Etching and aquatint with carborundum and relief printing on TGL handmade paper
USA, 1991
Frank Stella (b. 1936) – American postwar painter and printmaker
Signed and dated in pencil, numbered ‘4/22’
From Moby Dick Engravings
Published by Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York, with their blind stamp
Full margins, framed
Dimensions: 73 1/4 x 53 1/2 in. (186 x 135.75 cm.)
Very good condition
Estimate $6,500-$7,500

In the 1990s, Stella created a series of paintings and prints inspired by Herman Melville’s novel “Moby Dick.” The artist wanted to capture the monumental subject and turbulence of Melville’s prose. Working with master printmaker Ken Tyler, Stella realized a series of spectacular engravings, each made from fragments of metal plates that were individually cut out and printed. Other impressions of Fossil Whale are in numerous museums, including the Walker Museum in Minneapolis and the National Gallery of Australia.

Frank Stella (American, b. 1936)

A preeminent figure of postwar American art, Frank Stella is widely considered one of the most influential painters of a generation that was moving away from Abstract Expressionism towards Minimalism. Perhaps best known for his deviation from the traditional rectangular canvas, Stella's colorful works frequently feature geometric designs and colorful patterns. Born in Malden, Massachusetts, Frank Stella studied at Princeton University before moving to New York City. In 1959, Stella’s paintings were included in the seminal exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, “16 Americans.” In 1970, MoMA held a retrospective of the artist’s work. Over the course of his career, Stella has received numerous awards and honors, including First Prize at the International Biennial Exhibition of Paintings in Tokyo, Japan (1967); Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Government (1989); and Gold Medal for Graphic Art Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New York, NY (1998). The artist continues to live and work in New York.

Condition

In overall good condition, not examined out of frame.

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