Untitled, 1980 - Sam Francis - Framed art Print

Samuel Lewis Francis (1923-1994) wasborn in San Mateo, California, turned to painting in 1944, a therapeutic response to spinal tuberculosis resulting from a military accident. After private study with painter David Park in 1947, he chose to forego a career in medicine and instead pursued art at the University of California, Berkeley, obtaining a BA in 1949 and an MA in 1950.

Experimenting with styles of the late 1940s, particularly Abstract Expressionism and Surrealism, Francis cultivated his unique abstract style. A move to Paris in 1950 brought exposure to Pierre Bonnard's and Henri Matisse's work, rekindling his fascination with vibrant colour and light. Despite associations with Art Informel, Francis remained independent of any movement.

Returning to California in 1962, Francis' work continued to exhibit vibrant colour play. However, by the late 1960s, colour began to recede from his canvases. In 1973, he formed a lithography production company, publishing his prints. His style continued to evolve over the decades, traversing Tibetan mandala-inspired shapes, strict grid structures, and vibrant, serpentine forms.

In his final year, stricken with cancer and painting with his left hand due to a fall, Francis produced 150 small works. He died in Santa Monica, California, on November 4, 1994.