Sam Francis

Sam Francis

Sam Francis is one of the major figures of twentieth century American Abstract Expressionism.

It is all the more surprising, then, that this will be the first ever UK retrospective for the artist. Broadbent and Robert Sandelson galleries will show a total of fifty paintings, making this the largest ever London exhibition of Francis’ work. Amongst the exhibits will be one of the rare early black paintings. Famously Francis sold his first work (a black painting) to Madame Matisse, setting the tone for a career that saw him gain international recognition, with works in ever major museum around the world.

Francis began his artistic journey flat on his back in a San Francisco hospital. Barely out of his teens, he contracted spinal tuberculosis during his time spent in the service as a World War II fighter pilot. He took up art, immediately gravitating towards non-objective painting as therapy.

Although originally trained in medicine and psychology, Francis turned to painting full-time and whilst following and absorbing the new message of New York based Abstract Expressionism, with particular reference to Pollock, he was drawn to Paris in 1950 and quickly achieved critical acclaim. His interest in Zen Buddhism gradually became a central element to his painting process and he spent the late 1950s in Japan. Thus the later works, with their thin paint texture and large void spaces, seem to be influenced by Oriental art.

Primarily interested in transforming different sensations of light onto canvas, Francis made his home in California in the 1960s, attracted by the quality of light there. Dripping, biomorphic shapes circulate freely around his canvases of this period, reflecting his interest in 'ceaseless instability.'

This retrospective comes at a key time as the Sam Francis Estate is winding up. Art market experts predict that with no more works will be released onto the market, Francis’ prices are set to rise. Richard Polsky in his Art Market Guide notes that Francis is one of the three most popular artists to collect, along with Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. It is no surprise, then, that a recent auction saw a second highest price record of $2.7m set for the artist.

View a selection of works in this exhibition

Sam Francis Home Page

Untitled, 1957

Untitled [Self Portrait], 1962

Untitled, 1966