
Study for Forward Retreat
1986
This oil study presents an abstracted composition dominated by warm terracotta and rust tones. The work features gestural, intertwining forms that suggest movement and struggle, rendered in varying intensities of red and orange pigment. A landscape or atmospheric element appears in the upper portion, while the lower section contains more densely layered, dynamic marks. The composition is characterized by its sketchy, exploratory quality, with translucent washes of color creating depth across the cream colored support.
- Medium
- oil and graphite on linen
- Overall
- Location
- Sotheby's, New York, NY
- Spotted At
- Auction House · Sotheby'sView on map
Notes
Contemporary Day Auction, Sotheby's, sale on 2026-05-15.
🔨 Auction Lot
Contemporary Day Auction
May 15, 2026
Estimate: $400,000 to $600,000
More by Mark Tansey
Spotted works by Mark Tansey

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