Sam Francis

Smith Andersen Editions previously 3 Equal Partners, United States

Gallery Smith Andersen, Palo Alto

Thence by descent to the present owner

Sam Francis, a Californian painter and printmaker, is known for his vibrant, colour-saturated compositions set against white space. Originally studying medicine and psychology at UC Berkeley, he began painting while recovering from spinal tuberculosis during his time in the U.S. Air Force. He later studied art in San Francisco and Berkeley.

Influenced by Abstract Expressionism and French Impressionism, he moved to Paris in 1950, where he gained recognition as a “tâchiste” painter. His decade in France was highly productive, with exhibitions at major institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and the São Paulo Biennial.

Francis returned to California in 1961, where he continued working for the rest of his life. His later style blended Western abstraction with elements inspired by Japanese calligraphy. His work has been widely exhibited in leading museums worldwide.