Untitled (SFE 075) 1990

Sam Francis’s abstract piece features blooms of color, a modern echo of floral motifs present throughout art history. The symbolic language of flowers, seen here in a contemporary light, has ancient roots. Think of the Dutch Masters, and their still-life paintings; each flower carefully chosen, imbued with meaning. The rose, a symbol of love, or the lily, a sign of purity. Francis, too, employs a floral symbol, but in a more abstract context. Consider the evolution: from Botticelli's Venus scattering roses, emblems of love and beauty, to Francis's fragmented blossoms. What remains is the potent emotional core, the pure essence of beauty and fragility. These splashes of color evoke a sense of fleeting beauty and the transient nature of life. The primal connection to nature resurfaces, transformed, revealing that cultural memory persists, shaping our visual language across time.