


Sans titre
1969
A vibrant explosion of gestural brushstrokes and bold color saturates the surface of this untitled acrylic work on paper by American Abstract Expressionist Sam Francis. Splashes and pools of vivid hues—blues, reds, and yellows—radiate outward with an energetic spontaneity, leaving areas of white paper exposed to breathe and contrast against the chromatic intensity. The composition reflects Francis's signature interplay between color and void, evoking both movement and meditative stillness.
- Medium
- acrylic on paper
- Dimensions
- Signed
- Yes
- Spotted At
- Auction House · Christie's
Notes
LITERATURE Sam Francis: Online Catalogue Raisonné Project, 2020, No. SF69-007. EXHIBITED Milan, Falchi Arte Moderna, Sam Francis, mars 1974, No. 3. Conditions of sale Brought to you by Elisabetta Vitullo Junior Specialist, Head of Day Sale EVITULLO@CHRISTIES.COM +33 (0)1 40 76 85 68
🔨 Auction Lot
Art Contemporain
Lot 209
More by Sam Francis
Collectors of Sam Francis
Also spotted by
Artists in conversation

Helen Frankenthaler
American · b. 1928

Frankenthaler pioneered lyrical abstraction using poured and stained color on paper and canvas, creating the same interplay between vivid chromatic pools and exposed white ground that defines this Francis work. Her gestural spontaneity and use of breathing voids within color saturated compositions mirror the energetic yet meditative quality seen here.
Joan Mitchell
American · b. 1925
Mitchell's gestural abstract works share the explosive brushstroke energy and bold saturated color of this Francis piece, with blues, yellows, and reds applied with visceral spontaneity against open white space. Her works on paper particularly echo the chromatic intensity and radiating movement visible in this untitled acrylic.
Paul Jenkins
American · b. 1923
Jenkins worked in lyrical abstraction using poured acrylic that created flowing pools and radiating splashes of vivid color against white surfaces, directly paralleling Francis's signature technique and aesthetic. His chromatic cascades and the tension between color saturation and open white ground are remarkably close to the qualities of this specific work.
Start the Discussion
Request access to join the discussion