Untitled

Untitled

Sam Francis

1984

oil

From the collection of Museum of Modern Art

About this work

This painting is a wild mix of colors and shapes. Bright blues fill most of the space, like water or sky, while bold reds, yellows, and greens slice through it in jagged lines. Some areas look wet or splattered, with thick paint marks and rough edges. Tiny black dots and thin lines add texture, almost like a storm or a swirl of energy. The paint isn’t smooth—it’s layered and messy, with some parts looking almost torn. The artist used woodcut techniques, which usually means carving into wood, but here it’s mixed with oil and raw pigments for extra texture. Check out impasto to see how thick paint can change a painting’s feel.

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