Sam Francis

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Francis, Sam (1923–1994). American painter, one of the leading second-generation Abstract Expressionists. He was born in San Mateo, California, and studied psychology and medicine at the University of California, Berkeley, 1941–3. While serving in the US Army Air Corps he injured his spine in a plane crash and he took up painting in 1944 while he was recovering in hospital. He studied with David Park in San Francisco, then returned to the University of California and took an MA in fine arts in 1950. In the same year he settled in Paris, where he studied under Léger and was friendly with Riopelle and other Art Informel painters; his style was influenced by these artists as well as by Americans such as Jackson Pollock. In 1957–8 Francis twice travelled round the world, making a long stay in Japan. He often returned there, and the thin texture of his paint, his drip and splash technique, and his asymmetrical balance of colour against powerful voids (he often left areas of canvas blank) led critics to speak of influences from Japanese traditions of contemplative art. In 1961 Francis returned to California, settling first at Santa Barbara and then in Santa Monica. From the mid-1960s the feeling of oriental simplicity in his painting increased, bringing his work into closer affinity with Minimal art. Francis carried out several mural commissions, but he often worked on a small scale in watercolour. He also made lithographs (from 1960) and sculpture (from 1965).

Francis, Sam (b San Mateo, Calif., 25 June 1923; d Santa Monica, Calif., 4 Nov. 1994). American painter, one of the leading second-generation Abstract Expressionists. While serving in the US Army Air Corps he injured his spine in a plane crash and he took up painting in 1944 when he was recovering in hospital. In 1950 he settled in Paris, where he studied under Léger and was friendly with Riopelle and other Art Informel painters; his style was influenced by these artists as well as by Americans such as Jackson Pollock. He visited Japan several times, and the thin texture of his paint, his drip and splash technique, and his asymmetrical balance of colour against powerful voids (he often left areas of canvas blank) have led critics to speak of influences from Japanese traditions of contemplative art. In 1961 Francis returned to his native California, settling first at Santa Barbara and then in Santa Monica. From the mid-1960s the feeling of oriental simplicity in his painting increased, bringing his work into closer affinity with Minimal art. Francis carried out several mural commissions, but he often worked on a small scale in watercolour. He also made lithographs (from 1960) and sculpture (from 1965).

Francis, Sam (1923–94). American painter, one of the leading second-generation Abstract Expressionists. While serving in the US Army Air Corps he injured his spine in a plane crash and he took up painting in 1944 when he was recovering in hospital. In 1950 he settled in Paris, where he studied under Léger and was friendly with Riopelle and other Art Informel painters; his style was influenced by these artists as well as by Americans such as Jackson Pollock. He visited Japan several times, and the thin texture of his paint, his drip and splash technique, and his asymmetrical balance of colour against powerful voids (he often left areas of canvas blank) have led critics to speak of influences from Japanese traditions of contemplative art. In 1961 Francis returned to his native California, settling first at Santa Barbara and then in Santa Monica. From the mid-1960s the feeling of oriental simplicity in his painting increased, bringing his work into closer affinity with Minimal art. Francis carried out several mural commissions, but he often worked on a small scale in watercolour. He also made lithographs (from 1960) and sculpture (from 1965).

Sam Francis 1923–94, American painter, b. San Mateo, Calif. Educated in medicine, Francis began painting while recovering from an injury received in World War II. His mural-sized paintings are stained with brilliant, transparent oil color. Small areas of color are concentrated irregularly over a canvas that is largely white. In his later works the use of color is confined to the sides of the canvas.

Bibliography: See catalogue raisonné ed. by D. Burchett-Lere (2011).