Catalogue Entry

The artwork was part of the Sam Francis Estate as of 1994 and subsequently with Martin Lawrence Galleries, New York and a private Philadelphia collection (2007–2021). 

Untitled has been illustrated and exhibited both vertically and horizontally, so either orientation was acceptable by the artist.

The artwork was part of the artist’s estate as of November 1994 and is documented as a unique monotype with the mixed media materials applied using a vacuum silkscreen process including LeFranc oils, dry pigments, and ink on paper. 

Francis created hundreds of unique monotypes in collaboration with Garner Tullis for over fifteen years, beginning in 1972 at the Institute of Experimental Printmaking (founded by Garner Tullis and his wife Ann McLaughlin (Tullis) in Santa Cruz). In 1976 it became the Experimental Workshop (EXP) with a relocation to San Francisco. Garner left the company in 1982 to develop his own studio, Garner Tullis Workshop (GTW), in Emeryville, California and Santa Barbara, before he moved to New York City. Ann McLaughlin continued to own and run the Experimental Workshop with Will Foo.

Richard Tullis has commented on the process: "...Sam would load sticky printing ink onto the silk screen, a piece of paper was put on the bed of the vacuum table, the screen was lowered and a vacuum applied. Sam would manipulate the colors between printings making these mono prints..."