Plate (folio 27, side B, recto) from The Departure of the Argonaut
1983 - 1986, published 1986
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
one from an illustrated book of 68 lithographs on Okawara paper
Dimensions
overall: 64.5 x 100 cm (25 3/8 x 39 3/8 in.)
Classification
Portfolio
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Hauslohner
Accession Number
1986.57.1.27b
Art Historical Context
Behold Plate (folio 27, side B, recto) from *The Departure of the Argonaut*, a captivating lithograph by Italian artist Francesco Clemente, a leading figure in the 1980s Transav movement. This Neo-Expressionist work reimagines the ancient Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts' epic quest for the Golden Fleece, blending classical narratives with Clemente's signature dreamlike symbolism, vibrant hues, and introspective motifs influenced by his time in India and New York. Part of an ambitious illustrated book comprising 68 lithographs on luxurious Okawara paper—a fine Japanese handmade sheet pri...
About the Artist
Francesco Clemente
Francesco Clemente was born on March 23, 1952, in Naples, Italy, into an aristocratic family as the only son of Judge Marchese Lorenzo Clemente di San Luca and his wife, Bianca Quarto. Drawn to art from childhood through dreamlike drawings inspired by recollections, he moved to Rome in 1970 to study architecture at Sapienza University but soon abandoned it for visual arts. There, he met the concep...