expressive brushstrokes or drips. Francis’s use of colour is central to his work, and he employed vivid, saturated hues. His abstract compositions often evoke a sense of movement, rhythm, and spontaneity. His mastery of colour was evident in his free-flowing application of paint, creating depth through layers and translucency.

Francis’s paintings often convey a sense of lightness and fluidity. His brushstrokes range from delicate, almost transparent washes to thick, impassioned strokes, allowing him to create a sense of depth, texture, and space.

Typical Material and Media:

Sam Francis mostly worked with oil on canvas, using both large canvases and smaller ones. He also worked in ink and watercolour on paper, often producing works that exhibited a more delicate, fluid quality. He also occasionally worked on silk.

If you own a painting or a drawing by or attributed to Sam Francis, we would like to learn about it. Please send us photos or contact us at [email protected]. You will generally receive a response within 24 hours.