Wave
1971
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
color lithograph on four pieces of foil mounted on wove paper
Dimensions
sheet: 66.04 x 50.17 cm (26 x 19 3/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Barbara Fendrick in memory of Daniel Fendrick
Accession Number
2008.130.1
Art Historical Context
Sam Gilliam's *Wave* (1971) is a striking color lithograph composed of four pieces of foil mounted on w paper, measuring 66 x 50 cm. This innovative print captures the artist's pioneering spirit during a transformative period in American abstract art. Gilliam, a leading figure in the Washington Color School and Color Field movement, was renowned for his bold experiments with color, texture, and form, often pushing beyond traditional canvas supports. Created amid the vibrant artistic ferment of the early 1970s, *Wave* exemplifies Gilliam's fascination with fluidity and light. The use of foil a...