Synopsis:
A long overdue monograph on the paintings of internationally acclaimed abstract expressionist Sam Francis. Five years after the artist's death comes this critical and in-depth look by art historian William Agee centering on Francis's vision as painted on canvas and paper and bringing to light many works that have never before been reproduced. Agee brings into focus the achievements of this important American painter. A stunningly designed and produced publication and a must for followers of this great artist. Dimension: 12 x 12 inches, 86 color plates, 50 color and b&w reproductions.

From Library Journal:
This catalog accompanies a posthumous landmark exhibition of Sam Francis's paintings at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and spans virtually his entire output. Francis, a West Coast second-generation abstract expressionist, discovered painting in his early twenties while convalescing from a botched training flight as a pilot during World War II. Agee, a prolific author of books on 20th-century art in America who organized the exhibition, explores Francis's power to transform his beliefs into stunning, luminous imagery. Francis considered himself an internationalist, working and maintaining studios in Paris, Japan, and California. In 1948 he was influenced by the paintings of Clifford Still and Mark Rothko, who taught briefly at the California Institute of Fine Arts. The dazzling full-color plates in the book's second section reveal Francis's unique perspective, and an important and informative chronology covers the depth of his life experiences. Highly recommended.AEllen Bates, New York
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.