Frank Stella Shards IV Signed Screenprint 1982 Edition of 100, 2008

Frank Stella   Master Artists

Artist: Frank Stella (American, 1936–2024) Title: Shards IV Medium: Offset Lithograph and Screen-print on Paper Edition: Numbered CTP III Size: 39.25" x 45" Framed: 47.25" x 52.5" x 1.25" Year: 1982 Inscription: Signed in Pencil, numbered CTP III, and dated along on front Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity Frank Stella's "Shards IV", from the 1982 "Shards" series, exemplifies the artist's ongoing exploration of texture, form, and abstraction during the early 1980s. Created through a combination of offset lithography and screen-printing, this work demonstrates Stella's characteristic precision and engagement with geometric complexity while simultaneously referencing previous series in his oeuvre. The "Shards" series derives its name from Stella's practice of repurposing elements from earlier works, notably the "Circuits Series" and the 1980 "Polar Coordinates for Ronnie Peterson" series, to construct layered compositions that evoke depth and movement. By the early 1960s, Stella had shifted away from illusionistic space toward flat, irregular shapes, a hallmark of his minimalist beginnings. In the decades that followed, his practice expanded into three-dimensional and maximalist explorations, including large-scale sculptural works, wall reliefs, and series such as "Shards". "Shards IV" embodies this transitional period, reflecting Stella's ability to integrate fragments of previous motifs into a cohesive and visually compelling whole. "Shards IV", is part of the permanent collection of the Whitney Museum and the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Other works by Frank Stella from the same period are exhibited in the Guggenheim Museum, the Hirshhorn Museum, LACMA, among many others. His early inclusion in exhibitions such as "Three Young Americans" at the Allen Memorial Art Museum and "Sixteen Americans" at MoMA cemented his reputation as a leading figure in postwar American abstraction. In 2009, Stella's contributions were formally recognized with the National Medal of Arts, awarded by President Barack Obama. The lithograph and screen-print measures 39 1/4 inches in height by 45 inches in width and is pencil signed, numbered CTP III, and dated along the lower center. The piece is framed at 47 1/4 inches by 52 1/2 inches with a depth of 1 1/4 inches. The verso carries the artist's signature along with a Denise Rene gallery sticker, and the purchase of this work includes a gallery certificate of authenticity, ensuring provenance and exhibition legitimacy. "Shards IV" remains a testament to Stella's innovative approach to reconfiguring visual language, bridging his minimalist origins with his later maximalist explorations and cementing his legacy as one of the most influential American artists of the twentieth century.