Frank Stella

Private Collection (acquired directly from the artist)
Christie's, New York, May 14, 1999, Lot 716
Acquired by the present owner from the above sale

This work is in very good condition overall. There is a 1 1/2 inch red scuff located 2 inches from the top edge and 3 inches from the right edge. There is also a 2 1/2 inch scuff located 6 inches from the bottom and 41 inches from the left edge. A fine 3 1/2 inch purple line is evident in the yellow stripe located 23 inches from the right edge and 35 1/2 inches from the bottom edge. Additionally, there are a few scattered pinpoint accretions as well as evidence of light wear around the edges. Under ultra violet light inspection, there is no apparent restoration. Unframed.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Frank Stella's Sacramento Proposal #3, 1978 vividly engages the established standard of the artist's iconic concentric squares. More than a mere systemic approach, Stella's works share a deliberate concern of color and their independent value with regard to space as well as the relationship that the colors have to one another.  Stella conceptualized colors from the hues of the color wheel, while employing the gray tonal scale in order to correspond to these colors in numerical order.  He did not simply increase the width of the bands to fill the larger canvases; rather, he increased the number of bands in order to emphasize the scale of the work itself. As seen in Sacramento Proposal #3, Stella's unprimed square canvas visually hints at a planar illusion with the outer band of color leading inwards through distinctive different shades of blue decreasing from light to dark. Each band is divided inwards through thinner stripes of bold hues of red, orange, yellow, green and blue. The application of the paint is undeniably even, although Stella, unlike many of his contemporaries, was not concerned with faultless application of the paint, and yet he was arguably among the most successful. Through his calculated technique, Stella works within the bounds of the utilitarian stripes in order to endow them with new and rich aesthetic end result.