Blue (for Leo), 1997; Screenprint on Somerset Velvet paper; Numbered LXI/XC lower left and signed Kelly lower right; Published by Noblet Serigraphie, Inc., New York; Catalog Raisonne: A.: 276; Size - Sheet 37 x 27"; Unframed.
"I have worked to free shape from its ground, and then to work the shape so that it has a definite relationship to the space around it; so that it has a clarity and a measure within itself of its parts (angles, curves, edges, and mass); and so that, with color and tonality, the shape finds its own space and always demands its freedom and separateness." - Ellsworth Kelly
Ellsworth
Kelly was an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker who was associated with Hard-Edge painting, Color Field, and Minimalism. He is one of the 20th century's greatest and most influential artists, and his work
hangs in the world's finest museum's permanent collections.
Despite Kelly being associated with Minimalism, he does
not see himself as a minimalist at all; but rather a figure to ground and a color interaction painter. Ellsworth Kelly's works do have a life model, and unlike Ad Reinhardt, Josef Albers, or
Barnett Newman; Kelly derives his forms from nature and his
surroundings. Photographs taken by Kelly in France as early as 1949 show the
casting of shadow and light over surfaces of Parisian architecture; and
it was these photographs that served as references for his paintings at
the time. The forms, derived from shadows or just small sections of trees or
buildings, are then edited and isolated into regular and
irregular geometric shapes. Kelly then paints these forms choosing specific colors to isolate the form, and in some cases to relate to other colored forms within the composition.
Close up of the Kelly signature.
Leo Castelli (1907-1999) was an Italian-American art dealer whose New York Gallery showcased contemporary art for five decades. Among the art movements showed were Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Neo-Dada, Pop Art, Op Art, Color Field, Hard-edge painting, Lyrical Abstraction, Minimal Art , Conceptual Art, and Neo-expressionism. He gave Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, and Frank Stella their first one man shows. Castelli had in his stable the following historically significant artists: Larry Poons, Lee Bontecou, James Rosenquist, Andy Warhol, Robert Morris, Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, Cy Twombly, Ronald Davis, Ed Ruscha, Richard Serra, Bruce Nauman, and Joseph Kosuth.
"Blue (for Leo)," 1997 was one of nine prints that were commissioned by Leo Castelli's son Jean-Christophe to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Leo Castelli Gallery and as a ninetieth birthday present for his father. The artists chosen to participate all were strongly associated with the Castelli Gallery at some point in their career and included: Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, Joseph Kosuth, Roy Lichtenstein, Richard Serra, Robert Rauschenberg, James Rosenquist, Edward Ruscha, and Bruce Nauman. The edition size of the resulting portfolio of nine prints corresponded to Leo Castelli's birthday in 1997 when he turned 90 years old. The first two portfolios were presented to Leo Castelli, with the first being a birthday gift and the second being displayed in the Castelli Gallery. The vast majority of the other 88 sets were given by Jean-Christophe to major museums and institutions around the world; making individual prints from the portfolios extremely rare.
"Blue (for Leo)," 1997 was one of nine prints that were commissioned by Leo Castelli's son Jean-Christophe to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Leo Castelli Gallery and as a ninetieth birthday present for his father. The artists chosen to participate all were strongly associated with the Castelli Gallery at some point in their career and included: Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, Joseph Kosuth, Roy Lichtenstein, Richard Serra, Robert Rauschenberg, James Rosenquist, Edward Ruscha, and Bruce Nauman. The edition size of the resulting portfolio of nine prints corresponded to Leo Castelli's birthday in 1997 when he turned 90 years old. The first two portfolios were presented to Leo Castelli, with the first being a birthday gift and the second being displayed in the Castelli Gallery. The vast majority of the other 88 sets were given by Jean-Christophe to major museums and institutions around the world; making individual prints from the portfolios extremely rare.
Close up of the edition number.
"Blue (for Leo)," 1997 by Ellsworth Kelly is a large and extremely well executed work of art. The blue rectangular form floats on the paper's white
ground, touching three of the four paper sheet edges. The result is a strong figure
(blue rectangle) and ground (white paper) relationship. The act of
viewing the work is the realization that there is a specific and elegant
composition, created with the intent of invoking a feeling of calmness. The blue forms seems to float within the field, moving horizontally slightly, as it is bound by it's corners at both at the top and bottom. An exceptional work by Ellsworth Kelly and a great addition to any art collection.
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