Richard Diebenkorn Blue with Red, 1987 is an expressive work by the reputable artist who is known for his abstract works which placed him at the forefront of the abstract expressionist movement becoming an influential figure in art history. This piece portrays an abstracted representation of a landscape. There is a vibrant blue dominates the piece, with variations in clarity seen in small jagged elements of deeper and lighter blue hues amid the blue background, a subtle nod to the tranquility of a deep sky. A rectangular grey portion at the bottom serves as the base and is separated from the blue portion above with a slightly wavering black line. This grey area varies from darker to lighter hues, captivating unique movement and depth. On the sides of the piece, two lines of grey partially border the vertical edges. An alluring  rectangular arrangement of black and off-white geometric shapes occupies the upper left corner. Near the lower right corner of this arrangement, a slender horizontal sliver of red, yellow, white and grey loosely connects this geometric grouping to a looser arrangement of similar geometric shapes in the upper right corner. The artist intentionally choses red as the dominant color in this horizontal bar, which is further delineated by an uneven thin black line along the length of the bar’s center. The hint of red lends a vibrant energy to the work and is thought provoking in form and color scheme to contrast a blue background. The geometric shapes dominating the upper right corner are an intriguing riot of black triangles, squares and rectangles, punctuated by one white rectangle on the uppermost edge and corner. Faintly visible through the blue in the upper portion of the piece is what appears to be an under layer of a checkered pattern of black squares and rectangles encouraging the viewer to engage and examine the work more closely. The multilayered formations lend weight and texture to the piece, and the uneven lines, edges and unique blending of colors and shapes, all of which suggest painterly brushstrokes, attest to the artist’s sophisticated craftsmanship in printmaking.

Richard Diebenkorn Blue with Red, 1987 is a woodcut in colors on Echizen Kozo Mashi paper. This work is hand signed (initialed) and dated by Richard Diebenkorn (Portland 1922 - Berkely 1993) in pencil in the lower right margin. Numbered from the edition of 200 in the lower center margin.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

Richard Diebenkorn woodcut Blue with Red, 1987 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonné and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the sale of the work).

1.  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this woodcut.

About the Framing:

Framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, Richard Diebenkorn woodcut Blue with Red, 1987 is presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.