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Lattice: Three Plates

Sam Gilliam

Lattice: Three Plates

1982

Three lithograph and etching prints in colours on handmade paper, full sheets

81.3 × 111 cm

Ed. /33 (from an edition of 33 + 6 artist’s proofs)

Location: Paris, France

https://www.artransfer.com/web/image/product.template/28670/image_1920?unique=3db916c

19,980 € 19980.0 EUR 19,980 €

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About the artwork

Lattice: Three Plates is a set of three prints by Sam Gilliam from 1982, created using a combination of lithography and etching on handmade paper. Each sheet presents a polygonal field filled with tightly layered, directional strokes of color, forming a complex and rhythmic visual texture. Greens, blues, yellows and reds overlap in a way that generates depth and movement, reflecting Gilliam’s long-standing interest in improvisation, abstraction and the sensory experience of color. The irregular shapes and richly tactile handmade paper emphasize the organic, spontaneous quality of the compositions. While each plate stands as a distinct artwork, the set reveals subtle variations in palette and gesture that echo Gilliam’s commitment to serial experimentation. Signed, titled, dated and numbered, Lattice: Three Plates marks a key moment in the artist’s printmaking practice, where the freedom of his painted and draped canvases is translated into the medium of works on paper.

Expert opinion

Lattice: Three Plates stands among the strongest examples of Sam Gilliam’s printmaking in the early 1980s. The combination of lithography and etching is executed with remarkable finesse, allowing Gilliam to build dense chromatic layers without losing clarity or luminosity. The three-part structure highlights his sophisticated sense of variation and rhythm, qualities that collectors strongly associate with his mature work. Because the edition is limited to 33 sets, each signed, titled, dated and numbered, the rarity significantly enhances the value of the work on the secondary market. The ensemble captures Gilliam at a moment when he was expanding the vocabulary of abstract printmaking, translating the improvisational freedom of his studio practice into works on paper. As a complete set, Lattice: Three Plates is considered an important acquisition for collectors seeking depth, historical relevance and exceptional print craftsmanship.

About the artist

Sam Gilliam (1933 Tupelo, Mississippi 2022 Washington, D.C.) is one of the most influential American abstract artists of the late twentieth century. After studying at the University of Louisville, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he became closely associated with the Washington Color School. While connected to this movement, Gilliam quickly developed a unique approach that set him apart. In the mid-1960s, he revolutionized abstract painting by removing the canvas from the stretcher and draping or suspending it directly in space. These radical “draped paintings” expanded the possibilities of color, gesture and form, making Gilliam a key figure in the evolution of postwar abstraction. Throughout his career, he experimented across media, including printmaking, collage and monumental public works. Gilliam’s work has been exhibited in major institutions worldwide. He represented the United States at the Venice Biennale in 1972, and his career received significant renewed attention in the 2000s and 2010s. His works are part of leading museum collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, MoMA, the Tate and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Gilliam is celebrated for his continual innovation, his commitment to improvisation and his deep engagement with the expressive power of color.

Additional info

Signed Dated 3x

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