Mantis 1962

This untitled painting, made by Sam Francis, presents a deluge of shapes in blues, yellows, and reds against a vast white canvas. The open space itself becomes a dominant symbol, a void pregnant with possibilities, reminiscent of the tabula rasa, or blank slate, inviting projection and interpretation. Consider the scattered drips and splatters. They echo the "sprezzatura" found even in Renaissance art – a studied carelessness that suggests spontaneity, yet belies careful craftsmanship. We see the motif of flowing, life-giving waters – or tears – reappearing throughout art history, from ancient Greek depictions of weeping figures to the melancholic streams in Romantic landscapes. These recurring gestures tap into our collective unconscious, a shared reservoir of primal emotions. The interplay between vibrant color and empty space creates a palpable tension, a visual drama that mirrors the human psyche's eternal dance between expression and repression. The image lingers in the mind, not as a static object, but as a catalyst for introspection.