Adored by collectors and art lovers around the globe, Alex Katz is a renowned for his elegant and distinctive version of figuration and portraiture.
Born in 1927, Katz worked as an artist since the 1950s. However, it wasn't until the following decade that he established his signature 'flat style'. One could argue that Katz revived figurative painting when it had gone terribly out of style. He arguably absorbed some of the best characteristics of Pop art and minimalism as he established his own visual language.
Today the artist approaches the age of 100 he is still active and continues to influence contemporary painters. Over the past 30 years we can see his impact on a host of artists including Julian Opie, Neil Welliver Amy Sherald and Elizabeth Peyton amongst others.
Katz has always been an active and devoted printmaker interested in portraits and landscapes: subjects that he is personally connected to such as Soho cityscapes, the flora of rural Maine, and the people in his life.
"Provincetown Red Sails" is an early paradigm of Katz's pared-back aesthetic. A bold vermilion sailboat stands alone against a muted blush backdrop, highlighting the expansive seascape with minimal detail.
Provincetown was a thriving creative hub for artists during this era; its quiet, coastal setting served as a recurring source of inspiration for a handful of notable artists including Helen Frankenthaler and . The seaside town was a recurring subject for Katz, who captured its quaint charm throughout the 1970s.
In 2022, Katz was the subject of a major retrospective at The Guggenheim (New York) which exhibited work spanning 8 decades of the artist's career. His work is celebrated in prominent collections across the globe including the Tate Modern (London), The National Gallery of Art (Washington D.C.), and the Centre Pompidou (Paris).
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"Provincetown: Late Summer Afternoon 2" (Red Sails)
USA, 1973
Serigraph in three colors
Signed and numbered 4/4 by the artist
(One of 4 printer's proofs)
23"H 29"W (work)
Very good condition.
Published by Chiron Press, New York
Note: there is some haloing in the photo of the full sheet.
