The Creative Impulse: Post War Art in America

The Creative Impulse: Post War Art in America

CHRISTOPHER–CLARK FINE ART

CONTENTS WILLEM DE KOONING

4

FRANK STELLA

6

JOAN MITCHELL

18

JASPER JOHNS

20

HELEN FRANKENTHALER

22

SAM FRANCIS

30

JIM DINE

54

ROBERT MOTHERWELL

60

RICHARD DIEBENKORN

66

ROY LICHTENSTEIN

70

ALEX KATZ

78

ROBERT INDIANA

84

© Christopher Clark Fine Art 2022 All Rights Reserved.

Art Direction and Text by Mark Miles Layout and photography by Mike Bennewitz

FOREWORD The end of World War II ushered in a period of extraordinary creativity in art and a powerful shift to pure abstraction. Emerging from such a dark period, artists began to fully embrace the freedom of non-academic expression and to focus on the elements of pure line, form and color. It was an exhilarating time in which the center of the artistic universe shifted from Paris to New York, and the syncopated rhythms of jazz seemed to infuse art with an energy that was uniquely American.

That creative impulse extended not only to painting but printmaking as well, as artists began combining complex techniques to achieve stunning new effects.

Graphic works were made in ever increasing sizes as well, giving them a presence that rivaled original paintings, while elevating them to a much higher level of collectibility.

Although abstraction is often considered a hallmark of Post War art, there was also a strong urge to anchor its sometimes chaotic nature. That response led to a resurgence of the human form in art, as well as the embrace of popular culture, which blurred the line between fine and commercial art. Both Abstract Expressionism and the ensuing Pop movement had a profound effect on the evolution of art.

We hope you will enjoy our visual exploration of this remarkable time.

Mark Miles Director September 2022

WILLEM DE KOONING “I don’t paint to live, I live to paint.”

As one of the leading proponents of the Abstract Expressionist movement, Willem de Kooning was a major force in 20th century art. He arrived as a stowaway from the Netherlands in 1926 and quickly established himself as an artist of note. During the Great Depression, he was fortunate to find work with the WPA art project, which led to his inclusion in an important exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York when he was only 32. The artist’s first one-man exhibition occurred in 1948 and was a turning point in his career, as the critical acclaim it received generated tremendous interest. His powerful and highly gestural style propelled him to the upper strata of American art and into the collections of major institutions. In 1953, de Kooning created a major controversy with a return to figurative art. The unveiling of his “Women” series of paintings caught the art world by surprise, not only because of the subject matter, but the almost confrontational nature of the works. In spite of that, the Museum of Modern Art quickly acquired one. Though his personal life was turbulent, de Kooning’s impact on the evolution of modern art is inestimable. Since his death in 1997, the value of his paintings has increased exponentially, with an abstract landscape selling for $300 million in 2015 - one of the two highest prices ever paid for a work of art.

Museum collections include: Albright-Knox Gallery, Buffalo, NY, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada, Booklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA, Cincinnati Art Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art, Dallas Museum of Art, de Young Museum, San Francisco, Fogg Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC, Los Angeles County Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Musee National d’Art Moderne, Paris, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Russia, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Philadelphia Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, NewYork, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Tate Modern, London, The Art Institute of Chicago, The British Museum, London, The Metropolitan Museum, New York, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC

Untitled 1977 Original oil on newsprint , laid down on canvas 22 5/8 x 29 inches

FRANK STELLA “I don’t like to say I have given my life to art. I prefer to say art has given me my life.”

One of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Frank Stella’s presence continues to loom large today at the age of 86. As a young man, Stella entered the New York art scene on the heels of the great Abstract Expressionists such as de Kooning and Jackson Pollock, with the task of finding his own unique voice in their wake. His association with Jasper Johns, however, provided a clear path into developing his own style. His initial experiments in juxtaposing large areas of flat color transitioned into his use of geometric designs that became a hallmark of his work. His work on flat surfaces quickly led to large scale sculptural creations with tremendous visual impact. Stella became equally fascinated with printmaking and has used his restless genius to create extraordinary graphics. These multimedia prints, often featuring collage and hand painting, are unparalleled in their scale and bravado. In recent years, the Whitney Museum of American Art featured a major retrospective that celebrated his exceptional contributions and lasting influence.

Museum collections include: Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim and Whitney, New York, National Gallery of Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Art Institute of Chicago, Cleveland Museum of Art, Minneapolis Institute of the Arts, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art, Japan, Tate Gallery, London, the Kunstmuseum, Basel, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid.

The Battering Ram 1993 Original lithograph, etching, aquatint, relief, engraving, screenprint and collograph on handmade paper

59 5/8 x 35 5/8 inches

The Pacific, from The Waves 1989 Original screenprint, lithograph, linocut with hand-coloring, marbling and collage on paper

75 x 54 5/8 inches

The Great Heidelburgh Tun 1988 Original screenprint, lithograph and linocut with collage and hand-coloring 74 3/8 x 54 1/2 inches

Hark! 1989 Original screenprint, lithograph, linocut in colors, with hand-coloring, marbling and collage on papers 73 1/2 x 52 3/4 inches

La Penna di Hu 1988 Original relief, etching, woodcut, screenprint and stencil in colors on handmade paper, with hand-coloring added 55 1/2 x 66 inches

Shards V 1982 Original lithograph and screenprint in colors on Arches Cover paper 39 3/4 x 45 1/4 inches

Imola Five II 1983 Original relief, engraving, and woodcut printed in colors on hand-made paper, with hand-coloring added 66 x 49 inches

Roncador 1998 Original lithograph, screenprint, etching and relief printed in 71 runs from 26 aluminum plates, 6 screens and one assembled plate made from 20 irregularly shaped plates (10 copper, 10 magnesium) on handmade paper 21 3/8 x 21 7/8 inches

Eusapia 1998 Original lithograph, screenprint, etching and relief printed in 30 runs from 25 aluminum plates, 2 screens and one assembled plate made from 32 irregularly shaped plates (6 copper, 26 magnesium) on handmade paper 21 3/4 x 21 3/4 inches

Untitled 1966 Original graphite and colored pencil drawing on graph paper 8 1/2 x 11 inches

JOAN MITCHELL “When I am working, I am only aware of the canvas and what it tells me to do.”

With a career that spanned four decades, Joan Mitchell was an internationally acclaimed artist whose voice was clearly heard amidst the clamor of so many dominant male artists of the day. Her early training at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago led to her receiving a fellowship that sent her to France to work for a year. Upon her return, she settled in New York, where she soon became known as one of the leading Abstract Expressionists. Her paintings, though abstract, were highly influenced by nature, which was a key source of her inspiration. Her unique style and creative vision led to critical success both in America and Europe, with exhibitions in leading galleries and museums on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1982, Mitchell was the first female artist from America to be given a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art In Paris, which was followed six years later with a major retrospective that toured several museums throughout the U.S. Her storied career included the receipt of numerous major awards and the inclusion of her art in prestigious private and public collections worldwide.

Most recently, Mitchell’s impressive career was the focus of a major exhibition co-organized by the Baltimore Museum of Art and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Museum collections include: Addison Gallery of American Art, Massachusetts, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY, Anderson Collection at Stanford University, California, Art Institute of Chicago, Berkeley Art Museum, University of California, Butler Institute of American Art, Ohio, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pennsylvania, Centre Pompidou, France, Cleveland Museum of Art, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Arkansas, Dallas Museum of Art, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC, Indianapolis Museum of Art, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Missouri, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Milwaukee Art Museum, Minnesota Museum of American Art, Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal, Canada, Museu Coleção Berardo, Lisbon, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Japan, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, National Gallery of Australia Canberra, National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Saint Louis Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Art, Seattle Art Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC, Metropolitan Museum, Museum of Modern Art and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, The Tate Gallery, London, Walker Art Center, Minnesota, Yale University Art Gallery, Connecticut.

Tree II 1992 Original lithograph printed in colors on wove paper 24 1/2 x 20 inches

JASPER JOHNS “To be an artist you have to give up everything, including the desire to be a good artist.”

A leading figure of both the Abstract Expressionist and Pop movements, Jasper Johns is widely celebrated as one of the most innovative artists of our time. Born in 1930 in Augusta, Georgia, he moved to New York in the early 1950s, where he began exploring abstraction and the use of unconventional materials. By chance, he discovered the “readymades” of Marcel Duchamp and was intrigued by the idea of using found objects in his art. He was also fascinated with the concept of taking common items such as targets, flags and maps and elevating them as the subject matter for his art. When Johns was only 28 years old, the Museum of Modern Art in New York purchased three works from his first exhibition at the Leo Castelli gallery, which provided impetus for other museums and major galleries to seek out his work. He became a master of all media, moving freely between painting, sculpture, and printmaking. In fact, today he is considered one of the most important printmakers in history. At the age of 92, Johns has had a career spanning six decades and can truly be classified as a living legend.

He is a recipient of the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Museum collections include: Art Institute of Chicago, Broad Art Foundation, Los Angeles, Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, Dallas Museum of Art , Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Harvard University Art Museums, Massachusetts, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Solomon R Guggenheim Museum, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, Museum of Modern Art, New York, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Menil Collection, Houston, National Gallery of Art and Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Seattle Art Museum, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Museo de Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Italy, Tate Gallery, London, Städel Museum, Germany.

Untitled

1977 Original screenprint on wove paper 24 x 19 inches

Scent 1975-76 Original lithograph, linocut and woodcut printed in four colors from four aluminum plates, four linoleum blocks and four woodblocks on heavy hand-made wove paper 31 1/4 x 47 inches

HELEN FRANKENTHALER “Art has a will of its own. It has nothing to do with the taste of the moment or what’s expected of you.”

One of the most celebrated artists of the Post War period, Helen Frankenthaler’s career spanned sixty years. Born in 1928 and raised in New York City, she studied with such preeminent figures as Rufino Tamayo and Hans Hofmann. Frankenthaler’s art became an important bridge between the raw energy of Abstract Expressionism and the more restrained and elegant Color Field movement. One of her greatest innovations was the soak-stain technique, in which she used paint thinner to give her oils the consistency of watercolor. Armed with brushes, rollers and sponges, she would apply the diluted paint to raw canvas and allow the color to soak in. The fluidity of that technique extended to her printmaking as well, resulting in a body of work that is considered of equal importance to her paintings. Imbued with luminous color and an elegant spontaneity, Frankenthaler’s original prints and monotypes are among the most painterly ever created. Whether working on canvas or printing on paper, Frankenthaler raised the standards. Her highly impressive oeuvre is a testament to her tremendous artistry, for which she received numerous awards, including the prestigious National Medal of Arts in 2001. Frankenthaler’s death in 2011 was the closing of an important chapter in American art.

Museum collections include: Art Institute of Chicago, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Fine Art, Boston, Metropolitan Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, and Museum of Modern Art, New York, National Gallery of Art, Hirshhorn Museum, Phillips Collection and Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Centre Pompidou, Paris.

Monotype XVIII 1991 Unique monotype printed in colors from one woodblock with hand additions on hand-made paper 25 1/2 x 38 1/2 inches

Untitled 1970 Original gouache on paper 13 5/8 x 11 inches

Reflections X 1995 Original lithograph printed in five colors on mould-made wove paper 19 x 16 inches

Lilac Sweep 2003-06 Original lithograph printed in colors on wove paper 22 1/4 x 27 1/4 inches

Aerie 2009 Original screenprint in 93 colors on wove paper 29 x 38 inches

Solar Imp 2001 Original screenprint in 35 colors on textured Rag wove paper 39 1/4 x 29 5/8 inches

Southern Exposure 2005 Original screenprint in 51 colors on wove paper 30 1/2 x 37 1/8 inches

SAM FRANCIS “Painting is about the beauty of space and the power of containment.”

With keen insight into the powerful currents driving 20th century art, Sam Francis was able to incorporate the best elements of Abstract Expressionism and Color Field painting into his bold and colorful compositions. Born in San Mateo, California in 1923, he first began painting after an injury sustained in World War II. After receiving a degree in art from Cal Berkeley, Francis began moving around the world in order to immerse himself in different cultures and traditions - all of which informed his art. This broader perspective enriched his paintings and printmaking and led to Francis gaining an international following for his art. His first solo exhibition was in Paris in 1952, followed by exhibitions in numerous institutions, from the Pasadena Art Museum in 1959, to the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Museum of Modern Art in Japan. In later years, Francis focused even greater attention on his printmaking - so much so, that in 1973 he opened a lithography production company in Los Angeles.

The works produced there were of extremely high quality and are included in numerous public and private collections. Francis continued to create art until his death in 1994.

Museum collections include: Art Institute of Chicago, Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, MA, Akron Art Museum, Ohio, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Brooklyn Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, Dallas Museum of Art, Fine Art Museums of San Francisco, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, National Gallery of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Hirshhorn Museum and Phillips Collection, Washington, DC, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana, Kunstmuseum, Basel, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Musée des Beaux-Arts of Montreal, Musee des Beaux-Arts of Rennes, France, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Seattle Art Museum, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Tate Gallery, London, The Albertina, Vienna, Walker Art Center, Minnesota.

Untitled (SFM83-471) 1983 Unique monotype with dry pigment, ink, and oils in colors on mid-weight hand-made paper 25 x 31 1/2 inches

Untitled (Cross in Colors – SF79-917) 1980 Original acrylic on paper 13 3/4 x 19 1/8 inches

Diamond (SF78-1198) 1978 Original acrylic on wove paper 16 15/16 x 13 3/4 inches

Untitled (SF-344) 1990 Original lithograph printed in 5 colors on wove paper 46 1/4 x 30 inches

Untitled (SF-343) 1990 Original lithograph printed in 6 colors on wove paper

46 1/2 x 30 inches

UNTITLED (SFE-092) 1993 Original aquatint printed in 19 colors from steel-faced copper plates on wove paper 24 1/4 x 19 5/8 inches

Untitled (SFE-091) 1993 Original aquatint printed in 16 colors from steel-faced copper plates on wove paper 24 1/4 x 17 3/8 inches

The Five Continents in Summertime (one of five plates; SFE-020) 1984 Original aquatint printed in colors on wove paper 27 5/8 x 12 inches

Untitled (SF-128C) 1972 Original lithograph printed in colors on wove paper 31 1/8 x 19 1/2 inches

Another Footprint 1971 Original lithograph printed in colors from four aluminum plates on wove paper 25 x 35 1/2 inches

Her Wet White Nothing 1971 Original lithograph printed in colors on wove paper

25 1/16 x 35 1/2 inches

A Sail 1969 Original lithograph printed in six colors on wove paper

22 x 30 inches

Yea 1989 Original acrylic on hardback book cover 10 3/8 x 8 3/8 inches

And Pink (SF-143) 1973 Original lithograph printed in colors on wove paper 18 x 26 inches

Untitled Yellow (SFE-081RC) 1992 Original etching in colors, on wove paper 36 1/8 x 39 1/2 inches

Green Coral (SFE-5A) 1973 Original etching and aquatint printed in two colors on wove paper 27 1/2 x 39 inches

Untitled (SF78-127) 1978-79 Original acrylic on paper 23 3/4 x 17 3/4 inches

Concert Hall Set III 1977 Original lithograph printed in 6 colors on wove paper 29 1/2 x 40 3/4 inches

Concert Hall Set I 1977 Original lithograph printed in five colors on wove paper 22 x 17 1/2 inches

And Pink (SF-143) 1973 Original lithograph printed in colors on wove paper 27 1/2 x 41 3/8 inches

Trietto III 1991 Original aquatint printed in 11 colors on wove paper 38 1/4 x 53 1/8 inches

Untitled (SF-341) 1989 Original lithograph printed on wove paper 46 1/4 x 29 7/8 inches

Untitled (SFE-073 RC) 1973 Original etching and aquatint printed in two colors on wove paper 36 1/4 x 43 3/4 inches

JIM DINE “My life is really a history of observing forms and taking in imagery.”

Often considered a Pop artist, Jim Dine was born in Cincinnati in 1935. His rapid ascent to international fame in the 60s became inextricably linked to the Pop movement, though the artist didn’t feel aligned with its celebration of consumer culture. After moving to New York in 1958, he was first involved with performance art that became known as “Happenings,” though he soon began focusing on drawing and painting. For his subject matter, he frequently chose very personal icons - from tools, which were a visual nod to his grandfather’s hardware store, to bathrobes, hearts, and the Venus de Milo. Elevating the subject matter with his virtuosic skills as a painter, printmaker, sculptor, was a way of animating the inanimate and imbuing them with a strong life force. So striking were his creations, that they quickly found their way into prestigious collections worldwide. More recently, Dine has added the character of Pinocchio to his art, along with self portraits, flowers, birds, and skulls, all rendered with exceptional skill and care. Dine has been the subject of more than 300 solo exhibitions during his career, including retrospectives at the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. The artist, now 87 years old, has enjoyed a remarkable career spanning six decades.

Museum collections include: Art Institute of Chicago, Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, MA, Akron Art Museum, Ohio, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, Birmingham Museum, United Kingdom,Cincinnati Art Museum, Ohio, Cleveland Museum of Art, Dallas Museum of Art, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Guggenheim Bilbao, Spain, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum and Museum of Modern Art, New York, National Gallery of Art, Hirshhorn Museum and Smithsonian Museum, Washington, DC, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Minneapolis Institute off Arts, National Gallery of Victoria, Australia, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Princeton University Art Museum, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Tate Gallery and The British Museum, London, Water Art Center, Minnesota.

Bessamer 2018 Original acrylic and sand on linen

48 x 42 1/2 inches

The Hand-Colored Viennese Hearts II 1990 Original screenprint, soft-ground etching and aquatint in colors on paper, with hand-coloring added 47 x 36 1/8 inches

The Hand-Colored Viennese Hearts VI 1990 Original screenprint, soft-ground etching and aquatint in colors on paper, with hand-coloring added 47 x 36 1/4 inches

Behind the Thicket 1993 Original woodcut, etching, spit-bite aquatint and soft-ground etching printed in colors on wove paper, with extensive hand-coloring in acrylic added 19 3/4 x 27 inches

Yellow Enamel 2006 Original wood engraving, acrylic and pencil elements, with scraping, in colors on wove paper 63 x 47 1/4 inches

ROBERT MOTHERWELL “Art is an experience, not an object.”

One of the only Abstract Expressionists to be largely self taught, Robert Motherwell became a leading figure in the movement. Born in 1915, he showed a strong aptitude for art at an early age; however, he didn’t seriously pursue it until his mid-twenties. Establishing himself in record time, he had his first solo exhibition at only 29 at Peggy Guggenheim’s prestigious Art of This Century gallery. Two years later, he was included in an important group exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Motherwell is known for a style in which he juxtaposed bold colors and simple forms, all applied with expressive brushwork. There was a powerful simplicity to his compositions, both in painting and printmaking, that elicited a visceral response in viewers. Through abstraction, Motherwell found a way to comment on the human condition, never more so than in the 140 paintings he created as a response to the Spanish Civil War. Printmaking was another important avenue for the artist, with similar themes appearing in his large body of graphic work. The artist’s wife, Hellen Frankenthaler, was equally enthralled with printmaking, which allowed them to share their ideas and inspiration in a remarkable dialogue. Motherwell’s contributions to 20th century art were acknowledged with numerous awards, including the National Medal of Arts, and his impact continues to be felt today.

Museum collections include: Art Institute of Chicago, Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, Dallas Museum of Art, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Guggenheim Bilbao, Spain, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum and Museum of Modern Art, New York, Harvard University Art Museums, Massachusetts, Huntington Library, California, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, National Gallery of Art, The Phillips Collection, Smithsonian American Art Museum and Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museu d’Art Contemporary de Barcelona, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Princeton University Art Museum, New Jersey, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Reina Sofia National Museum, Madrid, Tate Gallery, London, Walker Art Center, Minnesota.

Redness of Red 1985 Original lithograph, screenprint and collage printed in 10 colors (including 1 colored paper) on mould-made paper and red handmade paper 24 x 16 inches

Red Sea III 1983 Original aquatint, lift-ground etching and aquatint printed in two colors on handmade paper 35 5/8 x 18 3/8 inches

Black Mountain (State II Red) 1983 Original aquatint, lift-ground etching and aquatint printed in 2 colors on handmade paper

24 1/4 x 31 in

Untitled 1975 Unique monotype in purple and black acrylic on paper 30 1/4 x 22 1/2 inches

Signs on Copper 1981 Original aquatint and lift-ground etching printed in colors on German etching paper 26 3/4 x 31 3/4 inches

RICHARD DIEBENKORN “Attempt what is not certain.”

Although New York was the epicenter of mid-century art in America, there was tremendous innovation occurring on the west coast as well. One of the most important artists to emerge was Richard Diebenkorn, whose distinctive take on figurative painting and abstract landscapes helped to shift the gaze of the art world toward California. Diebenkorn was born in 1922 and spent his formative years in San Francisco.

After studying art history and painting at Stanford University, he later received a fellowship that took him across the country to New York. Upon his return in 1947, Diebenkorn continued to paint primarily abstract compositions, though he made an abrupt change in 1955 to more traditional subject matter: figures, still lifes, and landscapes. It was this body of work that garnered a great deal of attention and led to his paintings being exhibited in New York. In 1966, Diebenkorn began teaching art at UCLA in Los Angeles, while also painting in a studio he leased in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica.

The paintings produced there are among his greatest masterworks and were quickly recognized as such by major collectors and museums. Although noted for his exceptional paintings, Diebenkorn also took printmaking very seriously and produced a number of superb graphics. Whether related to the Ocean Park subject matter, a series known as “Clubs and Spades,” or pure abstractions, his graphic oeuvre was highly celebrated. Since the artist’s death in 1993, the recognition of his considerable accomplishments has led to the inclusion of his paintings, drawings, and original prints in numerous museums throughout the world.

Museum collections include: Akron Art Museum, Ohio, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Art Institute of Chicago, Baltimore Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA, Cincinnati Art Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, Dallas Museum of Art, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Fogg Museum, Cambridge, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Modern Art Museum of Forth Worth, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Museum of Modern Art, New York, Museum Reinhard Ernst, Wiesbaden, Germany, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, Oakland Museum of California, Philadelphia Museum of Art, San Francis of Museum of Modern Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art and the Metropolitan Museum, New York, The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC.

Folsom Street Variations II (Grey) 1986 Original aquatint with drypoint, soap ground aquatint and flat bite on wove paper bearing the “RIVES” block letter watermark 26 3/4 x 29 7/8 inches

Construct (Red) 1980 Original soft-ground etching with spit bite aquatint printed in colors on wove paper 27 5/8 x 19 11/16 inches

Untitled (from Club/Spade Group ’81-82) 1982 Original lithograph printed in 6 colors on wove paper 40 x 27 inches

ROY LICHTENSTEIN “All my art is in some way about other art, even if the other art is cartoons.”

Considered the quintessential Pop artist, Roy Lichtenstein was one of the most celebrated figures of the 20th century. By mimicking the brash style of everyday comics, but treating the subject matter as something suitable for fine art, he boldly bridged a chasm that changed the direction of contemporary art. Lichtenstein was born in New York in 1923 and was exposed to the arts on a regular basis. His interest in creating art became a driving force, though that momentum was interrupted when he was drafted in 1943. Following the war, and after completing a master’s degree in art, Lichtenstein began experimenting with a variety of imagery in an effort to find his own voice. He found great delight in spoofing traditional art that had fallen from favor, as well as featuring common items such as gears and motors in his art. By elevating the ordinary, Lichtenstein was both poking fun at the art establishment and looking more carefully at the the items that surround us each day. By the early 1960s, he began to fully embrace the concept of appropriating comic book imagery and skillfully mimicking the style, including the use of Benday dots to create variations of color and texture. His first major show was at the Leo Castelli Gallery in 1982, with every painting in the exhibition selling. Soon after, major museums began acquiring his work for its cheeky bravado. Lichtenstein not only focused on painting, but sculpture and printmaking, and his subject matter expanded to include playful nods to Cubism and Surrealism, as well as his own unique spin on traditional subject. At the time of his death in 1997, Lichtenstein left in his wake a tremendous body of work that altered the course of 20th century art.

Museum collections include: Art Institute of Chicago, Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, Dallas Museum of Art, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Guggenheim Bilbao, Spain, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum and Museum of Modern Art, New York, Harvard University Art Museums, Massachusetts, Kunstmueum, Basel, Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, National Gallery of Art, The Phillips Collection, Smithsonian American Art Museum and Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Princeton University Art Museum, New Jersey, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Reina Sofia National Museum, Madrid, Tate Gallery, London, Walker Art Center, Minnesota.

Two Paintings: Dagwood 1984 Original woodcut and lithograph printed in 14 colors on wove paper 53 3/4 x 39 inches

Bull Profile Series 1973 27 x 35 inches each

Panels I-III

Bull Profile Series 1973 27 x 35 inches each

Panels IV-VI

Shipboard Girl 1965 Offset lithograph printed in four colors on wove paper 27 1/8 x 20 1/4 inches

Sunrise 1965 Offset lithograph printed in three colors on lightweight wove paper 18 5/16 x 24 5/16 inches

Cow Going Abstract (Cow Tryptich) 1982 Set of three screenprints in colors on wove paper 26 x 30 3/4 inches

Composition I 1996 Original screenprint in 8 colors in 8 runs from 8 screens on wove watercolor paper

47 11/16 x 34 11/16 inches

ALEX KATZ “I like to make an image that is so simple you can’t avoid it, and so complicated you can’t figure it out.”

Moving against the strong current of Abstract Expressionism, Alex Katz banded together with other like-minded artists in the 1950s to bring the human form back into mainstream art. He was born in Brooklyn in 1927 and became obsessed with art an early age. He had his first solo exhibition in New York at only 27 and was soon afforded the luxury of being able to paint throughout the day. His fascination with figurative art eventually shifted to portraiture, with friends and family becoming his models of choice. His greatest muse, however, was his wife Ada, who became a constant source of inspiration.

Katz created an instantly recognizable style in which he rendered his subjects in a deceptively simple fashion. His use of solid contrasting colors in the background became a hallmark of his paintings, as well as his closely cropped faces against the monochromatic backgrounds. The elegant simplicity of his paintings transferred to his printmaking as well, and Katz began using techniques such as woodcut, silkscreen, and lithography to great effect. His subject matter has expanded though the years to include large landscapes, night scenes, and flowers, and more recently, his Coca Cola Girl series. During his long and prestigious career, Katz has been honored with over 250 solo exhibitions at leading museums throughout the world and at the age of 95, continues to create today.

Museum collections include: Albright-Knox Museum, Buffalo, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Brooklyn Museum, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Colby Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, Des Moines Art Center, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Milwaukee Art Museum, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Wadsworth Athenaeum, Hartford, and The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. the Bayerische Museum, Germany, Fondation Louis Vuitton,, France, Israel Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Japan, Berardo Collection, Portugal, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Spain, the Nationalgalerie, Germany, The Tate, England, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza, Spain.

Ruth (from Black Dress series) 2015 Screenprint in colors on 425 gsm paper 80 x 30 inches

Yellow Flags 3 2020 Archival Pigment Print 315 gsm fine art paper 33 x 22 inches

Yellow Tulips 2014 Original screenprint in 14 colors on museum board 48 x 77 inches

Coca-Cola Girl 9 2019 Original screenprint in 26 colors on 425 gsm wove paper 26 x 102 inches

ROBERT INDIANA “Some people like to paint trees. I like to paint love.

I find it more meaningful than painting trees.”

The art of Robert Indiana is among the most iconic of the Pop movement. His bold creations, energized with contrasting colors, resulted in powerful images that demanded attention. The artist, whose last name was actually Clark, was born in Indiana in 1928. After studying at the Art Institute of Chicago and in Europe, Indiana arrived in New York in 1956. He became fascinated with advertising and its effect on consumer culture, which led to his use of colorful graphics that were layered with words and numbers.

The strength of his imagery, and its immediate impact, created tremendous interest in Indiana’s work.

He moved to the forefront of the Pop movement and was soon being featured in exhibitions at leading galleries and museums, including the Museum of Modern Art. It was that institution’s use of his painting “LOVE” for their 1965 Christmas card, as well as it being used on a stamp issued by the United States Postal Service, that expanded his popularity dramatically. With the creation of his twelve-foot high “LOVE” sculpture for the Indianapolis Museum in Indiana, his design reached its ultimate expression.

In addition to painting and sculpting, Indiana found a perfect vehicle for his art in printmaking. He produced a number of original prints through the years, including his very famous “Hope” series that was used as a fundraiser for Obama’s 2088 presidential campaign. Indiana’s art has been the subject of numerous major exhibitions worldwide, and following his passing in 2018, the scope of his tremendous contributions is now fully realized.

Museum collections include: Albright-Knox Museum, Buffalo, NY, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada, Art Institute of Chicago, Baltimore Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Detroit Institute of Arts, Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Kunsthalle Weishaupt, Ulm, Germany, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Milwaukee Art Museum, Minneapolis Art Museum, Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien, Vienna, Museum Forwent, Essen, Germany, Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany, Nationalgalerie, Berlin, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, Philadelphia Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Tate Modern, London, Tel-Aviv Museum of Art, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, The Menil Collection, Houston, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Tokyo Art Museum, Japan, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.

Die Deutsche Liebe 1997 Original screenprint in three colors on wove paper 22 x 17 inches

Four Seasons of Hope: Spring (Silver) 2012 Original screenprint in colors on wove paper 35 1/4 x 29 1/2 inches

Four Seasons of Hope: Summer (Silver) 2012 Original screenprint in colors on wove paper 35 1/4 x 29 1/2 inches

Four Seasons of Hope: Autumn (Silver) 2012 Original screenprint in colors on wove paper 35 1/4 x 29 1/2 inches

Four Seasons of Hope: Winter (Silver) 2012 Original screenprint in colors on wove paper 35 1/4 x 29 1/2 inches

CHRISTOPHER–CLARK FINE ART 377 Geary Street

San Francisco

CLARKFINEART.COM

415.397.7781