Coathanger and Spoon [trial proof]
1971
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
color lithograph on Arches wove paper [trial proof]
Dimensions
sheet: 85.7 x 64.5 cm (33 3/4 x 25 3/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Patrons' Permanent Fund and Special Friends of the National Gallery of Art
Accession Number
2006.136.37
Art Historical Context
Jasper Johns' *Coathanger and Spoontrial proof]* (1971) invites viewers into the artist's signature world of everyday objects transformed into profound visual puzzles. This color lithograph on premium Arches wove paper a humble coat hanger and spoon with meticulous detail, rendered in vibrant hues across a generous sheet measuring 85.7 x 64.5 cm. As a trial proof—a preliminary impression pulled during the printing process—this rare variant allowed Johns to experiment with color balances, registration, and tones before finalizing the edition, offering a glimpse into his meticulous studio practi...
About the Artist
Jasper Johns
Jasper Johns (born May 15, 1930) is an American painter, sculptor, draftsman, and printmaker whose revolutionary work fundamentally transformed the trajectory of postwar American art. Emerging in the 1950s when Abstract Expressionism dominated the New York art world, Johns introduced a radically different approach by painting familiar, everyday symbols—flags, targets, numbers, and maps—that he des...