Lithograph in colors on Arches paper
- Signed, dated and numbered
- Published by Tyler Graphics, Mount Kisco, New York
Helen Frankenthaler’s Ochre Dust (1987) is a stunning lithograph that exemplifies her mastery of gestural abstraction and color field painting. Created in collaboration with Tyler Graphics Ltd., the work features fluid, sweeping black brushstrokes that flow across the surface of Arches paper, creating a sense of depth and organic movement. The composition is punctuated by delicate linear elements and subtle earth-toned washes, which enhance the tactile quality of the piece. The raw energy and spontaneity of the brushwork reflect Frankenthaler’s signature soak-stain technique, adapted here for lithography. As part of a rare limited edition of 44, Ochre Dust is a testament to her innovative approach to printmaking and her ability to capture both bold expression and delicate nuance within a single composition.
Helen Frankenthaler (USA, 1928–2011) was a leading abstract painter and a pioneer of the Color Field movement. Known for her innovative 'soak-stain' technique, she applied diluted paint directly onto unprimed canvases, creating luminous, fluid compositions that redefined modern abstraction.
Lithograph Lithography is a printing method based on the principle that water and oil do not mix. It can be used to print artwork or text onto paper or other suitable materials. Traditionally, an image was drawn with wax, fat, or oil onto a lithographic limestone surface or plate. Today, metal plates and other surfaces are also used in lithographic printing.
Lithograph in colors on Arches paper
- Signed, dated and numbered
- Published by Tyler Graphics, Mount Kisco, New York
Helen Frankenthaler’s Ochre Dust (1987) is a stunning lithograph that exemplifies her mastery of gestural abstraction and color field painting. Created in collaboration with Tyler Graphics Ltd., the work features fluid, sweeping black brushstrokes that flow across the surface of Arches paper, creating a sense of depth and organic movement. The composition is punctuated by delicate linear elements and subtle earth-toned washes, which enhance the tactile quality of the piece. The raw energy and spontaneity of the brushwork reflect Frankenthaler’s signature soak-stain technique, adapted here for lithography. As part of a rare limited edition of 44, Ochre Dust is a testament to her innovative approach to printmaking and her ability to capture both bold expression and delicate nuance within a single composition.
Helen Frankenthaler (USA, 1928–2011) was a leading abstract painter and a pioneer of the Color Field movement. Known for her innovative 'soak-stain' technique, she applied diluted paint directly onto unprimed canvases, creating luminous, fluid compositions that redefined modern abstraction.
A really good picture looks as if it's happened at once. It's an immediate image.
- Helen Frankenthaler
Initially creating in the style of abstract expressionism before going on to pioneer the Colour Field movement, Helen Frankenthaler was an iconic, highly influential artist with work spanning across the mediums of painting, sculpture and printmaking. Frankenthaler was initially recognised for her colour-stain technique – the practice of applying heavily diluted oil paint onto an unprimed canvas that had been lay flat on the floor; the practice of laying the canvas flat was inspired by Jackson Pollock. Frankenthaler drew a lot of her inspiration from nature – her works would analyse natural forms and recreate them on the canvas – this, as well as the technique of laying the canvas flat, is exemplified in her most notable painting, Mountains and Sea. Asides from these paintings, Frankenthaler also received acclaim for her printmaking – Madame Butterfly is her most recognised print and was created with the use of 46 woodblocks and a range of 102 different colours. (Artist website)
Lyrical abstraction is a descriptive term characterizing a type of abstract painting closely related to Abstract Expressionism, in use from the 1940s to the present. The term can also describe two distinct but related trends in post-World War II modernist painting. This art movement originated in Paris, France, after the war, emphasizing personal expression, spontaneity, and the emotional use of color and form.